Critical thinking questions. Relate them to microeconomics and give thorough explanations

1. 'Moral knowledge is more like mathematical knowledge than it is like knowledge gained through observation.' Discuss.

2. 'There cannot be genuine disagreement over something about which there is no objective fact of the matter. People genuinely disagree over moral questions. Therefore, morality cannot be subjective.' What is the most plausible formulation of this argument? Does it succeed?

3. All else equal, is it permissible to break someone's finger in order to save a different person's life? What does your answer imply for the plausibility of deontology?

4. 'To call someone virtuous is just an old-fashioned way of saying that they reliably act in accordance with the correct moral principles.' Does it follow that we can do without the notion of a virtue?

5. If computers were created that could experience greater happiness than human beings, should we cede the world to them?

6. What sort of egoist am I if I give to charity because I want to do the right thing?

7. What has morality got to do with empathy?

8. 'Affirmative action is a form of reverse discrimination. All forms of discrimination are morally wrong. Therefore, affirmative action is morally wrong.' Is there anything wrong with this argument?

9. Can equality of opportunity ever be more than an empty slogan?

10. EITHER (a) 'To decide whether political institutions are justified, we need to look at their consequences rather than to consider whether people hypothetically would agree to them.' Discuss. OR (b) What use is a merely hypothetical contract?

11. EITHER (a) Can a duty to obey the law be derived from a duty of fair play? OR (b) Does justice give us a duty to obey the law?