Question 1

Which of the following types of ethical philosophies is based upon good patterns of perceiving, thinking, and acting rightly?

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics focuses on the inherent character of a person rather than on the specific actions they perform, emphasizing good patterns of perceiving, thinking, and acting rightly.

Question 2

Some moral philosophers have advocated that correct moral thinking should be like solving a simple mathematical equation. Theories of moral development have been offered to help understand how easy making good moral decisions can be.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some moral philosophers have advocated that correct...

Question 3

Which of the following ethical types of reasoning would be most likely to say that a physician should be honest in telling a cancer patient that he or she only has a short time to live, even if he or she knew the patient would live longer if he or she did not know the truth?

Accepted Answer

Nonconsequentialist ethics, unlike consequentialist ethics, holds that certain actions are right or wrong in themselves, regardless of the consequences. In this case, telling the truth is seen as inherently right, even if it might lead to worse outcomes for the patient. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the moral agent rather than the ethics of the act itself, making it less directly relevant to this specific question about the morality of an action based on its inherent rightness.

Question 4

Which of the following is the focus of virtue ethics?

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics focuses on the character and virtues of the individual, emphasizing the importance of developing good character traits and becoming a virtuous person.

Question 5

Which of the following ethical theories regards an action as right when it conforms to a principle or rule of conduct that meets a requirement of some overriding duty?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following ethical theories regards...

Question 6

Immanuel Kant's test for correct moral reasoning is called the categorical imperative, which means a

Accepted Answer

The categorical imperative, according to Immanuel Kant, is a rule or standard of conduct that is universally binding for all human beings, regardless of their personal desires or circumstances. It emphasizes the principle that one should act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

Question 7

According to Kant, helping an elderly person cross the street is (a/an)

Accepted Answer

Helping an elderly person cross the street is considered an imperfect duty according to Kant, as it is a duty that is not always required but is meritorious and promotes moral virtue.

Question 8

According to Immanuel Kant, the test for a universal law is whether an action is related to (a/an)

Accepted Answer

Kant's categorical imperative, a key concept in his moral philosophy, posits that an action is morally right if it can be universalized, meaning it should be performed only if the person can will that the maxim (or principle) behind the action should become a universal law. This is closely related to the concept of an "overriding duty," where the duty to act morally outweighs other considerations.

Question 9

Immanuel Kant is associated with which of the following theories of ethical thinking?

Accepted Answer

Immanuel Kant is most closely associated with nonconsequentialism, specifically deontological ethics, which argues that the morality of an action should be based on whether that action itself is right or wrong under a series of rules, rather than based on the consequences of the action.

Quiz 2: Ethical Theory and Philosophy