Intro to ethics
push the stranger as long as she knows she wont get caught
Atsuko is hiking in the mountains when she runs into a stranger with a lot of money in his wallet. She can push the stranger to his death and take the money he is carrying. She would not feel bad about doing so and would get a lot of enjoyment out of the money. What should Atsuko do, according to ethical egoism?
Find reliable pol of public opinin on the issue of capital punishment
Aubrey and Derek are discussing the morality of capital punishment. Aubrey believes that capital punishment is immoral, and Derek believes it is morally acceptable. If cultural relativism is true, how should they resolve their disagreement?
it is prob the case
Breaking promises is usually wrong, although there are times when it is acceptable to break a promise. Jenny broke a promise to Miguel. Therefore, - that what Jenny did was wrong.
consistency w our considered judgments
A moral theory which advocated seriously harming people based on the color of their hair would be very dubious. Which criterion of adequacy would this theory fail to meet?
contradictions
A moral theory with multiple absolute principles inevitably runs into what problem?
Descriptive Ethics
A psychological study finds that people tend to ignore their society's moral code if someone with authority over them commands them to do so. What is this study an example of?
the means-ends principle is one version of the categorical imperative
According to Kant, how are the first version of the categorical imperative and the means-ends principle related to one another?
a territory in which there is no law and order
According to Thomas Hobbes, what is the "state of nature"?
false
According to emotivism, claims like "People generally approve of capital punishment" cannot be true or false.
false
According to moral objectivism, there are objective moral rules, all of which have no exceptions.
nature is inherently goal directed
According to natural law theory, nature is teleological. What does this mean?
false
Act-egoism and rule-egoism never agree on what action a person should do.
it is morally wrong to play video games
Act-utilitarianism says that we should do whatever action would result in the greatest net happiness. What would act-utilitarianism say about occasionally playing video games?
we cannot establish what ought to b moral based on statements solely ab what is nonmoral
An argument with a moral statement as its conclusion must have at least one moral statement as a premise because:
A good thing is one that fulfills its function well
Aristotle makes the following argument about human flourishing: 1. The function of a human being is to reason. 2. 3. Therefore, a good human is one who reasons well. What is the implicit premise needed to make Aristotle's argument valid?
Nothing is right or wrong
As odd as it may sound, some nonbelievers in God have subscribed to the divine command theory. If the divine command theory is true, and God does not exist, then
false
By definition, a moral theory assumes that morality is objective.
we do not have enough information to say
Camila lives in a society where eating animals is considered right, and she agrees. Which moral view is Camila using to inform this belief?
Action B, since more happiness is created than in any other option
Carlos can choose between the following three options. Action A results in 5 people gaining 10 units of happiness. Action B results in one person gaining 100 units of happiness and 5 people losing 5 units of happiness. If Carlos does nothing, there will be no change in anyone's happiness. According to act-utilitarianism, which option should Carlos choose?
yes a moral statement
Consider the following argument: Abortion involves terminating a human life. Therefore, abortion is wrong. Is another premise needed to make this argument valid?
killing innocent human beings is wrong
Consider the following argument: Killing human beings is wrong. Capital punishment involves killing human beings. Therefore, it logically follows that capital punishment is wrong. The first premise is vulnerable to a counterexample: killing in self-defense, to save your own life from a murderer, is morally acceptable. How could the first premise be revised in order to avoid this counterexample?
Unknown reliability as a source
Consider the following argument: Raising the minimum wage creates unemployment. We have an obligation to avoid doing things that create unemployment. Therefore, we have an obligation not to raise the minimum wage. How reliable would a professor at a well-regarded university be as a source for justifying Premise 1?
unknown reliability as a source
Consider the following argument: Raising the minimum wage creates unemployment. We have an obligation to avoid doing things that create unemployment. Therefore, we have an obligation not to raise the minimum wage. How reliable would a professor at a well-regarded university be as a source for justifying Premise 1?
