Deck 8: The Ethic of Prima Facie Duties

Question 1

Ethical pluralism is

A) the view that there are many different ethical theories, all of which are equally good.
B) there is no such thing as moral truth.
C) there is more than one fundamental moral rule.
D) it is not appropriate for one to force one's values on another person.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A moral rule is absolute if and only if it

A) it is the only fundamental moral rule.
B) can never permissibly be broken.
C) is the supreme principle of morality.
D) all of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A moral theory is monistic if and only if it holds that

A) there is just one fundamental moral rule.
B) there is just one absolute moral rule.
C) there is more than one fundamental moral rule.
D) every fundamental moral rule is absolute.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Ross's ethic of prima facie duties is a version of ethical

A) absolutism.
B) monism.
C) utilitarianism.
D) pluralism.

Question 5

A prima facie duty is

A) a moral reason to do or abstain from something.
B) a moral reason that can be outweighed by other moral reasons.
C) a moral reason that, if not outweighed, generates a moral requirement.
D) all of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is not a prima facie duty identified by Ross?

A) non-maleficence
B) beneficence
C) chastity
D) reparations

Question 7

Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between absolutism and Ross's theory?

A) Ross's theory is a version of absolutism.
B) Ross's theory is neutral as to whether absolutism is true.
C) Ross's theory faces the same problems as absolutism, including contradiction and irrationality.
D) Ross's theory avoids the main problems facing absolutism, such as contradiction and irrationality.

Question 8

According to Ross, the fact that we appropriately regret something helps us to know

A) when we have acted wrongly.
B) what our prima facie duties are.
C) when we are being emotional.
D) what to do when our duties conflict.

Question 9

If Ross's theory is true, then

A) it is never permissible to break any moral rule.
B) some moral rules may never permissibly be broken, but others may be.
C) any moral rule may sometimes permissibly be broken.
D) there are no moral rules.

Question 10

According to Ross's theory,

A) moral rules tell us exactly how we should act in all situations.
B) it is self-evident how we ought to act in certain situations.
C) there is no simple way to determine how we ought to act in all situations.
D) there is no truth about how we ought to act.

Question 11

Ross rejects consequentialism because

A) consequences are not morally important.
B) there are no absolute moral rules.
C) consequentialism conflicts with our deepest beliefs about what is truly morally important.
D) all of the above

Question 12

What is a prima facie duty?

A) a permanent, non-absolute reason to do something
B) something that appears to be a duty but might not actually be morally relevant
C) an absolute moral principle that coexists with other absolute principles
D) a legal obligation to fulfill one's contracts

Question 13

Which of the following claims would Ross accept?

A) The morality of an action is always determined by its consequences.
B) There is a supreme principle of morality.
C) There are several absolute moral rules.
D) Justice is always an important moral consideration.

Question 14

Which of the following is not included on Ross's list of prima facie duties?

A) gratitude
B) justice
C) self-improvement
D) self-esteem

Question 15

According to Ross's theory, regret is

A) always irrational.
B) evidence that something of value has been sacrificed.
C) appropriate only when one has behaved immorally.
D) a prima facie duty.

Question 16

Ross's theory explains why

A) what is good for us is up to us.
B) we sometimes experience moral conflict.
C) there are many different kinds of good life.
D) some moral rules may never be broken.

Question 17

Which of the following is not identified by the text as an advantage of Ross's view?

A) It makes sense of why we experience moral conflict.
B) It explains why we feel moral regret.
C) It accommodates our sense that there is more than just a single fundamental moral consideration.
D) It explains why moral rules may never permissibly be broken.

Question 18

What did Ross think is the relationship between justice and well-being?

A) Behaving justly is always more important than promoting well-being.
B) Promoting well-being is always more important than behaving justly.
C) Sometimes behaving justly is more important than promoting well-being and sometimes not.
D) The demands of justice will never conflict with promoting well-being.

Question 19

How does Ross think we can know that something is a prima facie duty?

A) by deducing it from other moral principles
B) by reflecting carefully on what it really is
C) through a process of circular reasoning
D) none of the above (Ross did not think we could know our prima facie duties.)

Question 20

When moral rules conflict, how does Ross think we determine the right thing to do?

A) by consulting a permanent ranking of the rules from least to most important
B) by following the rules that are most important to us
C) by following the absolute rules and breaking the non-absolute ones
D) none of the above (Ross did not think there was a definite method for determining right action in such cases.)

Question 21

Write an essay describing the central features of Ross's ethic of prima facie duties. Define the notion of a prima facie duty and explain how a moral theory based on prima facie duties differs from monistic and absolutist moral theories.

Question 22

What do you think is the biggest advantage of the ethic of prima facie duties? Explain why it has this advantage and why some competing ethical theories do not. Is this a sufficient reason to accept Ross's theory or not? Defend your answer.

Question 23

According to Ross, how can we come to know the fundamental moral rules? Do you think that this is a legitimate way to come to know moral truths? If so, explain why. If not, explain what you think is a more viable alternative.

Question 24

According to Ross, what should we do when our prima facie duties conflict? Do you think that this is a serious problem for his view? Why or why not?

Question 25

Write an essay discussing Ross's list of seven prima facie duties. Do you think his list is accurate and complete? Why or why not? If you were to create your own list of prima facie duties, what would be on it?

Question 26

Case Studies
Kim is a celebrated author at the end of her life. On her deathbed she is visited by her protege, Marco. Kim says that she feels a sense of fulfilment and completion looking back her on life, with the exception of one regret. She never published her favorite collection of essays, one that she has kept hidden for years. She tells Marco where to find the collection of essays and asks him to promise that he will submit the essays (just as they are) to her publisher after she dies. He promises her that he will.
After Kim's death, Marco retrieves the collection of essays to fulfill his promise to Kim. When he reads them, he discovers that they are full of scandalous and shameful personal details about the lives of other famous authors, many of whom are still alive. Marco knows that if the collection is published, the people discussed in the essays will be publicly shamed, and their reputations will be forever tarnished. He feels unsure about whether to send the essays to Kim's publisher after all.
-What duties are in conflict in Marco's ethical dilemma? Is there any way for him to simultaneously honor the conflicting duties?

Question 27

Case Studies
Kim is a celebrated author at the end of her life. On her deathbed she is visited by her protege, Marco. Kim says that she feels a sense of fulfilment and completion looking back her on life, with the exception of one regret. She never published her favorite collection of essays, one that she has kept hidden for years. She tells Marco where to find the collection of essays and asks him to promise that he will submit the essays (just as they are) to her publisher after she dies. He promises her that he will.
After Kim's death, Marco retrieves the collection of essays to fulfill his promise to Kim. When he reads them, he discovers that they are full of scandalous and shameful personal details about the lives of other famous authors, many of whom are still alive. Marco knows that if the collection is published, the people discussed in the essays will be publicly shamed, and their reputations will be forever tarnished. He feels unsure about whether to send the essays to Kim's publisher after all.
-What is the morally right thing for Marco to do in this case? Is there just one morally permissible course of action?