Ethics Final Study

A complete account of all the facts about a given act should yield a judgment as to whether it is good or bad, according to Hume

False

According to Kant's theory, non-human animals have some moral rights, but not to the same degree as humans.

False

After rejecting Plato's theory of the forms, Aristotle concluded that genuine knowledge of the world cannot be attained. He thus became a skeptic.

False

Aquinas' natural law theory says that right and wrong are determined by paying careful attention to what is described as natural in the Scriptures

False

Aristotle and other virtue ethicists believe that there is a clear quasi-mathematical formula for determining what is virtuous in any given situation. This formula is so simple even a child can follow it.

False

Augustine claims that God exists in time, rather than outside of time.

False

Before he became a Christian, Augustine was an adherent of the Jewish religion.

False

Chastity is one of the seven prima facie duties identified by Ross.

False

Consequentialism is a version of Utilitarianism.

False

Contractarianism says that we are never justified in breaking the laws of the state.

False

Descartes believes that we can have knowledge of things that we aren't certain about.

False

Don Marquis believes that it always wrong to knowingly take a human life, no matter the circumstances.

False

Ethical Egoism is defined as "the theory that it is permissible, but not obligatory, to value oneself over others."

False

Harry Gensler claims that if cultural relativism is true, then one should never be intolerant of other societies.

False

Hedonists argue that the best kind of human life is one where you eat, drink, and party as much as you possibly can.

False

In the Euthyphro, Socrates appears in court in order to prosecute Euthyphro for murder.

False

Kant's Categorical Imperative is a version of the Golden Rule.

False

Kazez believes that happiness is good only when it is produced by engaging in intrinsically valuable actives and accompanied by virtue.

False

Nathanson defines the notion of human desert as that which someone deserves in virtue of their character and behavior.

False

Natural Law Theory claims that moral truths are conceptual truths, not empirical truths.

False

Plato thinks democracy is the best form of government.

False

R. G. Frey claims that animals' lives simply have no value.

False

Retributivism is the view that the harshness of a punishment should be based on the consequences of carrying out the punishment

False

Since Buddhism encourages the realization of no-self, Kazez believes that practicing Buddhism necessarily leads to a bad life.

False

Socrates argues, in the Crito, that it is morally permissible for him to break the laws of Athens when they are unjust.

False

Socrates claims, in the Crito, that it is very important to ensure that the opinion of the majority in is your favor.

False

The one thing that is good without qualification, according to Kant, is freedom.

False

Thomas Aquinas claims that first principles of nature--which determine the moral law--differ from person to person, so that the moral law is in many ways a matter of personal opinion.

False

Utilitarians claim that many acts are supererogatory

False

Warmth, pain, and green are examples of primary qualities.

False

What we know a priori is dependent upon sense experience.

False

Which of Aristotle's four causes explains what an entity is for (i.e. its purpose)?

Final Cause

Thales, the individual who is traditionally identified as the first of the Greek philosophers, claimed that air is the fundamental substance out of which all other entities are composed.

Flase

According to Divine Command Theory, an act is right if and only if

God commands it

In the Apology, Socrates is charged with the crimes of _______________ and _________________.

Corrupting the youth & Cereating new gods/ failing to worship the gods of Athens

How does Kant describe the prudent shopkeeper?

He acts in accordance with duty but, since he does not have the right intentions, does not act with good will.

According to Hume, perceptions can be divided into two classes: ____________ and _____________.

Impressions & Ideas

Socrates claims that the really important thing is not to live, but to __________________

Live Well

Among the rules of Descartes' method is the following:

Make comprehensive reviews.

In addition to his philosophical writings, Rene Descartes is famous for making discoveries in _______________ and ______________.

Mathematics & Physics

Kazez list of "necessities"?

Morality, happiness, autonomy, sense of identity, progress DOES NOT INCLUDE KNOWLEDGE

Marquis thinks that abortion is prima facie wrong because

Most fetuses have a valuable future like ours

The central moral principle that Socrates puts forward in the Crito is:

One must never do wrong.

How can we determine whether one pleasure (A) is more valuable than another pleasure (B), according to Mill?

Pleasure A is preferred to pleasure B by most people acquainted with both.