We do not have enough info to say
Eric approves of affirmative action and believes that it is right, regardless of whether his culture believes it is right. What moral view is Eric using to inform this belief?
neither true or false
How would an emotivist describe the statement "Happiness is good"?
moral judgment
How would you categorize the following statement? "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a virtuous person."
this is evidence against the theory
If a moral theory implies that one is morally infallible, then what does that say about the theory?
usefulness in moral problem solving
If, as virtue ethics suggests, virtues can conflict with each other, that poses a problem for which moral criterion of adequacy?
The movement is mistaken
Imagine that next year a small movement begins in this country that seeks to change the public's mind about an important moral issue. If cultural relativism is true, what should we say about this movement?
no bc immanuel does not want to do what he does
Immanuel is a person who always does what is right. For instance, when he encounters someone who needs money, he gives them money, but does not give too much or too little. Although it is a constant struggle for him to do the right thing and part with his money, he always does it out of a sense of duty. Would Aristotle say that Immanuel is virtuous?
correct
In her ethics class, Jessica has studied many controversial issues like abortion. Jessica believes that abortion is morally acceptable. If subjective relativism is true, then Jessica's belief is -
One of the cultures must be mistaken
In some cultures, it is considered immoral to have premarital sex. In other cultures, it is not considered wrong. What would an objectivist say about this moral disagreement?
one of the cultures must be mistaken
In some cultures, it is considered immoral to have premarital sex. In other cultures, it is not considered wrong. What would an objectivist say about this moral disagreement?
yes by using plausible criteria of adequacy
Is it possible to evaluate a moral theory rationally?
Miguel lives in a country where the culture generally accepts the morality of abortion. However, Miguel is also a traditional Catholic, and in Catholic culture, abortion is not generally accepted. If Miguel is a cultural relativist, what should he believe about abortion?
Its unclear what miguel should believe
an ethical theory other than ethical egoism
Jack, an ethical egoist, wants to borrow money from his friend, DeAndre, even though he has no intention of paying the money back. If DeAndre asks Jack for advice on what ethical theory he should accept, what would Jack be likely to say?
It evaluates actions entirely by the outcomes they produce
Jeremy Bentham described the principle of utility in this way: "By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency which it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question: or, what is the same thing in other words, to promote or to oppose that happiness. ... "What makes the principle of utility, as Bentham describes it, a consequentialist principle?
false
John Rawls believed that the most important corrective to Hobbes's version of the social contract theory is to make explicit the requirement of consent.
the argument reasons from what is to what should be
John Stuart Mill provided an argument in favor of utilitarianism. A version of the argument goes like this: Humans by nature desire happiness and nothing but happiness. Therefore, happiness is the standard we should use to judge human conduct. Why is this argument invalid?
No; even if capital punishment is morally right, that doesn't tell us in which cases it should be performed
John firmly believes that capital punishment is morally right—a belief he inherited, no-questions-asked, from his culture. He is reading about a criminal who has recently been apprehended by the police. Supposing the criminal is guilty, is it possible for John to be morally certain based on his beliefs whether or not this criminal should face the death penalty?
Rule ultilitarianism
José is wondering whether to lie about a friend's appearance in order to make his friend feel better. To make his decision, José doesn't calculate the direct consequences of telling this particular lie to his friend. Instead, all he considers is whether telling the truth generally leads to good consequences or not. What moral theory is José following?
rule egoism
Keeping one's promises is generally in one's best interests, since people distrust those who habitually break promises. However, occasionally there are situations where it would be very beneficial to oneself to break a promise. Ahmed, an egoist, is in such a situation, but he decides that he should keep his promise. Based on this information, what kind of egoism can we conclude Ahmed believes in?
no bc taking birth control is considered against human nature, and because the goof effects of doing so do not make the action permissible
Leslie is considering taking birth control, since she is not financially ready to take care of a child, and delaying having children will be very good for her. According to natural law theory, would such an action be permissible?
respect
Lying to someone for personal gain would violate the prima facie duty of -
He should weigh only his own interests
Mark is often in situations where his interests conflict with the interests of others. For example, he can help others in his dormitory study for tomorrow's exam but doing so will take away from his own time to study. According to ethical egoism, how should Mark weigh his interests against the interests of others?
