Question 1

Hedonism, roughly speaking, is the ethical position wherein
A) the greatest utility for the greatest number of people is the only good.
B) satisfying one's desires is the only good, and having them left unsatisfied, the only bad.
C) pleasure is the only good and pain is the only bad.
D) thrill-seeking, sexual promiscuity, the consumption of drugs, and so on are the only true goods.

Accepted Answer

Hedonism holds that pleasure is the only good, and pain is the only bad, making it different from other ethical positions that consider various factors such as balance of pleasure and pain or happiness and flourishing. It emphasizes the importance of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain in one's life.

Question 2

According to the text, which of the following is a direct good?
A) Concert ticket
B) A twenty-dollar bill
C) Printer ink
D) Pleasure

Accepted Answer

Pleasure is a direct good because it is something that is desired for its own sake, rather than as a means to an end.

Question 3

According to the text, which of the following is a direct bad?
A) The presence of pantry moths
B) An overdue bill
C) The heartache of a person whose love is unrequited
D) Failing an exam in philosophy

Accepted Answer

The heartache of a person whose love is unrequited is a direct emotional experience, unlike the other options which are more situational or material issues.

Question 4

The following are all synonyms for "directly valuable" except
A) intrinsically valuable.
B) instrumentally valuable.
C) inherently valuable.
D) valuable for its own sake.

Accepted Answer

The term "instrumentally valuable" refers to something that is valuable because it helps achieve another valuable goal or end. The other three terms all refer to things that are valuable in and of themselves.

Question 5

__________ was the most famous of all hedonists who chose to lead a simple, almost ascetic life with his/her friends in a commune.
A) Richard Layard
B) Epicurus
C) Jean-Paul Sartre
D) Susan Wolf

Accepted Answer

Epicurus was a Greek philosopher and a famous hedonist who believed that a simple life of pleasure and tranquility was the way to happiness. He founded a commune called the Garden where he and his friends lived a simple, almost ascetic life.

Question 6

__________ claims/claimed that researchers can measure levels of happiness (pleasure) using surveys and that policymakers should make it their goal to increase the average level of happiness.
A) Richard Layard
B) Epicurus
C) Jean-Paul Sartre
D) Susan Wolf

Accepted Answer

Richard Layard is known for advocating for the use of surveys to measure happiness levels and for promoting policies aimed at increasing overall happiness. Epicurus and Jean-Paul Sartre were philosophers who discussed happiness, but did not propose specific ways to measure or increase it. Susan Wolf is a philosopher who has worked on the concept of moral responsibility, but not on the measurement or policy implications of happiness levels.

Question 7

Which of the following criticisms has/have been made against hedonism?
A) While pleasure is directly good, it is not the only direct good.
B) Not all pleasures are good.
C) Hedonism, as a theory, neglects meaningfulness.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

All three criticisms have been made against hedonism.

Question 8

"Existentialism Is a Humanism" was written by
A) Richard Layard.
B) Epicurus.
C) Jean-Paul Sartre.
D) Susan Wolf.

Accepted Answer

"Existentialism Is a Humanism" is a philosophical essay written by Jean-Paul Sartre in 1945.

Question 9

Essence, according to Sartre, more or less means the __________ of a thing
A) purpose
B) various qualities
C) fundamental quality
D) Being

Accepted Answer

The answer of Essence, according to Sartre, more or less...

Question 10

When Sartre says that, for human beings, "existence precedes essence," he means
A) the universe existed before any qualities.
B) the universe existed before any purposes.
C) we first exist and only later do we acquire any qualities.
D) we first exist and only later do we acquire a purpose.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When Sartre says that, for human beings,...

Question 11

For Sartre, one's essence arises owing to __________ creation of it.
A) God's
B) Nature's
C) one's own
D) our society's

Accepted Answer

Sartre believed in existentialism, which holds that individuals create their own essence through their choices and actions rather than it being predetermined by any external factor such as God, nature, or society. Therefore, according to Sartre, one's essence arises owing to their own creation of it.

Question 12

For Sartre, creating one's own purpose is
A) a free activity.
B) an unavoidable necessity.
C) sometimes frightening.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Sartre believes that creating one's own purpose is a free activity because it is a choice made without external factors controlling it. However, this can also be seen as an unavoidable necessity because one cannot escape the responsibility of choosing their own purpose. This process can also be frightening as it means confronting the uncertainty and potential consequences of one's choices. Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 13

Sartre defined anguish as the pain we experience
A) as essential to human life as such.
B) when forced to make difficult deci?sions about what to value.
C) after having made horrible decisions about what to value.
D) when seemingly good decisions turn out to be horrifying.