Gyges uses his magical ring to _____________________ and __________________.

Seduce the queen and Slay the kind

What is missing from the life of "Nowhere Man," according to Kazez?

Self-expression

According to the testimony of Alcibiades, _______________________________.

Socrates once stood outside all day and all night thinking.

According to the text, what does it mean to say a premise begs the question?

That it assumes the truth of the conclusion it's meant to support

What is Thomson's case of the burglar supposed to show?

That the fact that one could have prevented some outcome does not mean that one is obligated to accept that outcome.

According to Hobbes, what is needed to ensure that a contract is followed?

That there be some power to force contracting parties to follow it

Kant's View on intrinsic goodness and how it is attained

The good will is the only intrinsic good. It is attained by finding your duties

According to Aristotle, all substances are composed of two elements: ____________ and ____________ .

Form & Matter

What is Kazez's objection to the severe religious monasticism of Galileo's daughter?

Galileo's daughter lacked autonomy.

Examples of attitudinal pleasures would include _________________ and ___________________

The sense of accomplishment after finishing a marathon. and the enjoyment of listening to your favorite song.

What is the "state of nature"?

A situation in which humans are not subject to any laws or government authority

What is the "state of nature"?

A situation in which there is no law or government

What is the paradox of self-harm?

According to the desire satisfaction theory, it is impossible to intentionally harm yourself.

Natural Law Theory

An action is right if and only it (and because) in performing the action one does not directly violate any of the basic values

"Every mother has a child" is an example of what Kant calls a(n) ____________________ judgment

Analytic A Priori

According to Plato, the Forms are entities that exist outside of space and time.

True

According to Thomas Aquinas, we are not in the right epistemological position to use Anselm's argument.

True

According to desire satisfaction theory, you are benefited by satisfying a desire even if you end up miserable as a result of satisfying that desire

True

According to moral particularism, there are no moral rules.

True

According to the text, utilitarianism's commitment to impartiality is in some ways a strength and in others a weakness.

True

According to utilitarianism, slavery can be justified under certain circumstances.

True

Alastair Norcross claims that if it is morally permissible to kill and eat animals, then it is morally permissible to kill and eat non-rational human beings (i.e., babies and senile elderly people).

True

An argument is valid when the truth of its premises guarantees the truth of its conclusion.

True

Aquinas claims that the first principle of law is: Good is to be done and evil avoided.

True

Aristotle believes that the very best human life is one that is devoted to nous, i.e. contemplation.

True

What is a maxim in Kant's terminology?

Any principle upon which one bases one's action.

According to libertarianism, all of our positive moral duties derive from _____________ and _____________

Consent and Reperation

Consequentialism, as distinguished from utilitarianism

Consequentialism is what is Right based on what produces the best results. Utilitarianism is a type of consequentialism. Utilitarianism, do what produces the best consequences by doing waht maximizes overall benefit.

The basic idea behind Kant's ethical theory is that morality requires

Consistency and Fairness

_________________________ is the view that material bodies are made up of smaller entities that obey the laws of motion.

Corpuscularism

Euthyphro's Dilemma asks the question ___________________________.

Does God command us to do actions because they are morally right, or are actions morally right because God commands us to do them?

Skepticism about morality is

deeply controversial

Socrates believes that no one knowingly _________________.

does wrong

Socrates charged people money to listen to his teachings

false

According to hedonism, the key ingredient to a good life is

happiness

Sin, according to Augustine, is ________________________

having disordered desires and loves

Categories, according to Aristotle, are __________________________________

indicators of the different ways things can be

If cultural relativism is true, then:

individuals can make moral progress, but cultures cannot.

For a Stoic, the intention with which an action is done is more important than the result of that action because:

intentions are in our power, but results are not

Aristotle believes that taking pleasure in virtuous actions

is a sign that one is truly virtuous

According to the text, the existence of a guilty conscience

is evidence against psychological egoism.

Psychological egoism

is one, but not the only, possible source of support for ethical egoism.

According to Natural Law Theory, an action is right if and only if

it is in accordance with human nature.

If utilitarianism is true, then

it is sometimes permissible to give preference to our family members, but only when doing so creates more overall happiness than any available alternative action..

Paternalism is defined as:

limiting the liberty of others for their own good.

