Deck 5: The Problem of Relativism and Morality

Question 1

Is the fact that someone believes an action to be right enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Not Answer.

Question 2

Is the fact that a culture believes an action to be right enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Answer 2

Not Answer.

Question 3

Is it necessarily TRUE that people who make different moral judgments about the same action have different conceptions of morality? Why or why not?

Answer 3

Not Answer.

Question 4

Is the fact that an action maximizes happiness enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Question 5

Is the fact that an action falls under a rule that maximizes happiness enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Question 6

What did Kant mean when he said that the only thing that's intrinsically valuable is a good will?

Question 7

Is the fact that an action does not treat anyone merely as a means enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Question 8

Is the fact that an action falls under a rule that would be approved by people in the original position enough to make it right? Why or why not?

Question 9

Under what conditions would Bentham sanction the hunting of mammals? Why?

Question 10

Are you morally obligated to obey all the laws of your country? Why or why not?

Question 11

Is physician assisted suicide immoral? Why or why not?

Question 12

Is capital punishment immoral? Why or why not?

Question 13

Is homosexuality immoral? Why or why not?

Question 14

Some cultural relativists claim that once we recognize that there are no universal moral standards, we should tolerate the behavior of those who were raised in a different culture than we were. This view is inconsistent with cultural relativism, however, because

A) it suggests that tolerance only applies to relativists, not objectivists.
B) it suggests that tolerance is a value only for consequentialists, not formalists.
C) it assumes that tolerance is a universal value that should be recognized by everyone.
D) it assumes that tolerance is a value that no one should adopt.

Question 15

Equals should be treated equally according to the principle of

A) justice
B) mercy
C) parsimony
D) compassion
E) conservatism

Question 16

According to the principle of mercy, _____ suffering is wrong.

A) all
B) no amount of
C) unnecessary
D) human-inflicted
E) unequal

Question 17

Actions that go above and beyond the call of duty are called

A) categorical.
B) hypothetical.
C) supererogatory.
D) imperatives.
E) meta-ethical.

Question 18

What makes an action right for someone is that it is approved by that person.

A) ethical egoism
B) categorical imperative
C) subjective relativism
D) virtue theory
E) rule-utilitarianism

Question 19

What makes an action right is that it promotes one's own best interest.

A) ethical egoism
B) categorical imperative
C) subjective relativism
D) virtue theory
E) subjective absolutism

Question 20

What makes an action right is that everyone could act on it, and you would be willing to have everyone act on it.

A) ethical egoism
B) categorical imperative
C) subjective relativism
D) virtue theory
E) emotivism

Question 21

What matters in ethics is developing admirable human qualities.

A) ethical egoism
B) categorical imperative
C) subjective relativism
D) virtue theory
E) subjective absolutism

Question 22

What makes an action right is that it falls under a rule that, if generally followed, would maximize the happiness of everyone considered.

A) ethical egoism
B) categorical imperative
C) subjective relativism
D) virtue theory
E) rule-utilitarianism

Question 23

Differing moral judgments are not necessarily the product of differing moral standards because the difference in judgment could be due to a difference in

A) factual beliefs
B) environment
C) cognition
D) outcome
E) none of these

Question 24

In Greek, "deon" means

A) end or purpose.
B) communication.
C) supreme.
D) duty.
E) balance.

Question 25

The goal in moral theory is

A) achieving a reflective equilibrium.
B) identifying social trends.
C) reconciling faith with reason.
D) making novel predictions.
E) recognizing abnormal human behavior.

Question 26

Subjective absolutism fails as a moral theory because

A) it violates the law of noncontradiction.
B) it relies too heavily on religion.
C) it is based on legal precedent.
D) it is objective.
E) all of these

Question 27

Subjective relativism avoids the problem that plagues subjective absolutism by arguing that right and wrong are

A) relations.
B) properties.
C) absolutes.
D) derived from the government.
E) none of these

Question 28

Emotivists claim that moral statements are

A) meaningless.
B) sometimes FALSE.
C) explanations.
D) theories.
E) always true.

Question 29

According to the verification theory of meaning, the words "good" and "bad" are meaningless because they do not stand for

A) observable properties.
B) shared sentiments.
C) reflection.
D) expressed emotions.
E) none of these

Question 30

Formalist ethical theories claim that the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by

A) the amount of happiness it produces
B) the kind of action it is
C) social approval
D) each person for herself
E) the suffering it diminishes

Question 31

Something that is valuable for its own sake is said to have

A) intrinsic value.
B) extrinsic value.
C) instrumental value.
D) material value.
E) none of these

Question 32

Hedonists are primarily interested in

A) hurting other people.
B) hurting themselves.
C) getting pleasure.
D) controlling other people.
E) none of these

Question 33

Ethical egoism says what makes an action right is doing what

A) you want to do
B) is selfish
C) is in your best self-interest
D) is altruistic
E) none of these

Question 34

By dismissing counterexamples to their theory, psychological hedonists have made their theory

A) untestable.
B) interesting.
C) informative.
D) stronger.
E) none of these

Question 35

Feinberg's Single-Minded Hedonist thought experiment shows that

A) we can only be happy if we desire something other than our own happiness.
B) happiness is impossible.
C) being selfish is better than being altruistic.
D) happiness is the cause of our desires.
E) none of these

Question 36

Which of the following is a formalist theory?

