Question 1

Utilitarians believe in

Accepted Answer

A)  a handful of absolute moral rules. 
B)  only one absolute moral rule: the principle of utility. 
C)  breaking conventional moral rules whenever it's in one's self-interest. 
D)  no moral rules whatsoever. 
A)  a handful of absolute moral rules. 
B)  only one absolute moral rule: the principle of utility. 
C)  breaking conventional moral rules whenever it's in one's self-interest. 
D)  no moral rules whatsoever. B

Question 2

What implications does utilitarianism have for our treatment of non-human animals? Do you find utilitarians' conclusions about animals plausible? If so, why? If not, how would you respond to their arguments?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism, as a moral theory, holds that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or pleasure and minimizes suffering for the greatest number of individuals. When it comes to our treatment of non-human animals, utilitarianism implies that we should consider the well-being of animals and strive to minimize their suffering in our actions.

Utilitarians' conclusions about animals can be seen as plausible because they prioritize the reduction of suffering and promotion of well-being for all sentient beings, regardless of species. This means that utilitarians would argue for the ethical treatment of animals, including providing them with proper care, minimizing their pain and suffering, and considering their interests in our actions.

However, some may find utilitarians' conclusions about animals to be implausible, particularly if they prioritize human interests over those of animals. Critics may argue that utilitarianism could lead to the exploitation of animals if it is deemed to maximize overall human happiness. Additionally, there may be disagreements about how to measure the happiness and suffering of animals, as well as how to balance their interests with those of humans.

In response to these arguments, one could argue that utilitarianism, when properly applied, should consider the interests and well-being of all sentient beings, including animals. This may involve advocating for animal rights, promoting ethical treatment of animals in industries such as agriculture and research, and supporting conservation efforts to protect wildlife habitats. By prioritizing the reduction of suffering and promotion of well-being for all sentient beings, utilitarianism can provide a strong ethical framework for our treatment of non-human animals.

Question 3

Utilitarianism states that it is always intrinsically wrong to

Accepted Answer

A)  violate people's rights. 
B)  kill innocent people. 
C)  lie to people. 
D)  none of the above 
A)  violate people's rights. 
B)  kill innocent people. 
C)  lie to people. 
D)  none of the above D

Question 4

Consequentialism states that an action is right if and only if it

Accepted Answer

A)  produces the best results. 
B)  gives people what they deserve. 
C)  does not harm anyone. 
D)  is good for more people than any alternative action. 
A)  produces the best results. 
B)  gives people what they deserve. 
C)  does not harm anyone. 
D)  is good for more people than any alternative action.

Question 5

Which of the following responses to the problem of injustice is not consistent with utilitarianism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Justice must sometimes be sacrificed for the sake of well-being. 
B)  Justice is intrinsically valuable. 
C)  Injustice is never optimific. 
D)  In almost every case, the just action will also be the one that maximizes well-being. 
A)  Justice must sometimes be sacrificed for the sake of well-being. 
B)  Justice is intrinsically valuable. 
C)  Injustice is never optimific. 
D)  In almost every case, the just action will also be the one that maximizes well-being.

Question 6

Most consequentialists believe that rule consequentialism

Accepted Answer

A)  is an improvement over act consequentialism. 
B)  is neither better nor worse than act consequentialism. 
C)  amounts to irrational rule worship. 
D)  none of the above 
A)  is an improvement over act consequentialism. 
B)  is neither better nor worse than act consequentialism. 
C)  amounts to irrational rule worship. 
D)  none of the above

Question 7

According to utilitarian Jeremy Bentham, what is the relevant question for determining membership in the moral community?

Accepted Answer

A)  Can they suffer? 
B)  Can they reason? 
C)  Can they talk? 
D)  Can they care? 
A)  Can they suffer? 
B)  Can they reason? 
C)  Can they talk? 
D)  Can they care?

Question 8

Describe a case in which utilitarianism seems to require that someone behave unjustly. Do you think utilitarianism nonetheless gives the correct moral verdict in this case? Why or why not? How might a utilitarian reply to the objection that the theory wrongly licenses injustice?

Accepted Answer

One case in which utilitarianism may see

Question 9

What attitudes do most utilitarians take toward moral rules?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many moral rules are absolute and must never be broken. 
B)  Moral rules can be helpful but can be broken if doing so is optimific. 
C)  Following moral rules is harmful and ought to be shunned. 
D)  Utilitarians believe that the idea of a "moral rule" is incoherent. 
A)  Many moral rules are absolute and must never be broken. 
B)  Moral rules can be helpful but can be broken if doing so is optimific. 
C)  Following moral rules is harmful and ought to be shunned. 
D)  Utilitarians believe that the idea of a "moral rule" is incoherent.

