On the final exam for this course, you will be asked to answer the following question in clearly written paragraphs. You do not have to follow a formal essay-writing format in answering this question – no introduction, thesis statement, or conclusion is required. Just imagine that you are diving into the body of an essay in which you are asked to summarize and evaluate philosophical arguments.
The Question
In the last three weeks of the course, we examined moral philosophy through the lens of existentialism and feminist theory in the writings of Sartre, Beauvoir and Baier. Their perspectives put moral theory on a new footing in comparison to how it has been approached in the past. Explain how TWO of these theorists represent a break from past ways of thinking about morality. Of the theorists you discuss, which do you think provides the most promising new direction for moral philosophy? Or is it a promising direction at all? Defend your answer.
Note that this question will make up the totality of your exam. You should devote ¾ of your answer to summary and ¼ to evaluation of philosophical arguments.
