Question 1

When act- and rule-utilitarianism are applied to the same moral issue, they may yield different answers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Defenders of act-utilitarianism insist that the scenarios put forth by critics that seem to show utilitarianism in conflict with commonsense morality are

Accepted Answer

A)  misleading and implausible. 
B)  likely to occur at least some of the time. 
C)  too realistic. 
D)  common but inconsequential. 
A)  misleading and implausible. 
B)  likely to occur at least some of the time. 
C)  too realistic. 
D)  common but inconsequential. A

Question 3

Suppose for someone there are only two possible actions: (1) read Aristotle, or (2) spend a weekend on a tropical isle filled with intensely pleasurable debauchery. Under these circumstances, John Stuart Mill would likely

Accepted Answer

A)  spend a week in intensely pleasurable debauchery. 
B)  refrain from making such a choice. 
C)  combine reading Aristotle with debauchery. 
D)  read Aristotle. 
A)  spend a week in intensely pleasurable debauchery. 
B)  refrain from making such a choice. 
C)  combine reading Aristotle with debauchery. 
D)  read Aristotle. D

Question 4

The philosopher Thomas Hobbes says that people are naturally

Accepted Answer

A)  greedy, selfish, violent, self-destructive, and desperate. 
B)  compassionate, generous, and considerate. 
C)  eager to believe in a religious doctrine. 
D)  lazy and unambitious. 
A)  greedy, selfish, violent, self-destructive, and desperate. 
B)  compassionate, generous, and considerate. 
C)  eager to believe in a religious doctrine. 
D)  lazy and unambitious.

Question 5

Suppose a utilitarian judge decides to rule against a plaintiff in a lawsuit just because people in general would be happier if the plaintiff lost the case. Such a utilitarian move would conflict with

Accepted Answer

A)  rule-utilitarianism. 
B)  commonsense views about happiness. 
C)  divine command theory. 
D)  commonsense views about justice. 
A)  rule-utilitarianism. 
B)  commonsense views about happiness. 
C)  divine command theory. 
D)  commonsense views about justice.

Question 6

Consider a scenario involving the possible killing of an innocent person for the good of others. Such an action could conceivably be sanctioned by

Accepted Answer

A)  Kant's theory. 
B)  natural law theory. 
C)  the means-end principle. 
D)  act-utilitarianism. 
A)  Kant's theory. 
B)  natural law theory. 
C)  the means-end principle. 
D)  act-utilitarianism.

Question 7

One of the concerns raised by critics of social contract theory is that vulnerable individuals, such as the severely disabled, the very poor, nonhuman animals, children, and infants, have no moral status and no rights according to the theory.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The doctrine that says that morality arises from an agreement that self-interested and rational people abide by in order to secure a degree of peace, prosperity, and safety is called ________.

Accepted Answer

social con

Question 9

John Stuart Mill called the utilitarian principle, by which all actions can be judged, the ________ principle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of John Stuart Mill called the utilitarian principle,...

Question 10

A true ethical egoist chooses actions that

Accepted Answer

A)  are exceptionally altruistic. 
B)  lead him to self-indulgent or reckless behavior. 
C)  provide him with whatever he wants. 
D)  promote his own self-interests. 
A)  are exceptionally altruistic. 
B)  lead him to self-indulgent or reckless behavior. 
C)  provide him with whatever he wants. 
D)  promote his own self-interests.

Question 11

John Stuart Mill says, "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." This sentiment is an indictment of the glutton but also a pat on the back for those who

Accepted Answer

A)  make no distinction between higher and lower pleasures. 
B)  avoid all pleasures. 
C)  enjoy higher pleasures. 
D)  achieve the greatest quantity of pleasure. 
A)  make no distinction between higher and lower pleasures. 
B)  avoid all pleasures. 
C)  enjoy higher pleasures. 
D)  achieve the greatest quantity of pleasure.

Question 12

The philosopher who said that the greatest good is pleasure, and the greatest evil is pain, was

Accepted Answer

A)  Kant. 
B)  Epicurus. 
C)  Aquinas. 
D)  Socrates. 
A)  Kant. 
B)  Epicurus. 
C)  Aquinas. 
D)  Socrates.

Question 13

Joel Feinberg argues that someone who directly pursues happiness

Accepted Answer

A)  will find it faster than others. 
B)  is insincere. 
C)  is unlikely to find it. 
D)  is unlikely to pursue anything. 
A)  will find it faster than others. 
B)  is insincere. 
C)  is unlikely to find it. 
D)  is unlikely to pursue anything.