false
Natural law theory necessarily assumes that God exists and is the creator of nature.
yes cuz it will create more overall happiness
Stealing usually causes substantial suffering among its victims, and it is usually wrong. However, Katie's children desperately need food, and she can steal food from a thriving grocery store without getting caught. According to act-utilitarianism, should Katie steal the food? Why or why not?
moral norms and prudential norms
Suppose that Jill finds a wallet on the ground with a lot of money in it. No one would know if she took it, and she would really enjoy using the money to go on a vacation this summer. On the other hand, she could return the wallet to its owner, since the driver's license in the wallet has his address on it. In this situation, Jill is facing a conflict between
this uses criminals as mere means to society ends not as ends in themselves
One argument in favor of capital punishment for murderers is that it deters future criminals from committing crimes. Why would Kant reject this argument?
consistency with considered moral judgments
One criterion for evaluating scientific theories is conservatism: how well a theory fits with what scientists already know. This is similar to the moral criterion of adequacy called
usefulness in moral problem solving
One criterion for evaluating scientific theories is fruitfulness: how well a theory allows scientists to understand and predict scientific phenomena that has not yet been understood or predicted. This is similar to the moral criterion of adequacy called
it shows that there is an indispensable role for character in our moral decision making
One of the criteria of moral adequacy is consistency with our moral experience. In what way does virtue ethics meet this criterion?
Premise 1:Peoples' judgments about right and wrong differ from culture to culture.Premise 2: If people's judgments about some issue differ from culture to culture, then there are no objective truths about that issue. Conclusion:Therefore, there are no objective truths about right and wrong.
Premise 1:Peoples' judgments about right and wrong differ from culture to culture.Premise 2:-Press Space to openIf people's judgments about some issue differ from culture to culture, then there are no objective truths about that issue.There are no universal moral beliefs shared by all cultures.People's opinions about right and wrong are influenced by their culture.Right and wrong are relative.Conclusion:Therefore, there are no objective truths about right and wrong.
following this rule would mean that shivam is no longer a rule utilitarian
Shivam, a committed rule-utilitarian, obeys the rule "Do not lie." However, he quickly finds himself in situations where he could tell white lies that would hurt no one, and would actually make other people feel better. In light of this, he changes the rule to "Do not lie, unless doing so will create more net happiness." If Shivam changes the rule, what problem does this create for the moral system that he is following?
just because ppl disagree ab issue doesnt mean no view can be objectively correct
Some argue for subjective relativism on the grounds that judgments about right and wrong differ from person to person. What is an objection to this argument?
allow the execution and ignore the evidence keeping ur knowledge to yourself
Suppose that a person who has been convicted in a high-profile murder case is about to be executed. If the execution goes as planned, then dozens of potential murderers will be dissuaded from committing murders in the future, for fear of being punished with the death penalty. However, there is strong evidence that the person convicted of the high-profile murder is actually innocent, and only you have access to it. According to act-utilitarianism, what should you do?
Such judgments cannot be mistaken
Suppose you judge the actions of other people to be morally wrong. What does subjective relativism say about these judgments?
Normative Ethics
The Golden Rule says that we should treat others as we want to be treated. What major division of ethics investigates whether the Golden Rule is a sound moral principle?
Equivocation
The following argument commits the fallacy of - 1. We are permitted to harm an innocent person if it is to prevent a real tragedy from taking place. 2. Our students' production is of the play Romeo and Juliet, which is a real tragedy. 3. Therefore, we are permitted to harm an innocent person to prevent our students' production of Romeo and Juliet from taking place.
appeal to the person
The following argument commits the fallacy of - : A lot of older people in this country do not favor legalizing marijuana. But it's clear that we should legalize marijuana, because if you look at comprehensive surveys, most people of their generation actually smoked marijuana at some point.
true
The following argument is invalid: If casual sex increases the risk of transmitting STDs, then it is morally wrong. Casual sex does not increase the risk of transmitting STDs. Therefore, casual sex is not morally wrong.
false
The one thing all nonconsequentialist theories have in common is that they say the rightness of an action has nothing to do with its consequences.
happiness
The philosopher Robert Nozick imagined an "experience machine" to show that a core feature of utilitarianism (as conceived by Bentham and Mill) does not conform with most people's intuitions about "the good life." Which of these core features of utilitarianism was Nozick's main target?
a judgment about value
The statement "Donating to charity makes the world a better place" is an example of what kind of judgment?
