Question 1

According to Holmes Rolston III,
A)naturalistic ethics ought to be abandoned.
B)some natural objects are morally considerable in their own right,apart from human interests.
C)all moral rights are derived from the interests of human beings.
D)nature has no value apart from human beings.

Accepted Answer

Holmes Rolston III supports the idea that some natural objects have intrinsic value and are morally considerable in their own right, apart from human interests. This is a key principle of environmental ethics that acknowledges the value of non-human entities and ecosystems beyond their use to humans. He does not advocate for abandoning naturalistic ethics, nor does he believe that all moral rights are derived from human interests. He also rejects the view that nature has no value apart from human beings.

Question 2

"Pollution permits" are an example of which of the following methods of achieving our environmental goals?
A)pricing mechanisms
B)government subsidies
C)a laissez-faire approach
D)regulations

Accepted Answer

Pollution permits are a type of pricing mechanism that involves assigning a market value to the right to pollute. This incentivizes companies to reduce their emissions to stay within the limit of the permits they possess, while also allowing for flexibility and trade within the marketplace.

Question 3

William F.Baxter addresses environmental ethics by noting
A)the best ethical position to adopt on environmental issues is a naturalistic position.
B)non-human animals have intrinsic value.
C)judgments about environmental problems ought to be people-oriented.
D)damage to geological "marvels" is inherently wrong and should be prevented.

Accepted Answer

Baxter advocates for a people-oriented approach to environmental ethics, emphasizing that judgments about environmental issues should prioritize human interests and benefits.

Question 4

One truth about factory farms is
A)they rarely inflict any genuine suffering on animals.
B)most animals we eat are from them.
C)they are necessary to feed the world.
D)they are run by brutal people.

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, "most animals we eat are from them," indicating that factory farms are responsible for producing the majority of the meat consumed by humans.

Question 5

An ecosystem
A)should never be tampered with.
B)can survive any human intervention.
C)can be upset by human behavior.
D)is independent of all other ecosystems.

Accepted Answer

Human behavior can cause damage to an ecosystem. Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and overfishing, among others, can upset the natural balance of an ecosystem and lead to its degradation. It is crucial to protect and preserve ecosystems by practicing sustainable human activities.

Question 6

According to the anthropocentric (or human-oriented) ethic of Baxter and others,
A)environmental preservation is inherently valuable.
B)the Grand Canyon is valuable only because people care about it.
C)we have a strong,almost absolute obligation to preserve species from extinction.
D)future people have no interests that we need to respect now.
E) nature has value in and of itself,apart from human beings.

Accepted Answer

The anthropocentric ethic values environmental preservation only in relation to its usefulness to humans. Therefore, according to this ethic, the value of the Grand Canyon is only based on the fact that people care about it, rather than its inherent value in nature.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of a regulatory approach to environmental problems?
A)It proceeds on a case-by-case basis,dealing with each company's specific circumstances.
B)It gives companies an incentive to do more than the minimum required by law.
C)It requires the EPA or other body to determine the most effective,feasible pollution-control technology for each different industry.
D)It involves the use of pricing mechanisms.

Accepted Answer

A regulatory approach to environmental problems involves the EPA or other regulatory body determining the most effective, feasible pollution-control technology for each specific industry. This is often done through industry-specific regulations and standards that companies must meet.

Question 8

The philosopher Tom Regan
A)claims that no impartial morally sensitive person could approve of the treatment of animals in factory farms if he or she knew what was going on.
B)argues against the use of governmental regulations to control the actions of businesses.
C)believes that the FTC should be abolished.
D)denies that non-human animals have any moral rights.

Accepted Answer

Tom Regan is a well-known animal rights philosopher who argues that animals have inherent value and deserve moral consideration. He specifically argues against the use of animals in factory farming and believes that no impartial morally sensitive person could condone such practices if they were aware of the suffering involved. Thus, choice A accurately represents his views. Choices B and C are incorrect as Regan does not oppose all forms of regulation or government agencies, but rather advocates for animal rights protections. Choice D is also incorrect as Regan strongly argues for the recognition of animal rights.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of factory farms?
A)They are smaller these days than they used to be.
B)The people who run them are brutal.
C)Contrary to the critics,the animals in them rarely suffer.
D)They permit the mass production of meat at low prices.

