Deck 4: The Power of Moral Theories

Question 1

A moral theory is ______ on an issue such as euthanasia.

A)definitive
B)the final authority
C)worthless
D)a guide for moral reasoning

Answer 1

D

Question 2

A moral theory that would have us torturing infants for fun conflicts with:

A)our considered moral judgments.
B)our background moral knowledge.
C)the judgments of moral authorities.
D)the principle of consistency.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

John Rawls says that ______ are those judgments rendered under conditions favorable to justice,as opposed to judgments made with hesitation or little confidence.

A)considered psychological preferences
B)considered moral judgments
C)moral theories
D)moral presumptions

Answer 3

B

Question 4

To a(n)______,breaking promises is wrong because if the implied rule were universalized (if everyone followed the rule),then no promise anywhere could be trusted and the whole convention of promise making would be obliterated.Thus no one would be willing to live in such a world.

A)egoist
B)utilitarian
C)Kantian
D)categorical theorist

Question 5

A traditional natural law theorist would say that lying is immoral because it:

A)violates the categorical imperative.
B)uses people as a means to an end.
C)goes against the Ten Commandments.
D)goes against human nature.

Question 6

According to ______,right actions are those that directly produce the greatest overall good,everyone considered.

A)act-utilitarianism
B)rule-utilitarianism
C)natural law theory
D)Kant's means-ends principle

Question 7

If John always acts to produce the most favorable balance of good over evil for himself,he is probably:

A)a utilitarian.
B)an ethical egoist.
C)a nonconsequentialist.
D)a command theorist.

Question 8

The first step in any theory assessment is to ensure that the theory meets the minimum requirement of:

A)utility.
B)coherence.
C)morality.
D)conservatism.

Question 9

If Erika maintains that killing the innocent is wrong because the action is contrary to God's will,she probably accepts the:

A)natural command theory.
B)divine imperative theory.
C)divine command theory.
D)rule-naturalism.

Question 10

Applying the moral criteria of adequacy is:

A)formulaic.
B)subjective and arbitrary.
C)rational and objective.
D)unnecessary.

Question 11

A moral theory that judges the rightness of abortion by the end result of the action is:

A)nonconsequentialist.
B)reflective.
C)rule-guided.
D)consequentialist.

Question 12

A moral theory is:

A)a scientific description of how persons make moral decisions.
B)a moral theory concerned with the goodness of persons or things.
C)an explanation of what makes an action right or what makes a person or thing good.
D)an explanation concerned with the rightness or wrongness of actions.

Question 13

Evaluating the worth of a moral theory requires the application of the:

A)categorical imperative.
B)scientific criteria of adequacy.
C)moral criteria of adequacy.
D)divine command theory.

Question 14

The ultimate goal in the give-and-take of theory and judgment (or principle)is:

A)consensus among moral agents.
B)reflective equilibrium.
C)reflective imperative.
D)definitive answers.

Question 15

A person who reasons that the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil,everyone considered,is a(n):

A)utilitarian.
B)ethical egoist.
C)rule-Kantian.
D)natural law theorist.

Question 16

Suppose your favored moral theory says that moral rightness is relative to each individual.This would imply that each person is morally infallible,which shows the theory to be:

A)implausible.
B)plausible.
C)absolutist.
D)consequentialist.

Question 17

A moral theory is:

A)more useful than a moral code.
B)a set of rules.
C)a moral code.
D)less useful than a moral code.

Question 18

According to Kant,the principle and the maxims derived from the categorical imperative are:

A)consequentialist and rule based.
B)nonconsequentialist and hedonic.
C)universal and absolutist.
D)universal and consequential.

Question 19

The theory asserting that the morally right action is the one covered by a rule that if generally followed would produce the most favorable balance of good over evil,everyone considered,is:

A)rule-egoism.
B)act-utilitarianism.
C)rule-Kantian.
D)rule-utilitarianism.

Question 20

A consequentialist theory may define the good as:

A)adherence to a moral code.
B)doing one's duty for duty's sake.
C)obedience to moral laws.
D)pleasure, happiness, well-being, or flourishing.

Question 21

A moral theory that suggests that our moral judgments cannot be rationally supported is inconsistent with:

A)religious ethics.
B)experiences unique to each individual.
C)moral exemplars.
D)our moral experience.

Question 22

Suppose a moral theory is inconsistent with two of your most trustworthy and important moral judgments (and other considerations do not counterbalance this fact).You should then regard the theory as:

A)obviously false.
B)imperfect but true.
C)true until proven otherwise.
D)dubious and possibly false.

Question 23

In addition to being consistent with our considered moral judgments,a plausible moral theory should be consistent with:

A)moral background knowledge.
B)other major theories.
C)considered moral explanations.
D)all previous moral judgments.

Question 24

We are entitled to accept our commonsense moral experience as trustworthy evidence unless:

A)it coincides with our considered moral judgments.
B)it conflicts with our life goals.
C)we have good reasons to ignore it.
D)we have good reasons to doubt it.

Question 25

A major reason for devising a moral theory is to:

A)rebut rival theories.
B)obtain practical guidance.
C)have reasons for rejecting theories.
D)determine psychological motivations.