Question 1

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) You ought to minimize the amount of pollution you generate.
2) . . .
So, you ought to recycle your bottles and cans.
A) Recycling your bottles and cans helps minimize the amount of pollution you generate.
B) Bottles and cans are pollution.
C) You ought to do whatever you can to help the environment.
D) You ought to recycle your bottles and cans.

Accepted Answer

Recycling your bottles and cans helps minimize the amount of pollution you generate, which aligns with the principle that you ought to minimize pollution.

Question 2

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) Lying is always wrong.
2) )..
So, intentionally misrepresenting your finances on your tax forms is wrong.
A) Misrepresenting your finances on your tax forms is wrong.
B) Misrepresenting your finances on your tax forms is unfair to people who honestly report their finances.
C) Everyone has a duty to complete their tax forms honestly.
D) Misrepresenting your finances on your tax forms is a form of lying.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured around the principle that lying is always wrong. To connect this principle to the conclusion about tax forms, we need to establish that misrepresenting finances is a form of lying.

Question 3

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) An action is racist only if it is based upon harmful and false stereotypes about people of a particular race.
2) At least some white men who prefer to date Asian women are not acting based upon harmful and false stereotypes about people of a particular race.
Therefore, ...
A) At least some white men who prefer to date Asian women are racists.
B) Everyone, including white men, should not have racial preferences in dating.
C) At least some white men who prefer to date Asian women are not acting racist.
D) Some white men are racist.

Accepted Answer

The conclusion logically follows from the premises: if an action is racist only if it is based on harmful and false stereotypes, and some white men who prefer to date Asian women are not acting on such stereotypes, then they are not acting racist.

Question 4

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) )..
2) Cheating on an exam gives a student an unfair advantage over others in the job market.
So, it's wrong for a student to cheat on an exam.
A) It is wrong for a student to get unfair advantages over others in the job market.
B) It is wrong for students to cheat on exams.
C) Some students study hard for exams so they can eventually find a good job.
D) It is very difficult for students to find good jobs in the job market.

Accepted Answer

The missing premise is a general principle that states it is wrong to gain unfair advantages, which supports the conclusion that cheating is wrong.

Question 5

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) A practice should be illegal if it encourages desperate people to do potentially harmful or degrading things
2) )..
So, prostitution should be illegal.
A) Prostitution is the oldest profession, and will be forever with us.
B) It doesn't make sense that prostitution is currently legal.
C) Potentially harmful professions should be illegal.
D) Prostitution is a practice that encourages desperate people to do potentially harmful or degrading things.

Accepted Answer

Prostitution is a practice that encourages desperate people to do potentially harmful or degrading things, which aligns with the principle stated in premise 1, leading to the conclusion that it should be illegal.

Question 6

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) It's wrong to do things that make serious problems worse.
2) )..
So, driving a gas-guzzling car is wrong.
A) It's wrong to drive fuel-inefficient cars.
B) Driving a gas-guzzling car makes a serious problem worse.
C) It's wrong to produce unnecessary greenhouse gasses.
D) Many people choose to drive gas-guzzling cars.

Accepted Answer

Driving a gas-guzzling car makes a serious problem worse, which aligns with the principle that it's wrong to do things that exacerbate serious problems.

Question 7

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) A person's personal preferences are morally objectionable if those preferences place a disproportionate psychological burden on a sub-group of people.
2) The personal preference of some white men to date or marry Asian women places a disproportionate psychological burden on Asian and Asian-American women.
Therefore, ....
A) It's wrong to place a disproportionate psychological burden on Asian and Asian- American women.
B) Some white men prefer to date only Asian women.
C) The personal preference of some white men to date or marry Asian women is morally objectionable.
D) Some white men's preference to date Asian women oppresses those women.

Accepted Answer

The argument follows the structure of an Argument from Principle, where a general principle is applied to a specific case. The first premise provides the principle, and the second premise provides the specific case. The conclusion (C) logically follows that the specific case is morally objectionable based on the principle.

Question 8

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle.
1) )..
2) Illegally downloading movies doesn't take anything physical from anyone else. Thus, illegally downloading movies is not wrong.
A) You shouldn't take things from others without their permission.
B) If you take something physical from someone else, that's wrong.
C) Digital copies of movies aren't physical things, so taking them isn't wrong.
D) Taking something from someone is wrong only if it takes something physical

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured around the principle that taking something is wrong only if it involves taking something physical. Premise 2 states that illegally downloading movies doesn't take anything physical, leading to the conclusion that it is not wrong.

