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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Rawls believe is the dominant theory of political philosophy throughout the 20th Century?
(a) Republicanism.
(b) Utilitarianism.
(c) Ontology.
(d) Socialism.

2. What does the Individual gain out of the Social Contract?
(a) Money and wealth.
(b) Protection and security.
(c) Power and glory.
(d) Military might.

3. How does the ignorant chooser know what is fair and what is not, according to Rawls?
(a) Because of an innate knowledge of fairness.
(b) Because the monarch told them so.
(c) Because God told them so.
(d) Because they are taught what to believe.

4. Which century was Intuitionism first developed?
(a) Seventeenth.
(b) Eighteenth.
(c) Fifteenth.
(d) Sixteenth.

5. What defines a good society, according to Rawls?
(a) A wealthy society.
(b) A strong society.
(c) A just society.
(d) A society that owns the most land.

6. What is the greatest criticism levelled against Utilitarianism?
(a) It is not strong enough.
(b) It's not realistic.
(c) That minority views are ignored.
(d) That majority views are ignored.

7. How, according to Rawls, does justice help to assign rights and duties?
(a) It ensures that there is an equal distribution of such.
(b) It ensures that some people get more duties than others.
(c) It enforces the law.
(d) It states who has the power and who doesn't.

8. Where did the early Intuitionists believe they got their appreciation of morals, rights and wrongs or fairness?
(a) God.
(b) Nature.
(c) The king.
(d) Their parents.

9. What does Rawls think a person would decide about their society if they had any choice?
(a) That it would be at least fair.
(b) That it be at least a beautiful land.
(c) That it would be at least a strong society.
(d) That it be at least a wealthy society.

10. What is another name for the Original Position?
(a) The Man in the Barrel Argument.
(b) The Brain in the Vat Argument.
(c) The First Argument.
(d) The Waiting Room Argument.

11. What does Rawls accept about his own theory?
(a) That there is a degree of Marxism within it.
(b) That there is a certain amount of Intuitionism present in 'fairness'.
(c) That it might be hard to apply to the real world.
(d) That it is quite socialist.

12. What is the first virtue of social institution, according to Rawls?
(a) Wealth.
(b) Strength.
(c) Militarism.
(d) Justice.

13. Who should hold the greatest advantage in Rawls’ ideal society?
(a) No one.
(b) The rich.
(c) The royals.
(d) The poor.

14. Whom of the following was a leading 'Intuitionist'?
(a) John Hurt.
(b) J.S. Mill.
(c) John Locke.
(d) Socrates.

15. What is the implicit assumption that the Social Contract theory makes?
(a) That there is a God.
(b) That there is some form of agreement between Individual and government.
(c) That there is a scientific truth.
(d) That everyone intrinsically knows right from wrong.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Individual lose from the Social Contract?

2. What is the maxim of Utilitarian philosophy?

3. What is the essential problem of Intuitionism?

4. In what era was the theory of the Social Contract in favor?

5. What is the Veil of Ignorance in Rawls' argument?

(see the answer keys)

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