Question 1

Talk about:
-Absolutist theories

Accepted Answer

those that endorse the idea that there are absolute moral rules (those that are never permissibly broken).

Question 2

Talk about:
-Monistic theories

Accepted Answer

those that endorse the idea that there is just a single ultimate moral rule.

Question 3

Talk about:
-Prima facie duty

Accepted Answer

an excellent, non-absolute, permanent reason to do (or refrain from) something.

Question 4

Write an essay describing the central features of Ross's ethic of prima facie duties. Define the notion of a prima facie duty and explain how a moral theory based on prima facie duties differs from monistic and absolutist moral theories.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write an essay describing the central features...

Question 5

What do you think is the biggest advantage of the ethic of prima facie duties? Explain why it has this advantage and why some competing ethical theories do not. Is this a sufficient reason to accept Ross's theory or not? Defend your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do you think is the biggest...

Question 6

According to Ross, how can we come to know the fundamental moral rules? Do you think that this is a legitimate way to come to know moral truths? If so, explain why. If not, explain what you think is a more viable alternative.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Ross, how can we come...

Question 7

According to Ross, what should we do when our prima facie duties conflict? Do you think that this is a serious problem for his view? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Ross, what should we do...

Question 8

Write an essay discussing Ross's list of seven prima facie duties. Do you think his list is accurate and complete? Why or why not? If you were to create your own list of prima facie duties, what would be on it?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write an essay discussing Ross's list of...

Question 9

Ross thinks the correct moral theory is

Accepted Answer

Ross criticizes each of the three main moral theories (utilitarianism, egoism, and Kant's theory) and instead proposes a pluralistic approach to morality based on prima facie duties. Therefore, none of the above options are correct.

Question 10

According to Ross, a prima facie duty is a

Accepted Answer

A prima facie duty is a morally significant feature of an act that may be overridden by other such features. It is not an absolute or never-permissible moral rule, nor is it a feature that appears significant but turns out not to be. It is also not a fundamental moral rule from which all others are derived.

Question 11

Ross claims that prima facie duties are

Accepted Answer

Ross argues that prima facie duties are self-evident, meaning they are immediately obvious upon reflection and do not require further justification or explanation.

Question 12

According to Ross, the data from which we should construct ethical theories are

Accepted Answer

Ross suggests that ethical theories should be constructed based on the moral convictions of thoughtful and well-educated people, rather than relying solely on the testimony of moral philosophers or our sensory experiences. While logic is important in constructing ethical theories, it should not be the only source of data used.

Question 13

Ross thinks that we sometimes feel regret even when we have done the right thing because sometimes

Accepted Answer

According to Ross's ethical theory, there are certain prima facie duties that we have, such as duty to honesty, duty to beneficence, duty to justice, etc. Sometimes, these duties can conflict with each other and we have to prioritize one over the other. In such situations, even if we do the right thing and prioritize the correct duty, we may still regret it because we have violated another duty that we also hold to be important. This is known as the problem of prima facie duties. Therefore, option A is the best choice as per the given context.

Question 14

According to Ross, how can we know what to do when two prima facie duties conflict?

Accepted Answer

Ross believed that there is no definite way to know what to do when two prima facie duties conflict. He argued that moral reasoning and intuition must be used to determine which duty takes precedence in a particular situation. Therefore, calculating consequences or consulting religious texts may not always provide a clear solution.

Question 15

According to Ross, how do the general principles of duty become self-evident?

Accepted Answer

According to Ross, the general principles of duty become self-evident through experiencing sufficiently many instances of right and wrong action. This suggests that they are not innate or self-evident from birth, nor can they be learned solely through philosophy or mathematics.

Question 16

Ross objects to utilitarianism because it does not consider obligations created by

Accepted Answer

Ross argues that utilitarianism fails to recognize moral obligations created by promises, family relationships, and past favors. Utilitarianism judges actions based solely on their outcomes and does not take into account these types of moral obligations. Therefore, Ross objects to utilitarianism on the grounds that it is too simplistic and does not capture the complexity of moral reasoning.

Question 17

What objection does Ross raise to Kant's theory?

Accepted Answer

Ross objects to Kant's theory because he believes that it doesn't allow for the fact that sometimes it is permissible to break promises. Ross argues that there are ethical duties other than the categorical imperative, and that in some cases, fulfilling those duties may require breaking a promise. Therefore, Ross disagrees with Kant's absolute prohibition on breaking promises.

Question 18

What is the difference between a prima facie duty and a duty proper?

Accepted Answer

Prima facie duties are moral duties that are binding unless they conflict with another moral duty. In other words, they can be overridden by a stronger moral duty. On the other hand, duties proper are moral duties that cannot be overridden by any other moral duty. Therefore, the best choice is A, which correctly states that prima facie duties can be overridden, but duties proper cannot.

Question 19

How does Ross think we can come to know our prima facie duties? What do you think is the strongest objection one might have to Ross's account of how we come to have moral knowledge? Can Ross's view overcome this objection? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does Ross think we can come...

Question 20

Explain the concept of a prima facie duty and describe how it differs from a duty proper. Why does Ross think that the duties he mentions are only prima facie duties? Do you find his arguments convincing? Is an ethical theory based on prima facie duties preferable to other sorts of ethical theory? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the concept of a prima facie...

Quiz 9: The Ethic of Prima Facie Duties

Talk about: -Absolutist theories

Talk about: -Monistic theories

Talk about: -Prima facie duty