The Great Chain of Being:

locates all humans on the same level.

The principle of utility can be summarized as:

maximize overall well-being.

Socrates encounters Euthyphro at the courthouse, where Euthyphro intends to prosecute his father for the crime of ___________________.

murder

Epicurus believes we should restrict our desires to those that are _________________________.

necessary for life necessary for happiness necessary for ease *all of the above

If ethical egoism is true, then I should regard the interests of others as having

no moral importance.

Ross claims that prima facie duties are

self-evident

Indulgences were:

sold to ensure salvation or a reduction of time spent in purgatory.

A theory of well-being is an objective theory if and only if it claims___________________.

that certain things are good for us independently of our desires and opinions.

In Meditation Two, Descartes claims that there is one thing he he truly cannot doubt; namely, _______________.

that he exists

Hobbes says that it is a law of nature to "seek peace" because __________________________.

that is the best way to satisfy our individual desires

According to cultural relativism, whether an act is right or wrong is determined by

the approval of the actor's society

According to Frey, the richness of a life is a function of:

the capacity for enrichment.

Kant claims that the only thing that can be said to be good "without limitation" is

the good will.

Our idea of substance, Locke says, is:

the idea of an unknown substratum that has the qualities we experience.

Ross maintains that the data from which we should construct ethical theories are

the moral convictions of thoughtful and well-educated people.

Something is a case of moral luck if

the morality of one's action depends on factors outside of one's control.

In the Myth of the Cave, ___________________________________.

the prisoners represent all of us before we begin to search for wisdom.

Gensler claims that cultural disagreement about moral matters is no threat to the objective view because:

there's disagreement about subjects which are clearly objective, like chemistry and physics.

We do not need to fear the gods, Epicurus says, because ___________________________.

they are uninterested in us

Contractarianism states that actions are morally right if and only if

they conform to rules that free, equal, and rational people would agree to live by.

Virtue ethics says that actions are right just because

they would be performed by a virtuous person.

With respect to primary qualities, Berkeley holds that

they, like secondary qualities, have their being only in the mind

Nathanson claims that a great benefit of abolishing the death penalty would be that:

this would send a symbolic message that killing is not acceptable except in self-defense.

Objective moral standards are:

those that apply to everyone, regardless of what they believe.

Hesiod claimed to write his poems:

through divine inspiration.

Pythagoras was the first of the early Greek thinkers to identify himself as a "lover of wisdom," i.e., a philosopher.

true

Aquinas holds that reason and revelation are ____________________.

two compatible sources of truth

The One of Parmenides is:

unchanging, all alike, and eternal.

Many people believe that religion is necessary in order for ________________________.

us to be motivated to act morally. us to know the difference between right and wrong. morality to exist at all. **all of the above.

Identify the statement below that is used as a premise in the argument from injustice.

utilitarianism sometimes requires us to commit serious injustices.

The main thing Socrates wants Euthyphro to teach him is _____________________________.

what makes something pious.

According to Descartes' representational theory of perception ____________________________.

what we know best are the ideas in our minds

Locke uses the term "idea" to refer to ____________________.

whatever is the object of the understanding when we think

In the Phaedo, Socrates claims that the body desires pleasures of the flesh while the soul desires ____________

wisdom

Thomson claims that no one has the right to the use of your body unless:

you grant him the right to it.

On Singer's view, if many people do not give any money to charity

you may be required to give even more money to charity than if everyone were giving.

Hedonism is compatible with denying oneself many pleasures

True

Hobbes thinks that people always act for fundamentally self-interested reasons.

True

Hume thinks that "causation" is nothing more than "constant conjunction."

True

If ethical subjectivism is true, then one's deepest moral commitments are always right.

True

In Meditation Three, Descartes argues that we can trust our clear and distinct ideas because God wouldn't allow us to be systematically deceived about our basic principles.

True

In order to claim that murder, rape, and torture are always morally impermissible, the ethical egoist must maintain that those who murder, rape, or torture never benefit from these kinds of behaviors

True

In the new science, final causes are banished in favor of mathematical formulas describing how things occur.

True

Kant claimed that acting immorally is always irrational.

True

Kant's central epistemological thesis is that the objects of experience conform to our knowledge, rather than vice versa.

