Deck 3: Autonomy, Moral Agency, and Self-Identity

Question 1

Which of the following would qualify as an internal compulsion?

A) Being threatened with death
B) Experiencing great emotional suffering
C) Being tied to a chair
D) All of the above

Answer 1

B

Question 2

To show moral deference is to

A) generally respect and accept another's choices.
B) interfere with another's choices for their own good.
C) analyze another's values to determine whether they are capable of autonomy.
D) defer to authority to make decisions regarding right and wrong.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Suspending life-saving treatment is most likely to be morally justified if

A) an autonomous adult patient requests it.
B) a child patient requests it.
C) the family of an autonomous adult patient requests it.
D) Suspending life-saving treatment is never morally justified.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Requiring a child to eat their vegetables before having dessert is an example of

A) paternalism.
B) moral deference.
C) moral responsibility.
D) autonomy.

Question 5

If I am genuinely autonomous, then I should not

A) be influenced by anything.
B) be controlled by anything.
C) have anyone trying to suggest to me what I should choose.
D) have to consider my choices, the right action will always come naturally to me.

Question 6

The notion of autonomy that focuses solely on freeing ourselves from every influence, limitation, and control is called _______ autonomy.

A) value-neutral
B) substantive
C) relational
D) genuine

Question 7

Acting paternalistically is most likely to be justified when

A) we strongly disagree with the choice being made.
B) the stakes are very low.
C) the stakes are very high.
D) the other party is an adult.

Question 8

Which sort of choice assesses or reevaluates some of one's values?

A) Independent
B) Competent
C) Authentic
D) All of the above

Question 9

If a law requires that you always wear a seat belt for your own protection, then that law is best described as

A) responsible.
B) showing deference.
C) authentic.
D) paternalistic.

Question 10

A teenager is _______ regarded as morally competent.

A) always
B) usually
C) rarely
D) never

Question 11

According to relational autonomy,

A) relationships are important for developing autonomy.
B) autonomous individuals create relationships, relationships do not create autonomous individuals.
C) our dependence on others was greater in past societies than in modern societies.
D) being dependent upon others via relationships greatly diminishes our autonomy.

Question 12

Relational autonomy

A) is a version of substantive autonomy.
B) strongly aligns with American individualism.
C) is a version of value-neutral autonomy.
D) emphasizes reflection to develop self-identity.

Question 13

A social construct

A) is a concept at least partly defined by society.
B) is widely assumed by people within the society.
C) may decide what place a person is assigned within society.
D) All of the above

Question 14

Which of the following conditions can preclude full autonomy?

A) Psychological compulsions
B) The inability to grasp the consequences of one's actions
C) Not being sufficiently aware of one's values to be able to evaluate them
D) All of the above

Question 15

If a person is in such severe pain that their autonomy is limited, then that person is under a(n)

A) external constraint.
B) internal compulsion.
C) living will.
D) All of the above

Question 16

Even a seven-year-old probably can sometimes fulfill the _______ condition for autonomy.

A) independence
B) competency
C) authentic
D) None of the above

Question 17

When we make a choice that only refers to our personal values to guide us, we make a(n) _______ choice.

A) independent
B) competent
C) authentic
D) None of the above

Question 18

It is _______ to interfere with an autonomous individual's choices.

A) always wrong
B) usually wrong
C) usually acceptable
D) always acceptable

Question 19

Our most mundane or habitual choices are usually considered _______ choices.

A) independent
B) competent
C) authentic
D) All of the above

Question 20

When we evaluate some of our own personal values, we are acting at the level of _______ choice.

A) independent
B) competent
C) authentic
D) None of the above

Question 21

One important kind of substantive autonomy is

A) relational autonomy.
B) value-neutral autonomy.
C) moral agency.
D) paternalism.

Question 22

A positive and healthy end to exploration can bring an individual to the point of

A) diffusion.
B) foreclosure.
C) death.
D) self-identity.

Question 23

Fulfilling the authenticity condition of autonomy involves more than just being able to make decisions based on our values-it also requires that we be able to choose those values for ourselves.

Question 24

An autonomous person can briefly lose autonomy, lack autonomy in certain situations, or even completely lose autonomy for a length of time.

Question 25

To be autonomous, a person must fulfill all three conditions for autonomy. However, a moral agent can act as an agent without fulfilling all three levels of agency.

Question 26

We should not assume that most ordinary adults are autonomous. Most are not, and even the few that are not usually responsible for their actions.

Question 27

Acting paternalistically should never be done lightly, as even morally incompetent individuals ought to be shown some deference regarding their own choices when, for instance, nothing very important is at stake.

Question 28

It's often maintained that autonomy requires the ability to reason soundly. But reasoning has rules and so restricts our freedom, which makes it impossible for us to have genuine autonomy.

Question 29

Suppose I make a fully authentic choice. Then that enables me to make my next choice authentically as well without having to reassess any of my values.

Question 30

Having made his life commitments, an adolescent is then ready to move into the stage of sustained exploration.