Question 9

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
There's nothing wrong with using other people's property as long as your use doesn't cause them any unhappiness. So, using your neighbor's wi-fi internet without their permission isn't wrong, because it doesn't cause them any unhappiness.
A) 1) Using other people's property without their permission is wrong.
2) Your neighbor's wi-fi is their property.
Therefore, using your neighbor's wi-fi is wrong.
B) 1) Using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission is not morally wrong.
2) Using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission doesn't cause them any unhappiness.
Therefore, using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission is not morally wrong.
C) 1) There's nothing wrong with using other people's property as long as your use doesn't cause them any unhappiness.
2) Using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission causes them unhappiness. Therefore, using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission is morally wrong.
D) 1) There's nothing wrong with using other people's property as long as your use doesn't cause them any unhappiness. 2) Using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission doesn't cause them any unhappiness.
Therefore, using your neighbor's wi-fi without their permission is not morally wrong.

Accepted Answer

The argument is based on the principle that using others' property is acceptable if it doesn't cause unhappiness. Since using the neighbor's wi-fi doesn't cause unhappiness, it concludes it's not morally wrong.

Question 10

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
Suicide is always wrong, because it is always wrong to kill an innocent human being, and suicide does that.
A) 1) It is always wrong to commit suicide.
2) Suicide always kills an innocent human being.
Therefore, suicide is always wrong.
B) 1) Suicide is always wrong.
2) Suicide kills an innocent human being.
Therefore, it is always wrong to kill an innocent human being.
C) 1) People who commit suicide are innocent human beings.
2) Suicide kills innocent human beings.
Ii) Therefore, suicide is always wrong.
D) 1) It is always wrong to kill an innocent human being.
2) Suicide always kills an innocent human being.
Therefore, suicide is always wrong.

Accepted Answer

The argument is based on the principle that it is always wrong to kill an innocent human being, and since suicide involves killing an innocent human being, it concludes that suicide is always wrong.

Question 11

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
It's always wrong to end an innocent human life. So, abortion is always wrong, since it always ends an innocent human life.
A) 1) It is always wrong to end an innocent human life.
2) Abortion ends an innocent human life. Therefore, abortion is always wrong.
B) 1) Abortion is always wrong.
2) Abortion ends the life of an innocent human being.
Therefore, it is always wrong to end the life of an innocent human being.
C) 1) It is always wrong to have an abortion.
2) Abortion always kills an innocent human being.
Therefore, abortion is always wrong.
D) 1) Fetuses are innocent human beings.
2) Abortion kills innocent human beings.
Therefore, abortion is always wrong.

Accepted Answer

The argument is based on the principle that it is always wrong to end an innocent human life, and it applies this principle to abortion, which is claimed to end an innocent human life.

Question 12

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
Eating meat is morally permissible. After all, other animals do it.
A) 1) Things other animals do are morally permissible.
2) Other animals eat meat.
Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible.
B) 1) Eating meat is morally permissible.
2)Other animals eat meat. Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible.
C) 1) Other animals eat meat.
2) Meat-eaters need meat to be healthy.
Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible.
D) 1) Eating meat is morally permissible.
2) It is morally permissible for animals to eat meat.
Therefore, animals eat meat.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured as a principle that actions done by other animals are morally permissible, leading to the conclusion that eating meat is morally permissible.

Question 13

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
It's wrong for doctors to use placebos on patients, because it is always wrong for a healthcare practitioner to deceive a patient.
A) 1) Everyone should always tell the truth.
2) Using placebos is a form of lying. Therefore, doctors who use placebos are liars.
B) 1) It is wrong for doctors to deceive patients.
2) Using placebos deceives patients.
Therefore, it is wrong for doctors to deceive patients.
C) 1) It is wrong for doctors to prescribe placebos.
2) Using placebos deceives patients.
Therefore, it is wrong for doctors to deceive patients.
D) 1) It is wrong for doctors to deceive patients.
2)Using placebos deceives patients.
Therefore, it is wrong for doctors to use placebos on patients.

Accepted Answer

The argument is based on the principle that it is wrong for doctors to deceive patients, and since using placebos involves deception, it concludes that it is wrong for doctors to use placebos on patients.