A judgment about obligations
The statement "Everyone should respect a person's right to life" is making what kind of a judgment?
hard to know which character traits r virtuous unless we know which principles should be acted on
Which of the following is a reason for thinking that we need moral principles in addition to virtues in order to know which actions are right and which are wrong?
They all say that moral claims can be true or false
What do subjective relativism, cultural relativism, and objectivism all have in common?
begging the question
What fallacy is committed by the following argument? 1.There is a moral obligation not to end the life of a fetus. 2.Therefore, abortion is wrong.
fault analogy
What fallacy is committed by the following argument? A society is like a family. A family functions best when the older members have absolute authority over other members. Therefore, a society functions best when its older members have absolute authority over other members.
begging the question
What fallacy is committed by the following argument? There is a moral obligation not to end the life of a fetus. Therefore, abortion is wrong.
although there is no set formula for how to apply the criteria of adequacy that doesnt mean applying those criteria is arbitrary or subjective
What is demonstrated by comparing "applying the criteria of adequacy" and "a doctor diagnosing an illness"?
There is no connection
What is the connection between a moral belief being universal and that belief being objective?
In any valid argument the truth of the premises of the argument are true the conclusion must be true.
What is the definition of "validity"?
a moral code does not explain what makes an action right but a moral theory can
What is the difference between a moral code that contains rules like "Do not steal" and a moral theory?
False
What makes ethics different from other subjects is that ethical claims do not need to be supported by logical arguments, while in other subjects logical arguments are always needed to support one's claims.
Objectivism says that moral claims can be true or false; emotivism does not
What makes objectivism different from emotivism?
Dominance of moral norms
When a group of people say that a law should be changed because it is immoral, what general idea are these people expressing?
when there is as much agreement and coherence as possible between considered moral judgments and moral theory
When philosophers reflect on morality, they try to achieve reflective equilibrium. How would they know they have achieved it?
Its wrong to do something if there is a substantial chance it will result in innocent ppl being killed
When supplying an implied premise of an argument, one must take care to choose a premise that not only makes the argument valid but also is plausible and fitting. Find the most plausible and fitting implicit premise for the following argument: 1. Capital punishment involves killing a living human being. 2.There is a substantial chance that capital punishment will result in innocent people being killed. 3.Therefore, capital punishment is wrong.
Dunning-Kruger Effect
Which of the following explains the "loud, proud folly you find on social media?"
performing a good action may be permissible even if it has bad effects, but performing a bad action for the purpose of achieving good effects is never permissible
Which of the following is an accurate definition of the doctrine of double effect?
provides plausible explanation of the role of motivation in moral action
Which of the following is supposed to be an advantage of virtue ethics?
intentions
Which of the following plays a more elevated role in natural law theory than in other moral theories considered up to this point?
it locates the source of morality in something that is not mysterious: the agreements of people
Why does social contract theory have an advantage over divine command theory or natural law theory?
No bc the principle of the impartiality allows for the possibility that there are good reasons for treating some ppl diff
Would providing scholarships to students with high GPAs but not providing scholarships to students with low GPAs violate the principle of impartiality?
Magda runs a hospital in a major city. She sees that a large number of women who have abortions in the hospital did not have access to contraception, and reasons that if women had more access to contraception, there would be fewer abortions. Accordingly, Magda arranges to distribute contraception freely to all in the city. What would natural law theory say about Magda's action?
it is morally wrong because using contraception is always wrong
