According to Immanuel Kant, the categorical imperative is a conduct rule that is unconditional of all agents. That someone should do only that which they will that all other people should do in similar circumstances. As research shows, morality is based on categorical imperative since morality commands someone, and one cannot claim that it does not apply to them. There are two different formulations of categorical imperatives. These are the universal law formula which states that as wishes to be treated, so should one act on that maxim and at the same time have no problem should it become a universal law. This says that whatever you do, you would be willing to allow everyone else to do it. An example is that if you expect everyone else to keep their word, you need to keep your word. The second formulation is the end in itself formula that says one should act to treat humanity always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means. One should, instead of using someone as a mere means to an end, treat them as the end. For instance, one should not make a promise to another with the intention of breaking it after they have achieved their end.

According to Aristotle, why is a tragedy a good genre for thinking through moral problems?

According to Aristotle, tragedy is an imitation of an action that is important, absolute, and of certain immensity. He says that it arouses fear and pity among the audience. According to Aristotle, tragedy has six parts. They are plot, character, notion, language use, tune, and presentation. A good tragedy has a tight sequence of events with a plot that runs from the beginning to the end. There should be a hero going from happiness to misery. Character is the actor, the persona; mostly, the hero and or heroine are the most important people. The actors’ feelings and thoughts as the plot develops is the notion. It is expressed through their speeches. The language through which the actors choose to express themselves is diction. The presentation has scenes of physical harm, garments, and appearance difference between the main actors and the rest of the cast.

The tragedy is a good genre for thinking through moral problems since it arouses a sensation of pity and fear in the spectators and expels from them these emotions so that when they leave the theatre, they feel uplifted and purified and can understand the ways of men more.

What is altruism? According to an egoist, why is this impossible?

Altruism is when an individual is genuinely concerned about the welfare of others, even at a cost, with no self-interest. While an egoist believes that a person will do something for their benefits, an altruist believes that a person can do well for the benefit of others. An egoist believes that people are only interested in themselves, and so no one will do something for others that will not benefit them.

Explain Rawl’s “Veil of Ignorance” and how it might contribute to creating a new society.

Rawl’s veil of ignorance suggests that people imagine themselves behind a veil of ignorance as an original position; here, you don’t know anything about yourself, abilities, or society’s position. This veil of ignorance renders all individuals rational, free, and morally equal. Using the veil of ignorance gives people a chance to be fair and considerate in their choices for the new society as they do not know who they will be in the new society. According to Rawls, a fair society will have people possessing rights and liberties, power and chances, income and sufficient wealth, and self-respect.

Do the women in Trojan Women have agency? Discuss at least two women (Andromache, Helen, Hecuba, Cassandra, even the chorus as a whole, etc.).

We see the women of Trojan Women being given less agency than their male equivalents. They are forced into sex slavery after Troy’s fall, which is a way of enslaving them based on ability and sexual desire. They do not comprehend that regardless of the master’s status, enslavement is a violation of human dignity.

Cassandra is the daughter of Hecuba and a princess. She has been selected to serve as a concubine to Agamemnon and is pleased as she can see that the general’s wife will not be pleased and will kill the two of them. Andromache, Helen’s daughter-in-law, is bitter as she is not allowed to keep her son Astyanax with her as the new king fears he will grow up to avenge his father. She becomes the concubine of Neoptolemus, Achilles’s son.

In Euripides’ Hippolytus, Phaedra makes several references to her female family members in her dialogue with the nurse. Who and what does Phaedra refer to, and why is she referring to them?

Phaedra and her nurse refer to Hippolytus as a wild beast because he does not notice women. Phaedra longs to be with Hippolytus, but Hippolytus detests her and vows never to get involved. Phaedra believes that, like her mother, she is cursed when it comes to love and that she may need to lay with a bull.

In the Bacchae, why does Dionysus want to punish Pentheus? And, why is the manner of Pentheus’ death significant to Dionysus?

Dionysus wants to punish Pentheus because Pentheus has banned the worship of Dionysus throughout Thebes. The manner of Pentheus’ death is significant to Dionysus because of the humiliation Pentheus faced in the hands of the very people he despised and banned.

Why does Iphigenia want to be sacrificed in Iphigenia in Aulis?

Iphigenia is supposed to be killed on Aulis as a human sacrifice to appease the goddess Artemis because the Agamemnon accidentally killed one of her sacred deer.

Social contract theory

This states that the agreement that establishes moral and political behavior in people gives people rules to live.

Basic principles of social contract theory

The state of nature is one of the principles of a social contract and original position the second.

The advantages of social contract theory are that it sets a moral behavior foundation, binds people in morality, and justifies breaking rules that are not helping; it doesn’t require favors.

The disadvantage is that by birth, a child will have its loyalty to the mother and only look for protection from the father; the father might not be known, which puts women in a disadvantaged position.

It was not morally right for king Laius to order the murder of his son in fear of future eminent death. We see him using his powers to make decisions that favor him. Jocasta, out of her morals, could not kill her son Oedipus and so, together with her servant, decided to hide him. Oedipus is seen languishing in shame and regret after realizing that he has married his mother and has killed his father.

Ethical Egoism

This believes that all people act from their interests.

Principles of Ethical Egoism

One does not have to sacrifice their interest for the benefit of others as long as their interests are equal to other people’s interests.

Advantages, our accepted morals have a foundation in the principle of self-interest. Ethical egoism can be self-defeating. Disadvantage: An egoist will choose to consume most of their resources if there is a limit in resources.

Phaedra acts in her self-interest when she tries to lure Hippolytus into loving her. She goes a step further by conspiring against him, which led to his death. When Theseus comes back and hears of the allegations against his son, he acts hastily and calls for his death.

References

Artemova, O.Y., 2020. Equality as a human categorical imperative. Первобытная археология. Журнал междисциплинарных исследований, (1), pp.64-91.

Huang, K., Greene, J.D. and Bazerman, M., 2019. Veil-of-ignorance reasoning favors the greater good. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(48), pp.23989-23995.

Kraut, R., 2016. Altruism.

Muldoon, R., 2016. Social contract theory for a diverse world: Beyond tolerance. Taylor & Francis.

Wijaya, I., 2020. Treasure Hunt: Ethical Egoism vs Individual Anarchism. Kata Kita, 8(1), pp.116-123.