A) categorical imperative
B) act-utilitarianism
C) ethical egoism
D) emotivism
E) none of these

Question 37

Part of the dilemma for Divine Command Theory is that if goodness is a defining attribute of God, then the theory is

A) circular
B) valid
C) a matter of taste
D) relative
E) none of these

Question 38

If goodness is not a defining attribute of God, then Divine Command Theory is

A) plausible.
B) FALSE.
C) absolute.
D) scientific.
E) none of these

Question 39

Which of the following actions would act-utilitarianism allow?

A) all of them
B) lying
C) stealing
D) murder
E) none of them

Question 40

Which of the following is not a category in Bentham's "hedonic calculus."

A) sanctity
B) propinquity
C) fecundity
D) impurity
E) intensity

Question 41

Mill argues that the happiness produced by various actions

A) can differ not only in degree but also in kind.
B) is the same.
C) should not be measured.
D) is irrelevant to ethics.
E) none of these

Question 42

Mill says we can rank various kinds of happiness by polling

A) everybody.
B) Mill and Bentham.
C) those who have experienced different kinds of happiness.
D) nobody.
E) pigs.

Question 43

Which IS NOT a criticism of act utilitarianism?

A) act utilitarianism allows one to treat others unjustly if doing so will maximize happiness.
B) it is difficult to measure happiness.
C) act utilitarianism allows one to ignore one's duties if doing so will maximize happiness.
D) act utilitarianism counts everybody's happiness equally.

Question 44

Rule utilitarians say that we should not violate a moral rule even if doing so will maximize happiness because

A) we should not blindly follow moral rules.
B) following moral rules creates more overall happiness than allowing exceptions.
C) producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number is not always the right thing to do.
D) following moral rules will always make someone unhappy.

Question 45

According to Kant, an action that is based on a moral rule or maxim that cannot be universalized

A) might be moral or immoral depending on one's beliefs.
B) might be moral or immoral depending on one's society.
C) might be moral or immoral depending on one's religion.
D) is immoral.

Question 46

According to Rawls, a just society could permit inequalities in wealth or status as long as they

A) produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
B) maximize the position of the least well-off group.
C) benefit those in authority.
D) prevent the tyranny of the majority.

Question 47

According to Nozick, what's wrong with theories of justice like Rawls' that try to distribute social goods according to a certain pattern is that

A) they promote social discord.
B) they maintain the status quo.
C) they view the self as a product of society.
D) they violate the rights of individuals by taking away what's rightfully theirs.

Question 48

According to libertarians, the government is justified in taxing its citizens only if those taxes are used for

A) promoting trade and private business.
B) improving the social conditions of others.
C) supporting education and health care.
D) protecting individual rights.

Question 49

Stoics claim that a good life requires a rational understanding of nature because understanding nature allows us to

A) get pleasure out of knowing the truth.
B) limit our desires to things within our control.
C) change nature to do our bidding.
D) remain indifferent to our choices.

Question 50

Brandt's Utilitarian Heir thought experiments shows that utilitarianism is inconsistent with our notion of

A) rights.
B) happiness.
C) consequences.
D) justice.
E) pain.

Question 51

Godwin's Fire Rescue thought experiment shows that utilitarianism is inconsistent with our notion of

A) rights.
B) happiness.
C) duties.
D) justice.
E) pain.

Question 52

Ewing's Innocent Criminal thought experiment shows that utilitarianism is inconsistent with our notion of

A) rights.
B) happiness.
C) duties.
D) justice.
E) pain.

Question 53

This thought experiment shows that having pleasurable experiences all the time may not be what makes life valuable.

A) Nozick's Experience Machine
B) Plato's Ring of Gyges
C) Stroker's Dracula
D) William's South American Showdown

Question 54

Which of the following actions would the categorical imperative allow?

A) all of them
B) lying
C) stealing
D) murder
E) none of them

Question 55

Kant argues that the only thing that is intrinsically valuable is

A) a good will.
B) justice.
C) freedom.
D) money.
E) happiness.

Question 56

A moral principle that does not always have to be obeyed but depends on the circumstances.

A) hypothetical imperative
B) categorical imperative
C) unconditional imperative
D) restrictive imperative

Question 57

A duty that admits of no exceptions is

A) perfect.
B) imperfect.
C) local.
D) supererogatory.
E) virtuous.

Question 58

The second version of the categorical imperative, says that persons should be

A) treated as an end in themselves.
B) not be held responsible for their actions.
C) ranked according to their talents.
D) used as instruments to bring about the greatest good.
E) allowed to do anything that pleases them.

Question 59

Sentient means capable of

A) feeling.
B) none of these
C) breathing.
D) reasoning.
E) reproducing.

