Intro to Ethics

In utilitiarianism, actions that benefit the most amount of people are always the morally correct. True or False

False

Psychological Egoism is a normative theory. True Or False

False

Under utilitarianism, it is never morally permissible to lie. True or False

False

Normative Principle

General moral rule

In order for the Argument for Paradigmatic cases to work as a successful argument against ethical egoism, it has to be the case that ethical egoism will sometimes require that we torture or kill innocent people. True or False

True

The existence of altruism would make the theory of psychological egoism false. True or False

True

Psychological Egoism

(descriptive) The view that all humans always act out of self-interests

Necessary Condition

A necessary C for some state of affairs S is a condition that must be satisfied in order for S to obtain must be satisfied in or to satisfy Sufficient

Fallacy

A poor form of reasoning

Which of the following rights does the ethical egoists think is most important? A) Ethical egoists don't believe in rights. B) The right to life. C) The right to liberty. D) The right to property.

A) Ethical egoists don't believe in rights.

In defense of their position, psychological egoists claim that purportedly altruistic actions are really done so that the actor can avoid feeling a guilty conscience, and since lack of a guilty conscience is a benefit, anything done to avoid a guilty conscience is done out of self-interest. Why is this a bad argument? A) In order for this argument to work, it must be that many people do care about the welfare of others (in order to even have a conscience). And this claim undermines psychological egoism. B) Feeling guilty subjectively benefits a person. C) Often people fail at avoiding a guilty conscience anyway. D) We do often do things to avoid a guilty conscience.

A) In order for this argument to work, it must be that many people do care about the welfare of others (in order to even have a conscience). And this claim undermines psychological egoism.

In the book, the author argues against the claim: "If there is good reason for you to do an action, then doing it must make you better off." His arguments is that you have reason to do actions that don't make you better off. Which of the following is an accurate rephrase this argument? A) That something makes you better off is not a necessary condition for you to have a good reason to do it. B) An action being good for you is the only reason for you to do it C) That something makes you better off is a necessary condition for you to have a good reason to do it. D) That you have a good reason to do some act is sufficient for knowing that the act must be good for you.

A) That something makes you better off is not a necessary condition for you to have a good reason to do it.

Act consequentialists believe all actions are morally neutral and that no actions are intrinsically wrong. This means that: A) They never claim that a particular type of action is always morally wrong. B) They believe that everything is permitted. C) They only think that certain actions are right, and never claim that any action in the past is wrong. D) They don't know how to judge the bombing of Hiroshima.

A) They never claim that a particular type of action is always morally wrong.

In response to the objection that we can't always (at all times) be motivated by the idea of doing good for others and so Utilitarianism is too demanding, the book states that we should remember that: A) Utilitarianism is a standard of rightness and not a decision procedure. B) Nothing that is easy is worth doing. C) We can treat justice as intrinsically valuable. D) Animals matter too.

A) Utilitarianism is a standard of rightness and not a decision procedure.Utilitarianism is a standard of rightness and not a decision procedure.

Counter Example

An example that opposes or contradicts an idea or theory

Moral Agents

Any being capable moral reasoning such that the can be held morality blame worthy or praise worthy

Moral Patient

Any being that deserves morel considerations, capable of being wronged

Tu Quoque (Fallacies)

Arguing against an opponent by pointing out that something they're done or believed in the past contradicts their present argument (rather than giving an independent argument against theirs)

Why can't the ethical egoist use libertarianism to justify his moral theory? A) Egoism denies that we have a morally duty to follow through with our agreements. B) All of these answers are correct. C) Egoism denies that we can morally wrong another person. D) Egoism denies that we have a duty to repair wrongs to other people.

B) All of these answers are correct

From the perspective of ethics, why is it important that Psychological Egoism be proven to be false? A) Philosophers hate psychologists. B)Because nearly all conceivable moral theories will require that we do actions for reasons other than self-interest. C)Empirical facts have no bearing on philosophical/ethical theses. D)Psychological egoism is a normative theory

B)Because nearly all conceivable moral theories will require that we do actions for reasons other than self-interest.

Altruism

Belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others

A ethical theory that is meant to mainly give us a method of reliably guiding our decisions is: A) A standard of rightness B) Supererogation C) A decision procedure D) The proper motivation

C) A decision procedure

To say that Utilitarianism is impartial is to say: A) That it places no special importance on the happiness of the agent (the person doing the action). B) That it does not allow you to place special importance on the happiness of your loved ones. C) All of these answers are correct. D) It is impartial to the kinds of things that people desire to make themselves happy.

C) All of these answers are correct.

If a person believes that pleasure is the only thing of intrinsic value they are most likely a: A) Psychological Egoist B) Ethical Egoist C) Hedonist D) Altruist

C) Hedonist

The Argument from Expected Benefit states that because we can reasonably expect to benefit from any action we take, psychological egoism must be true. One way that this argument is mistaken is that: A) Even when we aim to benefit ourselves we sometimes fail. B) We do always expect to benefit from our actions. C) It does not respect the difference between aiming for (intending) some result and knowing that the result might reasonably follow from an act. D)We never have the motivation to benefit ourselves.

C) It does not respect the difference between aiming for (intending) some result and knowing that the result might reasonably follow from an act.