Accepted Answer

Factory farms are designed to use mass production techniques to produce meat at low prices. This is accomplished by raising large numbers of animals in confined spaces and feeding them cheaply. While there are criticisms of the ethical treatment of animals in factory farms, they have been successful in meeting the needs of consumers who demand affordable meat.

Question 10

Which environmental statement is true?
A)Tropical forests are the earth's richest,oldest,and most complex ecosystems.
B)Because of technological breakthroughs,people living in developed countries put less strain on the environment than do people in poorer countries.
C)There are only about 1000 species of animals left in the world.
D)The United States consumes only its proportional share of the world's irreplaceable natural resources.

Accepted Answer

Tropical forests are known to be rich in biodiversity and are home to many of the world's oldest and most complex ecosystems.

Answer: B is false
 While developed countries may have more advanced technology, they also consume more resources per capita and have a larger ecological footprint than developing countries.

Answer: C is false 
 There are estimated to be around 8.7 million species of plants and animals on Earth, with many still undiscovered.

Answer: D is false 
 The United States has a disproportionately high consumption of natural resources compared to its population size and contributes significantly to global environmental issues such as climate change.

Question 11

Cost-benefit analysis
A)is influenced by value judgments.
B)considers only short-term effects.
C)values costs over benefits.
D)is a value-free social-scientific approach.

Accepted Answer

Cost-benefit analysis involves making value judgments to determine whether the benefits of a certain action outweigh the costs. It is not a value-free approach as it heavily relies on subjective opinions and values.

Question 12

Animal manure
A)is not available in sufficient quantities to replenish agricultural land.
B)is a large source of pollution.
C)helps counteract the "greenhouse effect".
D)is potentially more dangerous than nuclear power.

Accepted Answer

Animal manure can cause pollution through various means, such as releasing harmful gases like methane and ammonia into the environment, contaminating water sources, and contributing to soil degradation. However, with proper management and use, manure can also provide nutrients to crops and improve soil quality.

Question 13

Concerning future generations,
A)all philosophers today reject the idea that future people have rights
B)utilitarianism dictates a radical reduction in population growth
C)future people have a right to be born
D)the social and environmental policies we adopt can affect who is born in the future

Accepted Answer

Many philosophers and ethical theories recognize that the policies we adopt today, particularly in regards to the environment and social justice, can have consequences for future generations, including who is born and under what conditions. This is known as intergenerational justice. Utilitarianism does not necessarily dictate a reduction in population growth, but it does emphasize maximizing overall well-being, which may include considering the well-being of future generations. There is debate among philosophers about whether or not future people have rights, but some argue that they do, particularly in regards to ensuring that they have opportunities to live fulfilling lives. However, there is no widely accepted consensus on this issue.

Question 14

Which of the following is true concerning our environment today?
A)the Clean Air Act of 1970 has had no beneficial effects
B)animal waste from factory farms is good for the environment
C)the "greenhouse effect" is basically media hype
D)polluted air is a health risk

Accepted Answer

Polluted air is a health risk for humans and animals, causing respiratory problems and other health issues. The Clean Air Act of 1970 has had significant positive effects on reducing air pollution, but there is still work to be done. Animal waste from factory farms can be a source of water pollution and other environmental problems. The greenhouse effect is a real phenomenon caused by the trapping of heat in the atmosphere, leading to climate change.

Question 15

The "tragedy of the commons" is
A)the lack of a commons¾a common place where people can come together.
B)the failure to appreciate what we have in common with other species.
C)that cost-benefit analysis involves value judgments that we do not share in common.
D)that individual pursuit of self-interest can sometimes make everyone worse off.