Question 60

You have a ___ right to something if and only if others have a duty not to interfere with your pursuit of that thing.

A) positive
B) negative
C) god-given
D) equal
E) inalienable

Question 61

According to Kant's categorical imperative, which of the following is a necessary condition for the moral acceptability for an action?

A) it does not violate any legal laws.
B) everyone can act on it.
C) it produces more happiness than unhappiness.
D) it does not defy accepted social norms.
E) none of these

Question 62

Stocker's Hospitalized Patient thought experiment tries to show that Kant's moral theory has no concern for

A) individual persons
B) logic
C) retribution
D) duty
E) last rites

Question 63

According to Kant, all persons have all of the following characteristics except

A) self-conscious
B) rational
C) free
D) sentient

Question 64

According to evolutionary ethics,

A) ethics is evolving.
B) ethics is the product of natural selection.
C) creationism is immoral.
D) creationism should not be taught in schools.

Question 65

Act utilitarianism claims that actions are morally right

A) when they promote one's own best interests.
B) when they are in accord with the principles of justice.
C) when they are in accord with the wishes of society.
D) when they maximize happiness, everyone considered.

Question 66

According to Kant, moral laws apply

A) to those living in your society.
B) to those living in the present.
C) to all rational beings in all times and places.
D) to all humans and animals.

Question 67

Which of the following is a formulation of the categorical imperative

A) Never cause harm to another.
B) Love your neighbor as yourself.
C) Treat others as ends in themselves and never merely as a means.
D) Never lie.

Question 68

Blanshard's Rabbit thought experiment is intended to show that

A) a rabbit's pain is neither good nor bad.
B) emotivism is true.
C) the view that the words "good" and "bad" do not stand for the properties of anything is an inference from common sense.
D) the view that the words "good" and "bad" do not stand for real properties flies in the face of common sense.

Question 69

Feinberg's Single-Minded Hedonist thought experiment is intended to show that

A) we can be happy only if we desire our own happiness.
B) psychological hedonism is FALSE.
C) we desire things because they make us happy.
D) psychological hedonism is true.

Question 70

McCloskey's Utilitarian Informant thought experiment is intended to show that

A) rights can be given proper respect by maximizing happiness for all concerned.
B) utilitarianism is not consistent with our notion of rights.
C) maximizing happiness is more important than rights.
D) utilitarianism is consistent with our notion of rights.

Question 71

Brandt's Utilitarian Heir thought experiment is intended to show that

A) act-utilitarianism would forbid killing in every circumstance.
B) act-utilitarianism would never obligate us to murder someone if that would maximize happiness.
C) act-utilitarianism could mandate murder.
D) maximizing happiness is more important than rights.

Question 72

Ross's Unhappy Promise thought experiment is intended to show that

A) utilitarianism is inconsistent with our notion of duties.
B) maximizing happiness for all concerned is more important than honoring our duties to others.
C) utilitarianism is consistent with our notion of duties.
D) our duties should always maximize happiness.

Question 73

Godwin's Fire Rescue thought experiment illustrates Godwin's view that

A) maximizing happiness is never as important as our special duties to others.
B) the life of his mother is of more value than the life of the archbishop.
C) maximizing happiness is more important than our special duties to others.
D) special duties trump utility.

Question 74

Ewing's Utilitarian Torture thought experiment is intended to show that

A) torture is bad.
B) utilitarian calculations are always just.
C) act-utilitarianism is inconsistent with our notions of justice.
D) act-utilitarianism is consistent with our notions of justice.

Question 75

Ewing's Innocent Criminal thought experiment is intended to show that

A) utilitarianism could sanction punishing a person to increase overall happiness, even if he doesn't deserve punishment.
B) utility and justice amount to the same thing.
C) utilitarianism would never sanction punishing a person merely to increase overall happiness.
D) sometimes innocent people should be punished for the good of society.

Question 76

The South American Showdown thought experiment explores the

A) ruthlessness of South American justice.
B) conflict between primitive and modern cultures.
C) the barrenness of all moral theories.
D) tension between utilitarianism and deontological moral theories.

Question 77

Thomson's Trolley Problem thought experiment reveals

A) the wisdom of utilitarianism.
B) a tension between utilitarianism and nonutilitarian theories or principles.
C) the impotence of all moral theories.

Question 78

Part of what Thomson's Transplant Problem thought experiment shows is

A) the stark difference between a utilitarian and a nonutilitarian solution to the transplant problem.
B) that taking one life to save others is always morally permissible.
C) that in life-and-death situations, murder is always an acceptable option.
D) transplants are immoral.

Question 79

Hare's Nazi Fanatic thought experiment is intended to show that

A) the Nazi directive "Kill all the Jews" could not possibly be acceptable to a Kantian.
B) Nazis are amoral.
C) Kant's theory can withstand serious criticism.
D) Kant's theory is too subjective.

Question 80

Ross's Good Samaritan thought experiment is intended to show that

A) we have some perfect duties.
B) all our duties are perfect.
C) there are no perfect duties.
D) Kant's theory is flawless.