True

Kazez claims that we have evidence that something is necessary for living well when people are reliably motivated to acquire it.

True

Marquis denies that a person's life is valuable only if they desire to continue living.

True

Narveson argues that we have a moral obligation to the less well-off only when we're responsible for their misfortunes.

True

One of the major arguments for Divine Command Theory appeals to the idea that the moral law must have an author who transcends human imperfections.

True

Psychological Egoism is a descriptive theory of human behavior, not a normative ethical theory that aims to prescribe certain standards for good behavior.

True

Singer claims that any amount of income you spend on luxury items, rather than baic necessities, should be donated to famine relief organizations.

True

Socrates argues, before the jury in the Apology, that, in view of his conviction, he ought to be sentenced to receive free meals in the Prytaneum

True

Socrates claims, in the Apology, that if his fellow citizens convict and sentence him unjustly, they will harm themselves more than than they will harm him.

True

Something that is instrumentally valuable is not valuable for its own sake, but, instead, is valuable because of the other valuable things that it brings about.

True

Stoic equanimity is a state of being undisturbed, no matter what happens.

True

The Sophists were often charged with "making the weaker argument appear to be the stronger one."

True

The world, Berkeley believes, owes its existence to being perceived by God.

True

Utilitarians believe that even if you intend for your action to cause someone harm, you can still end up doing the right thing.

True

Virtue Ethicists believe that moral understanding is a kind of practical wisdom.

True

Which ethical theory provides the inspiration for Peter Singer's argument in "The Singer Solution to World Poverty"?

Utilitarianism

An argument is sound when it is ____________ and _______________.

Valid and its premises are true

A Stoic

believes that our happiness or unhappiness is entirely within our own control.

In philosophy, an argument is

a chain of reasoning consisting of a set of reasons that supports some conclusion.

In Judith Jarvis Thomson's central thought experiment, to whom do you find yourself attached when you wake up one morning?

a famous violinist

With regard to skepticism, Hume thinks that:

a mitigated skepticism is a useful hedge against dogmatism and superstition.

A prima facie duty is:

a moral reason to do or abstain from doing something. a moral reason that can be overridden by other considerations. not an absolute duty. ****all of the above.

Supererogatory Action

a supererogatory act is one that goes beyond the call of duty: it is an act that is morally good to do, buy not morally required.

Dialectic is:

a technique for helping others by raising objections to what they believe.

Moral principles, Hume says, _____________________.

are founded on sentiment or feeling.

According to ethical egoism, conflicts between self-interest and morality

are impossible.

If the desire satisfaction theory is true, then health, wealth, and happiness _____________________.

are instrumentally valuable only if they help to satisfy your desires.

Informed desires are those desires that:

are not based on false beliefs.

Aquinas' argument for God's existence from change:

argues that without a first cause of change there would be no intermediate causers of change.

Kant claims that the illusions of speculative metaphysics __________________________.

arise because of the very nature of reason itself

Renaissance humanists:

celebrate the human being as the central fact in all the created world.

In Norcross' thought experiment, Fred tortures puppies so that he can acquire a hormone that will enable him to taste

chocolate

According to Anselm, the fool who "says in his heart" that there is no God ________________.

contradicts himself with this statement

In the Phaedo, Socrates spends his last hours _____________________________ before finally drinking the poison that will kill him.

conversing with his friends about the immortality of the soul

According to _____________________ all things are in flux, like a river.

Heraclitus

Identify the Sophist who claimed that "man is the measure of all things."

Protagoras

Ross's list of 7 prima facie duties

- fidelity (promise keeping) - reparation - gratitude - justice - beneficence (charity) - self-improvement - nonmaleficence (avoid doing harm)

According to Norcross, which of the following justifies granting humans and animals different moral statuses?

-Human beings are typically more rational than animals. -Human beings typically experience a wider range of pleasure and suffering than animals. -Human beings are typically more self-aware than animals. -Human beings typically have stronger and more intimate relationship's than animals. ******None of the above.

What is Nathanson's objection to lex talionis?

-It would require us to torture torturers. -It gives us no guidance in a number of instances. -It would be very difficult to apply. *****All of the above.