Question 14

The ethical theory that says that the right action is the one that advances one's own best interests is called ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ethical theory that says that the...

Question 15

Utilitarianism is a moral theory for promoting human welfare.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Some utilitarians respond to the charge that act-utilitarianism conflicts with commonsense moral intuitions by

Accepted Answer

A)  switching to natural law theory. 
B)  rejecting commonsense morality. 
C)  denying that act-utilitarianism is a true moral theory. 
D)  rejecting rule-utilitarianism. 
A)  switching to natural law theory. 
B)  rejecting commonsense morality. 
C)  denying that act-utilitarianism is a true moral theory. 
D)  rejecting rule-utilitarianism.

Question 17

________, an influential social contract theorist, attempted to determine what moral principles a society would accept if they were arrived at through a hypothetical give-and-take that was as fair and impartial as possible.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ________, an influential social contract theorist, attempted...

Question 18

According to Hobbes, when there is a breakdown in the real world of the forces that preserve law and order, such as times of revolution, war, natural disaster, famine, and civil unrest, the human race returns to the ________, which is horrifying and gruesome.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Hobbes, when there is a...

Question 19

Psychological egoism is a moral theory.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Ethical egoism seems to conflict with

Accepted Answer

A)  psychological egoism. 
B)  our considered moral judgments and our moral experience. 
C)  our considered moral judgments and our self-interest. 
D)  our moral experience and self-indulgence. 
A)  psychological egoism. 
B)  our considered moral judgments and our moral experience. 
C)  our considered moral judgments and our self-interest. 
D)  our moral experience and self-indulgence.

Exam 5: Consequentialist Theories: Maximize the Good

When act- and rule-utilitarianism are applied to the same moral issue, they may yield different answers.

Defenders of act-utilitarianism insist that the scenarios put forth by critics that seem to show utilitarianism in conflict with commonsense morality are

Suppose for someone there are only two possible actions: (1) read Aristotle, or (2) spend a weekend on a tropical isle filled with intensely pleasurable debauchery. Under these circumstances, John Stuart Mill would likely

The philosopher Thomas Hobbes says that people are naturally

Suppose a utilitarian judge decides to rule against a plaintiff in a lawsuit just because people in general would be happier if the plaintiff lost the case. Such a utilitarian move would conflict with

Consider a scenario involving the possible killing of an innocent person for the good of others. Such an action could conceivably be sanctioned by

One of the concerns raised by critics of social contract theory is that vulnerable individuals, such as the severely disabled, the very poor, nonhuman animals, children, and infants, have no moral status and no rights according to the theory.

The doctrine that says that morality arises from an agreement that self-interested and rational people abide by in order to secure a degree of peace, prosperity, and safety is called ________.

John Stuart Mill called the utilitarian principle, by which all actions can be judged, the ________ principle.

A true ethical egoist chooses actions that

John Stuart Mill says, "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." This sentiment is an indictment of the glutton but also a pat on the back for those who

The philosopher who said that the greatest good is pleasure, and the greatest evil is pain, was

Joel Feinberg argues that someone who directly pursues happiness

The ethical theory that says that the right action is the one that advances one's own best interests is called ________.

Utilitarianism is a moral theory for promoting human welfare.

Some utilitarians respond to the charge that act-utilitarianism conflicts with commonsense moral intuitions by

________, an influential social contract theorist, attempted to determine what moral principles a society would accept if they were arrived at through a hypothetical give-and-take that was as fair and impartial as possible.

According to Hobbes, when there is a breakdown in the real world of the forces that preserve law and order, such as times of revolution, war, natural disaster, famine, and civil unrest, the human race returns to the ________, which is horrifying and gruesome.

Psychological egoism is a moral theory.

Ethical egoism seems to conflict with

Ethics and the Examined Life

Subjectivism, Relativism, and Emotivism

Evaluating Moral Arguments

The Power of Moral Theories

Nonconsequentialist Theories: Do Your Duty

Virtue Ethics: Be a Good Person

Feminist Ethics and the Ethics of Care

Abortion

Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

Delivering Health Care

Animal Welfare

Environmental Ethics

Racism, Equality, and Discrimination

Sexual Morality

Free Speech on Campus

Drugs, Guns, and Personal Liberty

Capital Punishment

Political Violence: War, Terrorism, and Torture

The Ethics of Immigration

Global Economic Justice

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