Question 1

The area of moral philosophy known as "value theory" includes questions such as

Accepted Answer

Value theory explores questions about what is valuable in life, including what kind of life is most worth living.

Question 2

The question "do the ends justify the means?" falls within the area of

Accepted Answer

The question "do the ends justify the means?" is a central issue in normative ethics, which deals with the criteria for what makes actions right or wrong, focusing on the moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct.

Question 3

The claim that morality is a human invention and therefore not objective is a claim about

Accepted Answer

This claim is about metaethics, which examines the nature, origin, and meaning of ethical concepts, including whether morality is subjective or objective.

Question 4

Skepticism about morality is

Accepted Answer

Skepticism about morality is deeply controversial because it challenges the existence or knowability of moral truths, leading to significant debate and differing opinions among philosophers and scholars.

Question 5

In philosophy, an argument is a(n)

Accepted Answer

An argument in philosophy is a chain of reasoning where premises are provided to support a conclusion.

Question 6

It is impossible for a valid argument to have __________ premises and a __________ conclusion.

Accepted Answer

In a valid argument, if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true. Therefore, it is impossible for a valid argument to have true premises and a false conclusion.

Question 7

There is no such thing as a

Accepted Answer

A sound argument must be valid by definition, as soundness requires both validity and true premises.

Question 8

The conclusion of a sound argument

Accepted Answer

A sound argument is both valid and has true premises, which guarantees that the conclusion is true.

Question 9

"Conventional morality" is the set of

Accepted Answer

Conventional morality refers to the traditional principles and norms that are widely accepted and practiced within a particular culture or society.

Question 10

Which is not a central concern of morality?

Accepted Answer

Legality is not a central concern of morality as it pertains to the system of laws and regulations, which may not always align with moral principles. Morality focuses more on concepts like well-being, justice, and blame.

Question 11

What do principles of law, etiquette, self-interest, tradition, and morality all have in common?

Accepted Answer

They all represent a set of standards for how we ought to behave, guiding actions and decisions in various contexts.

Question 12

Some moral actions are

Accepted Answer

Moral actions can be illegal if they go against the law but are ethically justified, impolite if they violate social norms but are morally right, and generous if they involve selfless acts of kindness.

Question 13

Which of the following questions falls within the domain of metaethics?

Accepted Answer

Metaethics deals with the nature of moral judgments and the meaning of moral terms, which includes questions about the status of moral claims and advice.

Question 14

Which of the following claims falls within the domain of value theory?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following claims falls within...

Question 15

What area of moral philosophy deals with questions about what our moral obligations are?

Accepted Answer

Normative ethics deals with questions about what our moral obligations are.

Question 16

An argument in philosophy is a

Accepted Answer

An argument in philosophy is a set of claims where one is the conclusion and the others are premises or reasons supporting that conclusion.

Question 17

Which of the following is impossible?

Accepted Answer

A sound argument, by definition, has all true premises and a true conclusion, so it cannot have a false premise.

Question 18

If we discover that an argument is invalid, what does this tell us about its conclusion?

Accepted Answer

An invalid argument means that the conclusion does not logically follow from the premises, but it does not necessarily indicate whether the conclusion is true or false.

Question 19

What is the best description of the following argument? If the sky is yellow, then grass is pink. The sky is yellow. Therefore, grass is pink.

Accepted Answer

The argument is valid because the conclusion logically follows from the premises. However, it is unsound because the premise "If the sky is yellow, then grass is pink" is not true in reality.

Question 20

Which of the following is not one of the plausible starting points for moral thinking discussed in the text?

Accepted Answer

The text likely discusses starting points for moral thinking that focus on principles like the fallibility of law and tradition, the limits of obligation, and the need for justification in causing harm, rather than prioritizing consequences as the most important moral factor.

Quiz 1: What Is Morality and Moral Reasoning