Question 14

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
Look inside the mouth of a human being. You'll find canine teeth and incisors. These teeth are adapted for eating flesh, not vegetables. It isn't just our teeth-the general biological evidence is overwhelming: the human body is by nature able to eat meat. Look to the earliest cave paintings: they show humans hunting animals. It isn't just the cave paintings
-the general archaeological evidence is also overwhelming: from our earliest days on Earth, human beings have eaten meat. In short, the scientific evidence from multiple disciplines proves that eating meat is natural for human beings. And surely behaviors that are natural for human beings are morally permissible for human beings--it would be absurd to claim otherwise. Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible for human beings.
A) 1) Eating meat is morally permissible for human beings.
2) Eating meat is natural for human beings.
Therefore, behaviors that are natural for human beings are morally permissible.
B) 1) Cave paintings show humans hunting animals for meat.
2) Human teeth are adapted for eating meat.
Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible for human beings.
C) 1) Behaviors that are natural for human beings are morally permissible for human beings.
2) Eating meat is natural for human beings.
Therefore, eating meat is morally permissible for human beings.
D) 1) Cave paintings show humans hunting animals for meat.
2) Human teeth are adapted for eating meat. Therefore, eating meat is natural for human beings.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured around the principle that natural behaviors are morally permissible, and it concludes that eating meat is morally permissible because it is natural for humans.

Question 15

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
A fetus potentially has a right to life. (If allowed to develop, it will become a child, and children definitely have a right to life.) If someone potentially has a right, then we should treat them as though they already do have that right. For this reason, we should treat fetuses as if they have the same right to life that children have.
A) 1) Children have a right to life.
2) Fetuses have a right to life.
Therefore, we should treat fetuses the same way we treat children.
B) 1) If someone potentially has a right, then we should treat them as though they already do have that right.
2)A fetus potentially has a right to life.
Therefore, we should treat fetuses as if they already have a right to life.
C) 1) If we should treat something as if it has a right to life, then it actually does have a right to life.
2)We should treat fetuses as if they have a right to life.
Therefore, fetuses have a right to life.
D) 1) A fetus will eventually turn into a child.
2) A child has a right life.
Therefore, we should treat fetuses as if they already have a right to life.

Accepted Answer

The argument is a standard-form Argument from Principle. The principle is "If someone potentially has a right, then we should treat them as though they already do have that right." The premise is "A fetus potentially has a right to life." The conclusion is "Therefore, we should treat fetuses as if they already have a right to life."

Question 16

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
Killing is only wrong when the thing killed wants not to be killed. (Bacteria, for example, have no desire to live, which is why it's perfectly fine to kill them.) First- trimester fetuses have no desires at all, so they do not have the desire not to be killed. That is why first-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.
A) 1) Killing is only wrong when the thing killed wants not to be killed.
2) First-trimester abortion kills a fetus, which does not want not to be killed. So, First-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.
So,
B) 1) First-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.
2) A fetus has no desires at all.
So, a first trimester abortion is not wrong, because a fetus does not have a desire not to be killed.
C) 1) Bacteria do not have a desire to live.
2) Fetuses do not have a desire to live.
So, first-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.
D) 1) A first-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.
2) Killing is only wrong when the thing killed wants not to be killed. So, first-trimester fetuses do not have the desire not to be killed.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured around the principle that killing is only wrong if the entity has a desire not to be killed. Since first-trimester fetuses do not have such desires, the conclusion is that first-trimester abortion is not morally wrong.

Question 17

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
A person is morally required to aid others only if doing so doesn't require using their own hard-earned money. So, we're not obligated to donate 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies, because doing so would require using our own hard- earned money.
A) 1) A person is morally required to aid others only if doing so doesn't require using their own hard-earned money.
2) Donating 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies would require using our own hard-earned money.
So, we're not morally required to donate 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies.
So,
B) 1) We're not obligated to donate 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies, because doing so would require using our own hard-earned money.
2) We'd have to use our money to help others.
So, people don't want to use their money to help others.
C) 1) We're not obligated to donate 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies.
2)Donating 1% of our income to effective poverty relief agencies would require using our hard-earned money.
So, a person is morally required to aid others only if doing so doesn't require using their own hard-earned money.
D) 1) A person is morally required to aid others only if doing so doesn't require using their own hard-earned money.
2) People don't want to use their hard earned money on others. So, we're not obligated to donate to help anyone else.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured as a conditional statement: a person is only morally required to aid others if it doesn't require using their own hard-earned money. Since donating 1% of income would require using one's own money, the conclusion is that there is no moral obligation to donate.