Accepted Answer

The "tragedy of the commons" refers to the idea that when individuals pursue their own self-interest in a shared resource, such as a common grazing land, it can lead to overuse and depletion of the resource, making everyone worse off in the long run. This concept highlights the importance of considering the broader impacts of individual actions and the need for collective action to manage shared resources sustainably.

Question 16

In consideration for the obligation to others,
A)we have no genuine moral obligations to future generations.
B)future people have a right to be born.
C)the U.S.uses more than its proportional share of the world's resources.
D)environmental protection is always a static trade-off,with a fixed economic price to be paid for the gains we want.

Accepted Answer

The statement that the U.S. uses more than its proportional share of the world's resources is a factual observation about resource consumption patterns, reflecting concerns about sustainability and equity in resource distribution.

Question 17

Some environmental regulations (like forbidding the burning of coal in cities) benefit each and every one of us because the air we all breather is cleaner.If an individual ignores the regulation and burns coal,while others obey the regulation,then he or she
A)violates our right to a livable environment.
B)is being a free rider.
C)displays an ignorance of ecology.
D)creates an externality.

Accepted Answer

The individual who ignores the regulation and burns coal while others obey the regulation is being a free rider because they are benefiting from the cleaner air created by others following the regulation without facing the costs (financial or otherwise) of complying with the regulation themselves.

Question 18

According to Shaw and Barry,utilitarians
A)focus on human well-being and ignore animal welfare.
B)oppose animal experimentation in principle.
C)should include nonhuman animal pleasures and pains in the overall utilitarian calculus.
D)are likely to favor factory farming.

Accepted Answer

Shaw and Barry argue that utilitarians should include nonhuman animal pleasures and pains in their calculation of overall happiness and suffering. This means that they should consider animal welfare when making ethical decisions, rather than solely focusing on human well-being. This does not necessarily mean that utilitarians oppose all animal experimentation, but rather that they would weigh the potential benefits against the harms to the animals involved. Utilitarians would not necessarily favor factory farming if it led to more suffering than happiness overall.

Question 19

According to the philosopher Joel Feinberg,
A)future generations of people have a right to be born.
B)future generations have no moral rights.
C)we have no duties to future generations.
D)the rights of future generations are contingent upon those people coming into existence.

Accepted Answer

Feinberg argues that the rights of future generations depend on those individuals actually coming into existence, meaning their rights are contingent upon their birth.

Question 20

The moral theorist William T.Blackstone claims that the right to a livable environment
A)would solve the problem of how to conserve resources.
B)prevents the use of government regulation to control the actions of business.
C)is a fundamental human right.
D)implies that non-human animals have no genuine moral rights.

Accepted Answer

Blackstone believes that the right to a livable environment is a fundamental human right, which suggests that everyone has a basic entitlement to live in a clean and healthy environment. This implies that it is the responsibility of governments and other institutions to protect and preserve the natural world for the benefit of all individuals, including future generations. Blackstone's position does not necessarily have any direct implications for resource conservation, nor does it necessarily preclude the use of government regulations to control business practices. Additionally, his position does not necessarily entail any specific beliefs about the moral rights of non-human animals.

Quiz 7: The Environment

According to Holmes Rolston III,

"Pollution permits" are an example of which of the following methods of achieving our environmental goals?

William F.Baxter addresses environmental ethics by noting

One truth about factory farms is

An ecosystem

According to the anthropocentric (or human-oriented) ethic of Baxter and others,

Which of the following is true of a regulatory approach to environmental problems?

The philosopher Tom Regan

Which of the following is true of factory farms?

Which environmental statement is true?

Cost-benefit analysis

Animal manure

Concerning future generations,

Which of the following is true concerning our environment today?

The "tragedy of the commons" is

In consideration for the obligation to others,

Some environmental regulations (like forbidding the burning of coal in cities) benefit each and every one of us because the air we all breather is cleaner.If an individual ignores the regulation and burns coal,while others obey the regulation,then he or she

According to Shaw and Barry,utilitarians

According to the philosopher Joel Feinberg,

The moral theorist William T.Blackstone claims that the right to a livable environment