Deck 9: Consequentialism: Its Nature and Attractions

Question 1

It is sometimes said that act utilitarianism requires us to do whatever will benefit the greatest number of people, or that utilitarianism requires us to do whatever generates the greatest amount of happiness. Explain why both of these are misconceptions, giving examples to illustrate your points.

Answer 1

No Answer.

Question 2

According to utilitarianism, there is no essential connection between the morality of an action and the morality of the intentions behind it. Describe the utilitarian approach to evaluating actions and intentions, and explain why utilitarians are committed to seeing the two as disconnected. Do you find this feature of utilitarianism to be plausible?

Answer 2

No Answer.

Question 3

In what ways is utilitarianism impartial? Is this a strength or a weakness of the theory? Defend your answer.

Answer 3

No Answer.

Question 4

What implications does utilitarianism have for our treatment of non-human animals? How do utilitarians argue for their conclusions about non-human animals? Do you find the utilitarian's conclusions about animals plausible? If so, why? If not, how would you respond to their arguments?

Question 5

Explain what you take to be the strongest version of consequentialism. What does it count as good and bad and how does it understand the balance of good over bad? Explain some advantages of your theory over other versions of consequentialism.

Question 6

John Stuart Mill thought that the only intrinsically valuable thing is

A) desire satisfaction.
B) happiness.
C) virtue.
D) knowledge.

Question 7

According to utilitarianism, gaining moral knowledge

A) requires consulting religious texts.
B) requires memorizing moral rules.
C) requires accurately predicting the outcomes of one's actions.
D) is impossible.

Question 8

According to utilitarianism

A) whether one's intentions are good depends on whether one's action is right.
B) whether one's action is right depends on whether one's intentions are good.
C) the morality of actions and the goodness of intentions are mutually dependent.
D) there is no essential connection between the morality of an action and the morality of the intentions behind it.

Question 9

Utilitarianism allows that we may count one person's interests as more important than the interests of others if

A) they are related to us.
B) we care deeply about them.
C) they live closer to us.
D) None of the above

Question 10

What does it mean to say a policy is optimific?

A) It treats everyone fairly.
B) It makes everyone better off.
C) It yields the greatest balance of benefits over drawbacks.
D) It is immoral.

Question 11

According to the text, a slippery slope argument is

A) an argument which assumes the truth of its conclusion in one of its premises.
B) an argument which criticizes something on the grounds that that thing will lead to terrible results.
C) an argument which demonstrates that some view is logically committed to an implausible claim.
D) None of the above

Question 12

Which of the following might utilitarianism sometimes require?

A) Harming one person to benefit another
B) Performing actions that benefit fewer people than we possibly could
C) Performing actions that generate less happiness than we possibly could
D) All of the above

Question 13

According to utilitarianism, harming a human being is

A) incomparably worse than harming a non-human animal.
B) in and of itself slightly worse than harming a non-human animal.
C) in and of itself not any better or worse than harming a non-human animal.
D) not as bad as harming a non-human animal.

Question 14

What is necessary in order to gain moral knowledge, according to most utilitarians?

A) Having a virtuous disposition
B) Accurately predicting the consequences of an action
C) Making a careful study of moral philosophy
D) Most utilitarians deny the existence of moral knowledge.

Question 15

Which of the following do most utilitarians believe determines the morality of actions?

A) The expected consequences of the action
B) The actual consequences of the action
C) The goodness of the intentions of the person performing the action
D) Whether or not the action violates God's commands

Question 16

What determines the morality of the intentions behind one's actions, according to utilitarianism?

A) The expected consequences of the action
B) The actual consequences of the action
C) The emotions felt by the person performing the action
D) The sincerity of the person performing the action

Question 17

According to the text, what do most utilitarians believe about conventional moral wisdom?

A) Most of conventional morality is mistaken.
B) Conventional morality is mistaken in some ways but is mostly correct.
C) Conventional morality is entirely correct.
D) Conventional morality should be ignored whenever doing so is in one's self-interest.

Question 18

In determining the moral permissibility of the death penalty, which is not a concern of a consequentialist?

A) Whether or not the death penalty reduces crime
B) Whether or not the death penalty increases security
C) Whether or not the death penalty is applied fairly
D) Whether or not the death penalty expands respect for human life

Question 19

Consequentialists all agree that

A) morality requires whatever act is optimific.
B) well-being is the only thing that is intrinsically valuable.
C) all living things are members of the moral community.
D) All of the above