Question 18

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
It's always wrong to do things that cause harm, however indirect, to other people. Driving a gas-guzzling car (a car that gets far lower gas mileage than the average car) harms other people by contributing to global warming. So, it's wrong to drive a gas- guzzling car.
A) 1) It's always wrong to do things that cause harm, however indirect, to other people.
2) Driving a gas-guzzling car harms other people. So, it's wrong to drive a gas-guzzling car.
B) 1) Driving a gas-guzzling car is wrong.
2) It harms other people by contributing to global warming.
So, it's wrong to drive a gas-guzzling car, because it harms other people.
C) 1) It's always wrong to do things that cause harm, however indirect, to other people.
2) Driving a gas-guzzling car contributes to global warming. So, you shouldn't drive a gas-guzzling car.
D) 1) Driving a gas-guzzling car contributes to global warming.
2) Global warming harms other people. So, it's wrong to drive a gas-guzzling car.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured as a principle that it's wrong to harm others, followed by the premise that driving a gas-guzzling car causes harm, leading to the conclusion that it's wrong to drive such a car.

Question 19

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
There's nothing wrong with driving a gas-guzzling car just for fun-- tons of people do it.
A) 1) Lots of people drive a gas-guzzling car just for fun.
2) Driving a gas-guzzling car doesn't harm anyone.
So, there's nothing wrong with driving a gas-guzzling car just for fun.
B) 1) Driving a gas-guzzling car just for fun is not wrong.
2) Lots of people drive a gas-guzzling car just for fun.
So, there's nothing wrong with driving a gas-guzzling car just for fun.
C) 1) Lots of people drive a gas-guzzling car.
2) Driving a gas-guzzling car for fun is not wrong.
So, tons of people drive a gas-guzzling car, so it's not wrong.
D)
1) If lots of other people do something, then it's not wrong to do it.
2) Lots of other people drive a gas-guzzling car just for fun. So, it's not wrong to drive a gas-guzzling car just for fun.

Accepted Answer

The argument from principle is best represented by identifying a general principle and applying it to a specific case. Choice D uses the principle that if lots of people do something, then it's not wrong, and applies it to driving a gas-guzzling car for fun.

Question 20

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle?
Obviously, no one deserves blame for doing something that's perfectly legal. It therefore follows that we're totally misguided if we blame people for driving gas- guzzling cars.
A) 1) No one deserves blame for doing something that's perfectly legal.
2) Driving gas-guzzling cars is perfectly legal.
So, no one deserves blame for driving a gas-guzzling car.
B) 1) No one deserves blame for driving a gas-guzzling car.
2) Driving a gas-guzzling car is perfectly legal.
So, we're totally misguided if we blame people for driving gas-guzzling cars.
C) 1)No one deserves blame for doing something that's perfectly legal.
2)We're totally misguided if we blame people for driving gas-guzzling cars. So, driving gas-guzzling cars is perfectly legal.
D) 1) Driving gas-guzzling cars is perfectly legal.
2) We're totally misguided if we blame people for driving gas-guzzling cars. So, no one deserves blame for doing something that's perfectly legal.

Accepted Answer

The argument is structured to show that since driving gas-guzzling cars is legal, and no one deserves blame for legal actions, blaming people for it is misguided.

Quiz 5: Analyzing Arg From Principle

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) You ought to minimize the amount of pollution you generate. 2) . . . So, you ought to recycle your bottles and cans.

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) Lying is always wrong. 2) ) .. So, intentionally misrepresenting your finances on your tax forms is wrong.

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) ) .. 2) Cheating on an exam gives a student an unfair advantage over others in the job market. So, it's wrong for a student to cheat on an exam.

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) A practice should be illegal if it encourages desperate people to do potentially harmful or degrading things 2) ) .. So, prostitution should be illegal.

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) It's wrong to do things that make serious problems worse. 2) ) .. So, driving a gas-guzzling car is wrong.

Supply the missing premise or conclusion to make a properly structured Argument from Principle. 1) ) .. 2) Illegally downloading movies doesn't take anything physical from anyone else. Thus, illegally downloading movies is not wrong.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? Suicide is always wrong, because it is always wrong to kill an innocent human being, and suicide does that.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? It's always wrong to end an innocent human life. So, abortion is always wrong, since it always ends an innocent human life.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? Eating meat is morally permissible. After all, other animals do it.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? It's wrong for doctors to use placebos on patients, because it is always wrong for a healthcare practitioner to deceive a patient.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? There's nothing wrong with driving a gas-guzzling car just for fun-- tons of people do it.

Which is the best standard-form representation of the following Argument from Principle? Obviously, no one deserves blame for doing something that's perfectly legal. It therefore follows that we're totally misguided if we blame people for driving gas- guzzling cars.