Deck 1: Moral Reasoning in Bioethics

Question 1

A deductive argument is intended to give _______ support to its conclusion.

A) probable
B) true
C) logically conclusive
D) logically inconclusive

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The misrepresentation of a person's views so they can be more easily attacked or dismissed is known as

A) begging the question.
B) appeal to ignorance.
C) the straw man fallacy.
D) the misrepresentation fallacy.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Moral premises can be called into question by showing that they

A) come from immoral people.
B) are contrary to majority opinion.
C) conflict with personal feelings.
D) conflict with credible principles, theories, or judgments.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In assessing an argument, the first order of business is to

A) find the premises.
B) form an opinion about the truth of the conclusion.
C) find the conclusion.
D) identify the main premise.

Question 5

The argument form of "If p, then q; p; therefore, q" is called

A) modus tollens.
B) modus ponens.
C) affirming the consequent.
D) denying the antecedent.

Question 6

_______ is the study of morality using the methodology of science.

A) Ethics
B) Bioethics
C) Descriptive ethics
D) Normative ethics

Question 7

_______ is the search for and justification of moral standards or norms.

A) Ethics
B) Bioethics
C) Descriptive ethics
D) Normative ethics

Question 8

The idea that in our moral practice, moral norms are presumed to take precedence over other kinds of norms is called

A) normative dominance.
B) universality.
C) impartiality.
D) reasonableness.

Question 9

The idea that moral principles or judgments apply in all relevantly similar situation is called

A) normative dominance.
B) universality.
C) impartiality.
D) reasonableness.

Question 10

The idea that everyone should be considered equal and that everyone's interests should count the same is called

A) normative dominance.
B) universality.
C) impartiality.
D) reasonableness.

Question 11

The principle that we should never lie, regardless of the circumstances or the consequences, is an example of

A) an absolute principle.
B) a prima facie principle.
C) moral relativism.
D) reasonableness.

Question 12

_______ theories of distributive justice maintain that a just distribution is an equal distribution.

A) Retributive
B) Libertarian
C) Egalitarian
D) Absolute

Question 13

According to _______, moral standards are not objective, but are relative to what individuals or cultures believe.

A) ethical relativism
B) moral objectivism
C) moral absolutism
D) cultural dominance

Question 14

The _______ is the misrepresentation of a person's views so they can be more easily attacked or dismissed.

A) appeal to ignorance
B) straw man fallacy
C) slippery slope fallacy
D) fallacy of begging the question

Question 15

The argument: "No one has proven that a fetus is not a person, so it is in fact a person" is an example of the

A) appeal to ignorance.
B) strawman fallacy.
C) slippery slope fallacy.
D) fallacy of begging the question.

Question 16

Cultural relativism logically entails tolerance for other cultures.

Question 17

If people's moral judgments differ from culture to culture, moral norms are relative to culture.

Question 18

Cultural relativism implies that we cannot legitimately criticize other cultures.

Question 19

Logical argument and persuasion are essentially the same thing.

Question 20

Topics in bioethics affect only a relatively small number of people.

Question 21

Metaethics deals with questions like: What moral principles, if any, should inform our moral judgments? What role should virtues play in our lives? Is the principle of autonomy justified?

Question 22

Bioethics is a form of applied ethics.

Question 23

Fully informed bioethics requires a good understanding of nonmoral facts in medicine, science, technology, and the law.

Question 24

Distributive justice concerns the fair meting out of punishment for wrongdoing.

Question 25

According to divine command theory, morality depends fundamentally on religion-the moral law is constituted by the will of God.

Question 26

Affirming the consequence is a valid argument form.

Question 27

The following argument is a valid modus ponens argument: "It is wrong to take the life of an innocent person. Abortion takes the life of an innocent person. Therefore, abortion is wrong."

Question 28

In an appeal to the person (or ad hominem fallacy), one tries to prove a conclusion by using that very same conclusion as support.

Question 29

When assessing moral arguments, it is rarely important to check the truth of nonmoral premises.

Question 30

In your own words, explain the difference between the three main branches of ethics: normative ethics, metaethics, and bioethics.

Question 31

Explain the difference between morality and the law. Give one example in which an action is deemed morally but not legally wrong and one example in which an action might reasonably be judged legally but not morally wrong.

Question 32

Define and give an example of a moral obligation, a morally permissible act, and a supererogatory act.

Question 33

Identify and define the five basic principles in bioethics.

Question 34

How is moral absolutism distinct from moral objectivism?