Ethics Chapter 1 Quiz

Which of the following BEST summarizes the Euthyphro dilemma that Socrates raises for divine command theory? a. Either actions are morally right because God wills them to be so, or God commands actions because they are right, and both options lead to problems for divine command theory b. If God gives commands that humans cannot follow, we will not have any useful guidance on how to act c. God cannot simply will actions to be right without having a reason to think that they are right, so God relies on moral reasoning just like humans do d. The divine command theory must be wrong because God's commands conflict and leave out important details

a. Either actions are morally right because God wills them to be so, or God commands actions because they are right, and both options lead to problems for divine command theory FEEDBACK: Socrates raises a dilemma from the assumption that either God wills or commands actions because they are good, or actions are good because God wills or commands them

Which field would study the following question: "What does it mean for an action to be wrong?" a. metaethics b. normative ethics c. descriptive ethics d. applied ethics

a. metaethics FEEDBACK: Metaethics concerns questions such as what it means for an action to be right or, in this case, wrong.

What is the dominance of moral norms? a. that moral norms override nonmoral norms when there is a conflict b. that nonmoral considerations are allowed to dominate over moral norms c. that moral norms derive their power from a dominating force, such as a threat of violence d. that moral norms are just one kind of norm, among many other kinds

a. that moral norms override nonmoral norms when there is a conflict FEEDBACK: Moral norms dominate or override other kinds of norms when they conflict with moral norms

Ethics, or moral philosophy, is: a. the philosophical study of topics such as right and wrong, good and bad b. the study of social roles and the ways they have changed over time c. the study of religious texts and principles to determine their best interpretation d. the scientific study of human beliefs about what is right or wrong, good or bad

a. the philosophical study of topics such as right and wrong, good and bad FEEDBACK: Ethics is a philosophical field whose topic is morality, which refers to beliefs about right and wrong, good and bad

Which of the following is required by the principle of impartiality? a. to justify any discriminatory treatment by providing morally relevant differences b. to treat everyone exactly the same in all situations c. to set aside your individual biases and do whatever is favored by the group d. to always put the interests of others before your own

a. to justify any discriminatory treatment by providing morally relevant differences FEEDBACK: Impartiality requires us to not give any person or group greater weight in our moral decision making unless there is a morally relevant difference between them and others

Many great religious thinkers have relied on reason to understand the truths of morality. a. true b. false

a. true FEEDBACK: Many great and influential figures in different religious traditions have relied on reason in this way, such as Maimonides, Averroës, and Thomas Aquinas

What does it mean if something is instrumentally valuable? a. Its value comes from its use as a tool b. It is a means to obtaining something intrinsically valuable c. It is not intrinsically valuable d. It is psychologically valuable, because we believe it is valuable

b. It is a means to obtaining something intrinsically valuable FEEDBACK: Instrumentally valuable things are valuable as means to intrinsically valuable things.

The principle of universalizability demands that a moral statement that applies to one situation must apply in: a. no other situations b. all other situations that are relevantly similar c. all situations involving the same people d. all other situations

b. all other situations that are relevantly similar FEEDBACK: The principle of universalizability requires us to treat people similarly when they are similarly situated

All major religious thinkers have accepted the divine command theory. a. true b. false

b. false FEEDBACK: Many of the most famous and influential religious thinkers of world religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have rejected the divine command theory

Feelings do not play an important role in our moral experience. a. true b. false

b. false FEEDBACK: Our feelings have several important roles in moral experience, even if they are not completely reliable guides to moral truth

(Q018) There are never any good reasons for treating someone differently from the way we treat others. a. true b. false

b. false FEEDBACK: Some differences between two people do justify treating them differently. For example, if one of them has committed murder, whereas the other is completely innocent, then there are good reasons to treat them differently in certain ways

All norms are moral norms. a. true b. false

b. false FEEDBACK: There are also other norms such as prudential norms, aesthetic norms, and legal norms

Religious moral codes typically provide clear and direct answers to all moral questions. a. true b. false

b. false FEEDBACK: Typical religious moral codes (as well as nonreligious moral codes) are lists of common rules, many of which are vague and require interpretation

Which field studies the moral principles, rules, or theories that guide our actions and judgments? a. metaethics b. normative ethics c. descriptive ethics d. applied ethics

b. normative ethics FEEDBACK: Normative ethics concerns the study of moral norms in the form of principles, rules, or theories.

