Ethics quiz questions exam 1

Nagel thinks that, if properly understood, the answer that most people would give to the question, "How would you feel if someone were to harm you?" is:

"I would resent it."

Claims Made by Cultural Relativists

1. Different societies have different moral codes. 2. There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another 3. The moral code of our own society has no special status; It is merely one among many. 4. There is no "universal truth" in ethics - that is, there are no moral truths that hold for all people at all times. 5. The moral code of society determines what is right within that society; that is, If the moral code of a society says that a certain action is right, then that action is right, at least within that society. 6. It is mere arrogance for us to try to judge the conduct of other peoples. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance towards the practices of other cultures.

For Nagel, our reason for caring abut the welfare of others is ultimately explained by considerations of:

Consistency

Consider the following question: "Does the available evidence show that capital punishment really deters violent crime?" According to Frankena, this would be an example of:

Descriptive inquiry

Cahn argues that we should interpret "happiness" as something requiring moral concern/regard

False

Which of the following statements best captures the point Glaucon intends to make by recounting the legend of Gyges in Plato's Republic?

Freed from the fear of reprisal, people would—and should—act in whatever way they think best for themselves.

Murphy argues that while an immoral person can live a life filled with pleasure,

He cannot live truly happy life

Consider the following question: "Is there any meaningful sense in which it's factually correct to say that capital punishment is wrong, or is it simply a matter of personal opinion?" According to Frankena, this would be an example of:

Metaethical inquiry

Consider the following question: "Is it wrong to support capital punishment, even if serves as an effective deterrent to violent crime?" According to Frankena, this would be an example of:

Normative inquiry

Some philosophers maintain that we should define 'happiness' as a deep characteristic fully realized human life, requiring moral concern as a necessary element. Cahn:

Rejects this definition as a "philosophical sleight of-hand"

Nagel takes the question "How would you like it if someone did that to you?" to be a standard way of trying to show:

That you have a reason to care about others

Rachels doubts the truth of cultural relativism for which of the following reasons?

The extent of cultural disagreement is not as significant as cultural relativists usually imply. It has certain consequences that make it implausible on its face. It rests on an invalid argument.

Rachels mentions that some societies believe the earth to be flat to make which of the following points?

The mere fact that people disagree about something does not prove that there is no "objective truth" of the matter.

cultural relativism

To many thinkers, this observation -"Different cultures have different moral codes - has seemed to be the key to understanding morality. Challenges our ordinary belief In the objectivity and universality of moral truth. It says, in effect, that there is no such thing as moral truth in ethics. Only various cultural codes and nothing more.

According to Cahn, those who do not believe in the existence of God can be highly moral.

True

Which of the following is NOT one of the claims typically made by cultural relativists?

Western values are generally superior to non-Western values.

According to Stevenson, what kind of disagreement usually predominates in an ethical conflict?

attitude

Stevenson cites two men's conflict over where to have dinner as an example of disagreement in:

attitude.

In the story cited by Rachels, Abraham Lincoln claims to have acted selfishly in helping some pigs who had fallen in the mud because:

he would have lost his peace of mind if he hadn't helped the pigs.

Cahn argues that morality:

is independent of belief in God.

According to Cahn, God's existence alone implies:

no particular moral precepts.

Stevenson claims that disagreements in belief can be resolved by:

the methods of the sciences.

An ethical egoist argues that:

we are under no obligation to do anything except what is in our own interests.