Narveson claims that our attempts at charity often fail because

-of the ignorance of those trying to help. -of the destructive influence of bad governments. -it makes the beneficiaries reliant on charity rather helping them become self-sufficient. *********all of the above.

Measuring well-being is difficult for utilitarians because:

-there is no precise unit of happiness. -there might be multiple things that directly contribute to well-being. -there doesn't seem to be any method to compare the quantities of different benefits. ******all of the above.

Hume claims that the self is _______________________.

A bundle of perceptions

What is a categorical imperative, according to Kant?

A command of reason that does not depend on our individual goals

Aristotle's most famous student was __________________.

Alexander the Great

What does Norcross think is the relationship between being a moral agent and being a moral patient?

All moral agents are moral patients, but not all moral patients are moral agents.

If psychological egoism is true, then _________________ is impossible.

Altruism

Which classical Greek philosopher was Aquinas' primary influence?

Aristotle

Why is the contradiction problem a threat to virtue ethics?

Because different virtuous people might act differently in the same situation

Why does Ross think that we sometimes feel regret even when we've done the right thing?

Because sometimes right action requires violating one's prima facie duties

According to utilitarian Jeremy Bentham, what is the relevant question for determining membership in the moral community?

Can they suffer?

Kant claims that the philosopher ________________ "interrupted his dogmatic slumber" and led him to approach metaphysics in a new way.

David Hume

According to Epicurus, _______________, the so-called greatest of all possible evils, is nothing to us.

Death

According to Epicurus,the supposed of evil of _______________ is nothing to us.

Death

According to the text, what is moral philosophy primarily concerned with?

Examining the attractions of various ethical theories

How does Primoratz respond to the objection that the death penalty is applied in a discriminatory way?

He claims that we should reform our justice system but not give up the death penalty.

Which value theory is endorsed by Utilitarians?

Hedonism

According to Aquinas's version of natural law theory, there are four basic intrinsic goods. What are they?

Human life, Human procreation, Human knowledge, Human sociability

In Mediation VI, defends the position the mind (or soul) and body are distinct substances that nevertheless stand in a two-way causal relation. This position is called _____________________.

Interactionism

Which of the following best summarizes Epicurus's view of philosophy?

It is essential for happiness

Why is the lack of a method for measuring well-being a problem for utilitarians?

It renders utilitarianism incapable of giving concrete advice.

Where does the conversation between Crito and Socrates take place?

Jail

Select the historically significant philosopher Primoratz cites as a defender of the death penalty.

Kant

Which of the following does Jean Kazez not include on her list of "necessities"?

Knowledge

Which school of classical Greek philosophy had a deep and lasting influence on Augustine's philosophical outlook?

Neo-Platonism

Select the three main subareas of moral philosophy from the options below.

Normative Ethics Meta-ethics Value Theory

Kant uses the term ________________ to refer to "things-in-themselves."

Noumena

What is the central concept that is under investigation in Plato's Euthyphro?

Piety

According to Augustine, Evil is the ___________________ of Good

Privation

Igor Primoratz claims that the death penalty is the only _________________ punishment for murder.

Proportionate

According the Plato, there are three parts of the soul: desire, spirit, and ______________.

Reason

Locke claims that all of our ideas come from experience, which he divides into two basic kinds; namely ______________ and _______________.

Reflection & Sensation

Stephen Nathanson's objections to lex talionis

The "eye for an eye" principle

What does Plato identify as the highest level of reality?

The Form of the Good

In the Apology, it is reported that ___________________ claimed that no man was wiser than Socrates

The Oracle at Delphi

Unlike the principle of universalizability, the principle of humanity can account for the immorality of what?

The consistent fanatic

_________________ describes a situation in which one person can benefit from a common good without contributing anything themselves.

The free-rider problem

Kant thinks ______________________ tells us what criminals deserve.

The principle of lex talionis

What happens to someone who puts on the Ring of Gyges?

They become invisible

What happens to any person who puts on The Ring of Gyges?

They become invisible.

According to virtue ethics, the fundamental moral question is:

What kind of person should I be?

On Frey's view, when is human experimentation morally permissible?

When the human's suffering is offset by the benefit gained from the experiment

According to the text, if God has reasons for his commands, then ____________________________.

actions are not right because God commands them.

