Deck 2: Familiarizing Yourself With Ethics: Nature, Definitions, and Categories

Question 1

Occupational subculture is considered a negative response to:

A) stiff bureaucratic organization
B) unethical rules and procedures
C) mutual respect among coworkers
D) both a and b

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to the text, short of divine revelation, _______ is/are the only legitimate method of determining moral issues.

A) opinions and beliefs
B) life experience
C) personal interests
D) philosophy of wisdom

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Among the three kinds of knowledge, ________ is derived from pure reasoning.

A) a posteriori knowledge
B) a priori knowledge
C) knowledge by acquaintance
D) religious knowledge

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In the study of ethics, a fallacy is:

A) a measure of doubt
B) an unethical behavior
C) an error in logic or reasoning
D) poor judgment

Question 5

Fallacies are classified into which two categories?

A) justifiable and unjustifiable
B) physical and metaphysical
C) formal and informal
D) none of the above

Question 6

In the study of ethics, the mistake of deriving evaluative conclusions from descriptive premises or numbers (i.e., what is, is what it ought to be) is best known as:

A) naturalistic fallacy
B) ritualistic fallacy
C) perception fallacy
D) genetic fallacy

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a deontological theory of ethics?

A) Kant's theory of duty
B) hedonism
C) utilitarianism
D) a & b but not c

Question 8

Which of the following disciplines is not associated with concerns for moral issues?

A) anthropology
B) psychology
C) logic
D) none of the above

Question 9

Which of the following is an invalid argument based on the mistake of evaluating a theory, a statement, or conduct on the basis of its source:

A) Naturalistic Fallacy
B) Genetic Fallacy
C) Informal Fallacy
D) Realistic Fallacy

Question 10

This theory of ethics determines which moral standards to follow and which actions are considered morally right or wrong:

A) Metaethics
B) Deontological
C) Religious
D) Normative

Question 11

All of the following are issues related to an occupational subculture EXCEPT:

A) they violate ethics of public service
B) they undermine the essential bond between practitioners and the clients they serve
C) can foster trust between fellow officers
D) they are conducive to corruption

Question 12

Which discipline should you use to make value judgements concerning the "goodness" or "badness" of various issues?

A) sociology
B) psychology
C) logic
D) ethics

Question 13

All of the following are necessary for an ethical principle to be valid EXCEPT:

A) Consistency within itself and the absence of contradiction
B) Fitting the human experience
C) Enhancing social interaction
D) Inclusion of all relevant facts into consideration

Question 14

In determining moral standards to follow and ascertaining which actions are considered morally right or wrong, which of the following must you do?

A) Set forth moral norms as guidelines for moral behavior
B) Propose and evaluate moral conduct
C) Establish moral duties
D) All of the above

Question 15

Which of the following below is also termed obligation theory?

A) Deontological theory
B) Teleological theory
C) Social contract theory
D) Social justice theory

Question 16

Which type of ethics origin places focus on the "One" or a creator establishing eternal truths, which serve as the basis for ethical guidelines.

A) Metaphysical view
B) Religious view
C) Medieval view
D) Social/legalistic view

Question 17

Exchanging some degree of freedom for protection by a governing body against other individuals best explains which viewpoint?

A) Medieval view
B) Social contract view
C) Religious view
D) All of the above

Question 18

In his famous work The Spirit of the Laws, who viewed the origin of ethics in the presence of laws that are to be obeyed, because they are good in themselves?

A) John Locke
B) Thomas Hobbes
C) Montesquieu
D) Saint Augustine

Question 19

Which of the following provides a rational method for making an ethical judgment, as well as is for discovering moral truths?

A) Philosophy of wisdom
B) Metaphysical philosophy
C) The rule of reasonableness
D) Philosophy of mind

Question 20

The growth of what has served to provide evidence of unethical actions perpetrated by police in the field?

A) Cellular devices
B) Body-worn cameras
C) Earpieces/personal radios
D) both a and b

Question 21

Occupational subcultures often condemn corruptive/unethical behavior?

Question 22

A priori knowledge is derived from pure reasoning without reference to sense experience

Question 23

Knowledge by acquaintance is the least reliable kind of knowledge in the field of epistemology.

Question 24

Naturalistic fallacies involve the error of judging the validity of an argument based on the person who makes it.

Question 25

If studying ethics, one would be concerned with investigating what is morally right and wrong, good and bad.

Question 26

Ethics is concerned only with determining the goodness or badness in the field of criminal justice.

Question 27

Utilitarianism is a teleological theory.

Question 28

Critics maintain that ethical theories are difficult to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt," unlike legal principles.

Question 29

There are two categories of ethical theories: normative ethics and metaethics.

Question 30

Deontological ethics aims to determine the rightness or wrongness of an act based on the extent to which a given action accomplishes a purpose or an end.

Question 31

Discuss Captains Balian's story. Do you agree with how the Navy court martial judges ruled? Why or why not? If Captain Balian had given the boat people supplies truly adequate for a week or more and directions to a safe haven reachable in that period of time, would that have been an ethical choice? Or was the only ethical choice to allow them onboard his ship?

Question 32

You have been appointed Chief of Police in your city. The former chief can be described as a chief who allowed the occupational subculture to flourish. In particular, he favored a number of his friends over other officers even though his friends were often not the most qualified or the most ethical officers. How would you try to establish a culture of ethics and morality in your police department?

Question 33

Think of a recent topic in the news about the police, such as a dramatic police shooting. Or think of an important criminal justice issue such as police fairness, the death penalty, or prison conditions. If you chose a recent event, do you think the cable news stations and newspaper covered this event in an unbiased manner or did any fallacies enter the media coverage? If you picked a criminal justice issue, does the media report the issue fairly or are there problems with the reasoning in the coverage? In your circle of friends and acquaintances, have you heard any individuals say things that suggested fallacious reasoning? How might you address instances of fallacious reasoning about criminal justice issues?