Deck 3: Ethical Relativism

Question 1

According to W.D. Ross, the fact that there are several prima facie duties means

A)That ethical absolutism is the correct approach.
B)There is a hierarchical structure to the universal value system.
C)That we are obligated to fulfill all of them.
D)That there will be conflicts of values.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not a reason for supporting ethical relativism?

A)Moral uncertainty
B)Diversity of moral views
C)Situational differences
D)Social cohesion

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The view that moral rules or principles have no exceptions and are context-independent is known as

A)absolutism.
B)objectivism.
C)metaethical relativism.
D)pluralism.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

If people disagree about some moral matter, their disagreement will always be due to their having different moral values.

Question 5

According to the text, moral skeptics hold that it is difficult or impossible to know what is good or bad, right or wrong.

Question 6

Strong ethical relativism holds that there is no objective good or bad, right or wrong.

Question 7

Weak forms of ethical relativism hold that there are objective moral principles, even though they will need to be applied differently in different contexts.

Question 8

Absolutism is described as the view that

A)It is impossible to know somethings.
B)What is good in a concrete case differs from person to person.
C)Moral principles are context-independent.
D)There are no universal norms.

Question 9

Which of the following sayings is commonly used to express cultural relativism?

A)"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."
B)"To each his own."
C)"What comes around goes around."
D)"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Question 10

If two people have the same moral values, then they will always reach the same conclusions about what is right and wrong.

Question 11

Richard Rorry argues that there is no algorithm to determine precise answers about which beliefs are better than others.

Question 12

Social or cultural relativism holds that what is right is whatever one's society or culture holds to be right.

Question 13

According to Martha Nussbaum, the central capabilities

A)Provide the basis of respect for differences.
B)Can be realized independent of individual taste.
C)Can each be concretely realized in different ways.
D)Are contradictory to living an ethical life.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT among Nussbaum's "central capabilities?"

A)Life
B)Religion
C)Bodily integrity
D)Play

Question 15

According to individual ethical relativism, I cannot be objectively mistaken in my moral judgments.

Question 16

Which of the following viewpoints necessarily implies that there are no universally applicable moral norms?

A)Metaethical relativism
B)Subjectivism
C)Descriptive relativism
D)Objectivism

Question 17

This type of ethical relativism holds that ethical judgments are the result of the moral outlook and attitudes of particular persons:

A)Cultural relativism.
B)Individual relativism.
C)Objectivism.
D)Atheism.

Question 18

Strong ethical relativism holds that

A)There is no objective right and wrong.
B)Right and wrong are not really knowable.
C)Some actions are more right than others.
D)All actions are equally moral.

Question 19

The belief that what is right in some circumstances is not necessarily right in others cannot be held by ethical objectivists.

Question 20

Which of the following philosophers does your text describe as a proponent of perspectivism?

A)Nietzsche
B)Rawls
C)Nussbaum
D)Pojman

Question 21

Descriptive relativism necessarily implies metaethical relativism.

Question 22

Describe Nussbaum's "central capabilities" approach. Why does your text refer to such an approach as both "weak relativism" and "soft universalism?"

Question 23

G.E. Moore held that goodness is a specific quality that attaches to people or acts. This is a form of

A)moral pluralism.
B)moral realism.
C)moral relativism.
D)subjectivism.

Question 24

Discuss the relevance of moral uncertainty to both the relativist and non-relativist positions. Why does the relativist claim that moral uncertainty leads to relativism? How does the non-relativist counter the relativist argument? Which position do you find most convincing?

Question 25

Give an example of situational differences that does NOT imply relativism. Explain how/why the situational differences in your example defy relativism.

Question 26

According to your text, what is a straw man?

A)An argument that sets up an easy-to-defeat version of an opposing position
B)A scarecrow
C)A normative claim
D)An argument against relativism