What is descriptive ethics? a. the philosophical study of right and wrong through the use of descriptive details b. the scientific study of moral beliefs and practices c. the ethical rules and principles concerning the proper way to give descriptions d. the interpretation of great moral writings

b. the scientific study of moral beliefs and practices FEEDBACK: Descriptive ethics is a category of scientific studies relating to ethics, such as anthropological and sociological studies of people's actual beliefs and practices.

Which of the following statements BEST summarizes what the author describes as important features of ethics? a. Ethics requires that we always set aside our feelings and make decisions based on universally accepted rules b. Ethics allows us to make exceptions to moral norms when legal or aesthetic norms override them c. Ethics requires that we be able to give good reasons for our judgments, especially when we judge that two people should be treated differently d. Ethics allows us to consider both sides of moral issues and helps us see how both sides are right in some sense

c. Ethics requires that we be able to give good reasons for our judgments, especially when we judge that two people should be treated differently FEEDBACK: This statement summarizes the elements the author calls the preeminence of reason, the principle of universalizability, and impartiality

Which of the following is a reason that religious believers need to do ethics? a. All major religions and religious thinkers promote ethical behavior b. Religious moral codes provide guidance on how to live or what to do c. Religious rules of conduct sometimes conflict with each other or with our beliefs d. Many people do not follow the rules laid down in their religion

c. Religious rules of conduct sometimes conflict with each other or with our beliefs FEEDBACK: To resolve conflicts between moral rules or beliefs, one must do ethics

Which of the following statements BEST summarizes the disadvantages of trying to avoid doing ethics? a. You will never be sure whether your actions are ethical in the eyes of God b. You will be forced to allow other people to hold different moral beliefs, and you will have to admit that your beliefs are no better than anyone else's d. You will not really be in control of your own choices, and you will run a risk of being lost if your moral beliefs do not answer certain questions d. You will have to deny that anything is morally wrong and accept that all actions are morally permissible

c. You will not really be in control of your own choices, and you will run a risk of being lost if your moral beliefs do not answer certain questions FEEDBACK: Two of the main disadvantages of avoiding "doing" ethics are (1) that it undermines your personal freedom if you blindly accept the moral beliefs handed down to you, and (2) that moral beliefs often conflict or do not apply in all cases, and one must do ethics to resolve such problems

Miguel believes that it is wrong for a doctor to assist a patient in committing suicide. To convince others of this, he provides the reason that it is up to God when someone dies, not up to humans. According to the author, what would be a major limitation of Miguel's strategy for convincing others to share his belief? a. Miguel is a religious believer, and so anything he says must be doubted b. If we assume his reason is correct, that would have far-reaching implications c. His strategy is limited because reasons are less important than feelings d. People with different religious views may not accept this reason

d. People with different religious views may not accept this reason FEEDBACK: In a pluralistic society, where people have different religious views, the most convincing way to support a moral claim is with an appeal to common standards and principles, as opposed to beliefs only accepted within certain religious groups

Assume that human life is intrinsically valuable. Which of these conclusions is BEST supported by that assumption? a. Whatever helps humans gain knowledge is instrumentally valuable b. Whatever raises the quality of human life is intrinsically valuable c. Whatever humans value is intrinsically valuable d. Whatever helps humans stay alive is instrumentally valuable

d. Whatever helps humans stay alive is instrumentally valuable FEEDBACK: If something helps humans stay alive, it is a means to something intrinsically valuable, making it instrumentally valuable