Accepted Answer

Sartre defined anguish as the pain we experience when forced to make difficult decisions about what to value.

Question 14

Sartre defines bad faith as a
A) way of living in which one deludes himself into thinking that he is not free to make his own decisions.
B) way of living in which one deludes himself into thinking he is making good choices, when he is making bad choices.
C) failure to realize that one's knowledge of good and bad requires a leap of faith.
D) failure to accept the need for faith in moral life.

Accepted Answer

Sartre defines bad faith as a way of living in which one deludes himself into thinking that he is not free to make his own decisions. This means that a person in bad faith denies their own responsibility and agency, pretending that external circumstances or other people are determining their choices. This denial of freedom and responsibility is a self-deception that allows the individual to avoid facing the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with making choices and taking responsibility for them.

Question 15

For Sartre, a particularly frequent form of bad faith is
A) seeing oneself as not bound by moral laws.
B) seeing oneself as determining the moral laws for other human beings.
C) identifying oneself with one's social role or function (e.g., a waiter or grocer).
D) identifying oneself with the roles of society that are looked highly upon.

Accepted Answer

Sartre argued that individuals often engage in bad faith by identifying themselves with their social roles or functions, such as a waiter or grocer. This involves seeing oneself as defined by external factors rather than acknowledging one's freedom to make choices and create oneself. This is a common form of bad faith because individuals may use their roles as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for their actions and choices.

Question 16

According to the text, the basis of Sartre's disapproval of someone living in bad faith is that
A) he is not fully affirming his freedom.
B) he is not living up to his highest moral purpose as a human being.
C) he is both affirming and denying his freedom.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, the basis of...

Question 17

Sartre's position has been criticized insofar as
A) we do not seem to create value, but rather discover it (particularly with pleasure and pain).
B) modern materialistic science has shown we are not free in the way Sartre proposes.
C) it entirely denies the existence of nature in the "nature vs. nurture" debate.
D) human beings can rarely escape living in bad faith.

Accepted Answer

Sartre's belief that we create our own values and meanings in life has been criticized on the grounds that there are some things, such as pleasure and pain, that we do not appear to create but rather discover.

Question 18

__________ held that "meaningful lives are lives of active engagement in projects of worth."
A) Richard Layard
B) Epicurus
C) Jean-Paul Sartre
D) Susan Wolf

Accepted Answer

This quote is attributed to philosopher Susan Wolf. She argues that a meaningful life is one in which an individual is actively engaged in pursuits that are personally valuable and worthwhile. It is not simply a matter of maximizing happiness or pleasure, but rather about pursuing projects that have significance and purpose to the individual.

Question 19

Which of the following does not involve active engagement?
A) Writing checks to your favorite charity
B) Climbing a mountain
C) Preparing to run a marathon
D) Running a marathon

Accepted Answer

Writing checks to your favorite charity does not involve active engagement as it simply requires writing a check, whereas climbing a mountain, preparing for and running a marathon all require physical activity and active engagement.

Question 20

For Wolf, subjective attraction meets objective attractiveness when
A) one's personal desires correspond with the moral law.
B) one's personal desires create a morally worthy life.
C) one is engaged in political activism.
D) one is actively engaged in a worthwhile project.

Accepted Answer

Wolf suggests that subjective attraction meets objective attractiveness when one is actively engaged in a worthwhile project, integrating personal fulfillment with activities that are considered valuable or meaningful.

Quiz 13: What Really Matters?

Hedonism, roughly speaking, is the ethical position wherein

According to the text, which of the following is a direct good?

According to the text, which of the following is a direct bad?

The following are all synonyms for "directly valuable" except

__________ was the most famous of all hedonists who chose to lead a simple, almost ascetic life with his/her friends in a commune.

__________ claims/claimed that researchers can measure levels of happiness (pleasure) using surveys and that policymakers should make it their goal to increase the average level of happiness.

Which of the following criticisms has/have been made against hedonism?

"Existentialism Is a Humanism" was written by

Essence, according to Sartre, more or less means the __________ of a thing

When Sartre says that, for human beings, "existence precedes essence," he means

For Sartre, one's essence arises owing to __________ creation of it.

For Sartre, creating one's own purpose is

Sartre defined anguish as the pain we experience

Sartre defines bad faith as a

For Sartre, a particularly frequent form of bad faith is

According to the text, the basis of Sartre's disapproval of someone living in bad faith is that

Sartre's position has been criticized insofar as

__________ held that "meaningful lives are lives of active engagement in projects of worth."

Which of the following does not involve active engagement?

For Wolf, subjective attraction meets objective attractiveness when