Question 1

Happiness and health are examples of instrumental values that are pursued to reach another value.

Accepted Answer

An instrumental value-by which the pursuit of one value is a good way to reach another value. For example, money is valued for what it can buy rather than for itself.

Question 2

Jason is a high-school senior whose peers are into drugs. He also has a family history of substance abuse. This will have no impact on his moral standards.

Accepted Answer

A strict family upbringing or religious education would obviously have a direct impact on individuals' personal moral standards. These standards would then provide a moral compass (a sense of personal direction) to guide the individuals in the choices they make in their lives.

Question 3

Every religion in the world shares the Golden Rule.

Accepted Answer

The Golden Rule is simple and very clear rule shared by many different religions in the world like Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism but not all the religions.

Question 4

Moral standards are independent of religious beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Moral standards are principles based on religious, cultural, or philosophical beliefs by which judgments are made about good or bad behavior.

Question 5

Individuals acquire their personal moral standards in the same way that they learn the alphabet.

Accepted Answer

Individuals do not acquire their personal moral standards in the same way that they learn the alphabet. Standards of ethical behavior are absorbed by osmosis as individuals observe the examples (both positive and negative) set by everyone around them-parents, family members, friends, peers, and neighbors.

Question 6

The problem with utilitarianism is the focus on doing the most good for a select few, such as Adolf Hitler and his idea of launching a national genocide against Jews on the ethical grounds of restoring the Aryan race.

Accepted Answer

The problem with the approach of utilitarianism to ethics is the idea that the ends justify the means. The 20^th century witnessed one of the most extreme examples of this when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party launched a national genocide against Jews and "defective" people on the utilitarian grounds of restoring the Aryan race.

Question 7

Simple truth is one of the four basic categories of ethics and can be expressed simply as doing the right thing.

Accepted Answer

Simple truth is indeed one of the four basic categories of ethics and is often associated with the idea of doing what is right or morally correct.

Question 8

Standards of ethical behavior are absorbed by osmosis as individuals observe the examples, both positive and negative, set by everyone around them.

Accepted Answer

Standards of ethical behavior are often learned by observation and modeling the behaviors of those around us. This process can occur consciously or unconsciously and can involve positive and negative examples. However, it is important to remember that individuals may interpret ethical standards differently based on their own cultural, contextual, and personal factors.

Question 9

Rules of appropriate individual behavior represent the idea that the moral standards we develop for ourselves impact our lives on a daily basis in our behavior and the other types of decisions we make.

Accepted Answer

Rules of appropriate individual behavior are based on moral standards and affect our behavior and decision-making on a daily basis. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 10

The concept of universal ethics argues that there are certain principles that should apply to a select few ethical judgments.

Accepted Answer

Universal ethics refers to actions that are taken out of duty and obligation to a purely moral ideal rather than based on the needs of the situation, since the universal principles are seen to apply to everyone, everywhere, all the time.

Question 11

A value system refers to a set of personal principles formalized into a code of behavior.

Accepted Answer

A value system consists of a set of personal principles that may be formalized into a code of behavior or informally understood and practiced.

Question 12

The problem with ethics for the greater good is the idea that the ends justify the means.

Accepted Answer

The philosophy of the greater good often involves making choices that may be deemed unethical or immoral in order to achieve a desired outcome. This type of reasoning is flawed because it neglects the importance of moral principles and values. It can lead to rationalization of harmful actions as long as they bring about a perceived positive outcome.

Question 13

The term "morals" is applied to a society, while the term "values" is used when referring to an individual.

Accepted Answer

The terms "morals" and "values" are often used to mean the same thing-a set of personal principles by which individuals aim to live their lives.

Question 14

Virtue ethics is the concept of living your life according to the similar virtues of different societies.

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics refers to the concept of living one's life according to a commitment to the achievement of a clear ideal.

Question 15

The problem with virtue ethics is that societies can place different emphasis on different virtues.

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of developing good character traits, but societies can place different emphasis on which traits are seen as most valuable. For example, a society may highly value the virtue of honesty, while another society may prioritize the virtue of loyalty. This can lead to disagreements about what constitutes virtuous behavior in different contexts.

Question 16

A society is a closed, confined unit in which people have to follow a distinct religion.

Accepted Answer

Society refers to a structured community of people bound together by similar traditions and customs.

Question 17

The field of ethics is the study of how people try to live their lives according to a standard of "right" or "wrong" behavior.

Accepted Answer

The statement is accurate and true. Ethics is concerned with examining and evaluating human conduct and behavior in order to determine what is right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust, and so on. It involves the study of moral principles, values, and standards that guide individual and collective decision-making and action. Ethics is an important field of study that enables us to reflect on our beliefs and practices, and to make informed and responsible choices in our personal and professional lives.

Question 18

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is the Golden Rule.

Accepted Answer

The statement "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is commonly known as the Golden Rule and is recognized as a standard of morality and ethics in many cultures and religions.

Question 19

Ethics for the greater good is also referred to as utilitarianism.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that suggests actions should be taken based on their ability to promote the greatest happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people. This is often referred to as the "greater good." Therefore, ethics for the greater good and utilitarianism are synonymous.

Question 20

An intrinsic value means that the pursuit of one value is a good way to reach another value.

Accepted Answer

An intrinsic value-by which a value is a good thing in itself and is pursued for its own sake, whether anything good comes from that pursuit or not.

Quiz 1: Understanding Ethics