Deck 8: Means and Ends: The Importance of Consequences

Question 1

Which of the following refers to the idea that human beings are naturally motivated to maximize pleasure and minimize pain?

A)The principle of utility
B)Psychological hedonism
C)The categorical imperative
D)The greatest happiness principle

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The argument that aiding or assisting others might be degrading to them,implying that they are incapable of helping themselves,is an argument commonly used to support qualitative varieties of utilitarianism.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Which of the following principles approves or disapproves of an action according to its tendency to promote happiness for the greatest number of people?

A)Altruism
B)Utility
C)Hedonism
D)Egoism

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Utilitarianism suggests that,when considering moral decisions,the interests of everyone should be treated equally.

Question 5

Which of the following is not,according to Carl Klockars,an important consideration in determining whether the good ends of police work justify immoral means in a given scenario?

A)Are there other,non-dirty,means that may be effective but that we may be overlooking?
B)How certain are we that the dirty means will,in fact,bring about the good outcome?
C)In addition to the good consequences that the dirty method will produce,are there likely to be unintended consequences that might cause undesirable harms
D)All of the above ARE important considerations

Question 6

In contrast to Bentham,John Stuart Mill argued that happiness or pleasure should be understood:

A)Quantitatively.
B)Qualitatively.
C)As the same for all people.
D)As the absence of pain only.

Question 7

Which of the following propositions is not true of utilitarian moral frameworks?

A)Actions are judged right/wrong with reference to their consequences
B)In measuring consequences,what is important is the amount of happiness or unhappiness that is produced
C)No one person's happiness is more important than anyone else's
D)All of the above ARE true of the utilitarian framework

Question 8

Those who utilize the internet (e.g. ,chat rooms)to exploit children for sexual purposes are commonly referred to as:

A)Online predators.
B)Dirty Harries.
C)Finks.
D)Provocateurs.

Question 9

A utilitarian ethical framework would argue that,as a general principle,law- and policy-makers should create laws and policies that they reasonably expect to bring about the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.

Question 10

Consequentialist ethical frameworks argue that our decisions and actions are morally "right" if they are intended and can be reasonably expected to produce the best consequences.

Question 11

Consequentialism is a normative ethical framework.

Question 12

An agreement between a criminal defendant and the prosecution whereby the prosecution reduces charges or recommends a reduced sentence in exchange for a guilty plea is referred to as a:

A)Conditional plea.
B)Plea bargain.
C)Mistrial.
D)Indictment.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a technique of deceptive interrogation?

A)Misrepresenting the seriousness of the offense
B)Misrepresenting the moral seriousness of the offense
C)Fabricating evidence
D)Physical coercion

Question 14

Though both emphasize consequences,utilitarian differs from ethical egoism in that:

A)Utilitarianism emphasizes consequences for all people affected.
B)Egoism emphasizes happiness,whereas utilitarianism emphasizes welfare.
C)Egoism defines happiness as pleasure,whereas utilitarianism does not.
D)Utilitarianism places primary importance on consequences for the acting agent.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is most likely to be used to advocate ethical egoism?

A)In making decisions that affect ourselves,we should seek to be as impartial as a disinterested spectator
B)If no harm is being caused by a situation which brings about happiness for one or more involved parties,then the situation does not present a moral dilemma
C)Looking after other people's interests is akin to invading their privacy - we should mind our own business as much as possible
D)None of the above

Question 16

Which of the following is a term commonly used to describe corrupt practices by law enforcement officers that are not purely egoistic in nature but,rather,done to achieve the "good" ends of protecting the community?

A)Noble cause corruption
B)Use corruption
C)Economic corruption
D)Altruistic corruption

Question 17

Bentham suggested that,when contemplating decisions and actions,we can quantify potential pleasures and pains along a number of dimensions.He referred to this process of quantification as:

A)The pleasure equation.
B)The felicity calculus.
C)The intensity range.
D)The certainty continuum.

Question 18

John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism differs from that of Jeremy Bentham in that Mill implies that we should consider some goods to be of a higher quality and,thus,more important than others.

Question 19

Which of the following concepts best captures the utilitarian notion that each person's welfare is equally important and,thus,that no one person's happiness should be regarded as more important than any other person's?

A)Fecundity
B)Psychological hedonism
C)Agent neutrality
D)Nobility of intent

Question 20

Utilitarianism argues that our decisions should consider the likely consequences for everyone affected by them.

Question 21

When presented with the Trolley Problem,most people are willing to flip a switch to save five lives at the expense of one,but are not willing to physically push a person over a bridge to save five lives.

Question 22

The question and moral dilemma of whether "dirty" means are sometimes necessary to achieve the "good" ends of police work is sometimes referred to as the "Dirty Harry" problem.

Question 23

Briefly discuss the importance of the principle of agent neutrality as it appears in utilitarian ethical theory and its application to decisions we make.

Question 24

In an interview/interrogation scenario,the use of psychological persuasion and manipulation by law enforcement officers to elicit information from a suspect could be classified as deceptive interrogation.

Question 25

Social hedonism is a type of hedonism which suggests that pleasure is the ultimate good,and that it is only our own pleasures and pains that should matter - not those of other people affected.

Question 26

Briefly discuss the underlying moral dilemma contained in the practice of deceptive interrogation,providing at least one example.

Question 27

In an interrogation setting,law enforcement officers can legally make specific promises of leniency (e.g. ,a reduced sentence)to suspects in exchange for their cooperation or confession.

Question 28

Briefly describe at least one of the three critical problems with consequentialism discussed in class and in your text.

Question 29

Although morally questionable,it is legal for law enforcement officers to directly inform a criminal suspect during an interrogation that there is an eyewitness to the crime,even when no such eyewitness exists.

Question 30

Law enforcement officers keeping money confiscated from a drug bust for personal monetary gain could be regarded as a form of use corruption.

Question 31

Briefly describe what is meant by the "Dirty Harry" problem and why it is ethical concern.

Question 32

Briefly discuss the case of the "Christian Burial Speech" and why it raises moral questions.