Aristotle defines happiness (eudaemonia) as:

activity of the soul in accord with reason.

Kant's principle of humanity states:

always treat a human being as an end, never as a mere means to an end.

Rule consequentialism is the view that:

an action is morally right just because it is required by an optimific social rule

Zeno argues that:

an arrow cannot move at all, even though it seems to us that it does

According to Narveson, charity is:

an emotionally tinged desire to benefit other people just because they need it.

One problem for desire satisfaction theory is that there appear to be clear cases in which people are made better off without any of their desires being satisfied. Please select the examples of such cases found among the options below.

an infant getting a vaccine and a man being given a pleasant surprise (NOT: -a criminal being harshly punished -a hard working student achieving a high score on an exam -a lazy person winning lots of money in the lottery)

A moral agent is

anyone who is capable of controlling his or her behavior through moral reasoning.

Anselm's "ontological" argument for the existence of God _________________________.

begins from the idea of God as the greatest entity that can be conceived

Rousseau believed that people are inherently ________, whereas Hobbes believed they are inherently ________.

cooperative; selfish

Gensler claims that when a person is a member of more than one society ______________________.

cultural relativism fails to provide that person with clear moral guidance

Ross's ethic of prima facie duties is a version of

ethical pluralism

A prisoner's dilemma is a situation in which .

everyone benefits by refraining from pursuing their short-term interests.

The early Greeks, following Homer, understood justice to be:

everyone getting his due.

Psychological egoism is the theory that

everything people do is fundamentally motivated by self-interest.

Descartes' holds that the essence of material things is:

extendedness

Aristotle defines virtue as the disposition to choose the _________________ between _____________.

extremes and mean

After being found guilty at his trial, Socrates was sentenced to exile on the island of Lesbos.

false

The one thing that Socrates most confidently claims to know is that __________________.

he is ignorant

According to Kazez, the problem with "Nowhere Man" is that _______________.

he lacks a well-defined sense of self.

Igor Primoratz's argument for the conclusion that capital punishment is the only proportional punishment for murder

hh

To say that something enhances fitness is to say that it

increases one's success at survival and reproduction

Intrinsic: philosophy that components of the environment have value simply because they exist regardless of their use to us People, organisms, or objects are valued. nature has a value because it exists Instrumental Value: philosophy that components of the environment have value because they have usefulness to us in the form of economic or ecological services nature has a value based on what can be extracted Things valued as a means to something else

hh

Meta-ethics: investigates where our ethical principles come from, and what they mean. Are they merely social inventions? Do they involve more than expressions of our individual emotions? Metaethical answers to these questions focus on the issues of universal truths, the will of God, the role of reason in ethical judgments, and the meaning of ethical terms themselves. Morality is a human invention and therefore not objective Value theory: "What kind of life is most worth living?" Normative Ethics "do the ends justify the means?" takes on a more practical task, which is to arrive at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. This may involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others.

hh

Psychological egoism is the thesis that we are always deep down motivated by what we perceive to be in our own self-interest.

hh

John Stuart Mill claims that it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied because:

human beings possess higher faculties than pigs.

According to Descartes, innate ideas are:

ideas I would have even if nothing but I existed.

According to the argument for self-interest:

if something makes us better off, then we have reason to obtain it.

The best argument for ethical egoism states that

if there is good reason to do something, then doing it must make you better off.

Augustine, in a sermon, advises that "___________________________________."

in order to understand, we must first believe

Kazez claims that autonomy is

not valued by everyone but always a good thing.

According to one of the most common pro-abortion arguments, a fetus does not have moral rights because it is not a

person

One of the major objections to Hedonism is that it cannot adequately account for the value of

pleasure (NOT "what we want for our loved ones")

If all of our actions are motivated by our strongest desire, then

psychological egoism is true only if all of our strongest desires are for self-interest.

Knowing something, according to Plato, __________________________

puts you in touch with reality

The idea of God, Kant says, is an idea that ______________________________.

reason necessarily posits

In the example of Bob and his Bugatti, Bob finds himself in a situation where he can _____________________ only by flipping a railroad switch that will send a train car down the track upon which his prized automobile is parked.

save a child's life