One objection to Utilitarianism is that is must be wrong because we can't precisely measure well-being. This objection fails to completely defeat Utilitarianism because: A) We can easily make other comparisons like who's tallest. B) We can measure pain with FMRI machines. C) It's obvious that some actions are worse than others so we don't need a precise measurement. D) When the exact consequences are unclear we can just do what we want.

C) It's obvious that some actions are worse than others so we don't need a precise measurement.

While Utilitarianism requires that you focus on the consequences of an action, it does allow that you also consider A) Your own well-being first B) The Doctrine of Double Effect C) None of these answers are correct. D) Religious Virtue

C) None of these answers are correct.

Rule consequentialists can create a rule that states "You ought to take care of your family first" and argue that if most everyone followed this rule, it would result in better consequences than if we didn't have this rule. This is a response to which objection to Utilitarianism? A) The Problem of Injustice B) Supererogation C) The Objection that Utilitarianism is too Impartial D) The Problem that there are no Intrinsic Wrongs

C) The Objection that Utilitarianism is too Impartial

What is the relationship between consequentialism and utilitarianism? A) Utilitarianism and consequentialism are identical to one another. B) Consequentialism is a type of utilitarianism. C) Utilitarianism is a type of consequentialism. D) Utilitarianism and consequentialism are mutually exclusive.

C) Utilitarianism is a type of consequentialism.

According to Utilitarianism, the only thing that is morally valuable (also called "intrinsically valuable" in the book) is: A) Puppies B) Justice C) Well-being D) Good Intention

C) Well-being

Supererogatory

Class of actinos that go "above and Beyond the call of duty -> morally good although not (stictly) required

The Principle of Utility (also called "the Greatest Happiness Principle in class) is _______________. A) A consequentialist principle. B) The general rule for utilitarianism. C) The normative principle at the center of utilitarianism. D) All of these answers are correct.

D) All of these answers are correct.

According to the book, why do many utilitarians believe that the morality of an action depends on the actual results rather than on the expected results? A) None of these answers are correct. B) Because the morality of actions depends entirely on intent. C) Because we are not fortune-tellers. D) Because we would be required to say that actions that turn out to have disastrous consequences were morally required.

D) Because we would be required to say that actions that turn out to have disastrous consequences were morally required.

The book lists the widening of the scope of the moral community as one of the virtues of Utilitarianism. How does utilitarianism do this? A) By inluding people of other nationalities B) By including robots C) By including children D) By including animals

D) By including animals

Rule consequentialism attempts to answer many of the objections against act utilitarianism. It answers the Problem of Injustice by: A) Claiming that rights are nothing but "nonsense on stilts." B) Denying the intrinsic value of justice. C) Claiming that injustice is subjective. D) Claiming that just policies maximize well-being.

D) Claiming that just policies maximize well-being.

As Shafer-Landau (the author) describes it, consequentialism requires that we aim for the results that are the most: A) Aggrandizing B) Unconventional C) Moral D) Optimific

D) Optimific

What's the source of moral duty according to ethical egoists? A) Self and family B) Self-interest, consent, and reparations. C) Self, family, and country. D) Self-interest only.

D) Self-interest only.

In response to the objection that Utilitarianism must fail because we can't precisely measure well-being or pleasure, John Stuart Mill argues that: A) There is a precise measurement, called "Hedons" that we can use. B) We don't need a measurement for pleasure—we only need one for suffering. C) The number of people who benefit is always known. D) Some pleasures were more valuable than others and so ought to be weighed more heavily.

D) Some pleasures were more valuable than others and so ought to be weighed more heavily.

The fact that Utilitarianism must sometimes require that we let the guilty go free is an example of: A) The problem of precisely measuring pleasure B) The objection that Utilitarianism is too demanding C) The objection that Utilitarianism is too impartial D) The Problem of Injustice

D) The Problem of Injustice

Which of the following is a virtue that the book lists for the theory of utilitarianism? A) None of these answers are correct B) The Importance of Consent C) The ability to explain the Golden Rule D) The ability to explain Slippery Slope Arguments

D) The ability to explain Slippery Slope Arguments

Negative Right

Entails that all other people have a duty NOT to do something to you Life, liberty, property

Ad Hominem-Abusive (Fallacies)

Instead of attacking the argument you attack the person (character)

Consequentialism

Is any theory that determines rightness or wrongness of actions based solely on their consequences (Not clarify good or bad)

Reduction ad absurdum

Reduce to absurdity: assume the truth of what you argue against in order to show that it has unintuitive results

Sufficient Condition

Sufficient Cause for the occurrence of the event

Hedonism

The pursuit of pleasure; sensual self- indulgence

Intrinsic Value

Things that are good in and of themselves, considered entirely out part from any good results they may cause

Begging the question (Fallacies)

To assume the truth of what you are trying to prove in the course of trying to prove it

Intrinsic Value

Value in-and-of itself A thing has merely for what it is

Slippery Slope (Fallacies)

When a person argues that doing/allowing something will cause a chain of events resulting will in; the justification for the initial step does NOT entail all the further ones in the chain

Validity

When if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true

Ethical Egoism

is the normative ethical position that moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest. It differs from psychological egoism, which claims that people can only act in their self-interest.