Question 10

The principle of utility can be summarized as

Accepted Answer

A)  "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 
B)  "Do whatever is most useful in the circumstances." 
C)  "Maximize overall well-being." 
D)  "Always pursue your own self-interest." 
A)  "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 
B)  "Do whatever is most useful in the circumstances." 
C)  "Maximize overall well-being." 
D)  "Always pursue your own self-interest."

Question 11

Case Study
Imagine a small town in which there has recently been a rash of murders that all bear the marks of the same culprit. The police investigation has gone nowhere and the town's sense of order is starting to break down. Residents are demanding that the sheriff find a culprit and threatening to exact vigilante justice on perceived criminals until a culprit is found. Given that the real murderer is unknown, the sheriff sees that she can only prevent chaos and bloodshed by framing someone who likely is not the murderer.
The sheriff has someone in mind who could be easily framed - a local man, Jim, who has been in and out of jail for other violent crimes like assault and robbery. He has no family and no one in town would protest if he were to be locked up. Moreover, he is a believable culprit and so would be easy to frame. The sheriff is fairly sure that he is not actually the murderer, and so she would likely be framing someone who, while not innocent overall, is innocent of these particular crimes. But she is not sure what else she can do to keep the peace.
-Does utilitarianism tell us that the sheriff is morally required to frame Jim? If so, is this a problem for utilitarianism? If not, how would the utilitarian explain this verdict?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that st

Question 12

What attitude do most utilitarians take toward non-human animals?

Accepted Answer

A)  Their suffering does not matter morally. 
B)  Their suffering matters morally but not nearly as much as that of humans. 
C)  If an animal suffers to the same extent as a human, the animal's suffering is equally important. 
D)  Animal suffering is morally more important than human suffering because animals are not moral agents. 
A)  Their suffering does not matter morally. 
B)  Their suffering matters morally but not nearly as much as that of humans. 
C)  If an animal suffers to the same extent as a human, the animal's suffering is equally important. 
D)  Animal suffering is morally more important than human suffering because animals are not moral agents.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the relationship between utilitarianism and consequentialism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. 
B)  Consequentialism is a form of utilitarianism. 
C)  Utilitarianism and consequentialism are completely independent theories. 
D)  Utilitarianism and consequentialism are inconsistent 
A)  Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. 
B)  Consequentialism is a form of utilitarianism. 
C)  Utilitarianism and consequentialism are completely independent theories. 
D)  Utilitarianism and consequentialism are inconsistent

Question 14

Write an essay comparing and contrasting act utilitarianism with rule consequentialism. Define each theory and then explain why rule consequentialism is often thought to provide a solution to the problem of injustice that faces act utilitarianism. What objection do act utilitarians often level against rule consequentialism? Which theory do you think is preferable, and why?

Accepted Answer

Act utilitarianism and rule consequentia

Question 15

Most utilitarians regard utilitarianism as a

Accepted Answer

A)  standard of rightness. 
B)  decision procedure. 
C)  both a and b 
D)  neither a nor b 
A)  standard of rightness. 
B)  decision procedure. 
C)  both a and b 
D)  neither a nor b

Question 16

Utilitarians claim that

Accepted Answer

A)  all moral action is supererogatory. 
B)  all self-interested action is supererogatory. 
C)  very few things are supererogatory. 
D)  no acts are supererogatory. 
A)  all moral action is supererogatory. 
B)  all self-interested action is supererogatory. 
C)  very few things are supererogatory. 
D)  no acts are supererogatory.

Question 17

If utilitarianism is true, it is

Accepted Answer

A)  always acceptable to give preference to the interests of our family members. 
B)  never acceptable to give preference to the interests of our family members. 
C)  sometimes permissible to give preference to our family members, but only when doing so is most beneficial. 
D)  None of the above. 
A)  always acceptable to give preference to the interests of our family members. 
B)  never acceptable to give preference to the interests of our family members. 
C)  sometimes permissible to give preference to our family members, but only when doing so is most beneficial. 
D)  None of the above.

Question 18

Case Study
Imagine a small town in which there has recently been a rash of murders that all bear the marks of the same culprit. The police investigation has gone nowhere and the town's sense of order is starting to break down. Residents are demanding that the sheriff find a culprit and threatening to exact vigilante justice on perceived criminals until a culprit is found. Given that the real murderer is unknown, the sheriff sees that she can only prevent chaos and bloodshed by framing someone who likely is not the murderer.
The sheriff has someone in mind who could be easily framed - a local man, Jim, who has been in and out of jail for other violent crimes like assault and robbery. He has no family and no one in town would protest if he were to be locked up. Moreover, he is a believable culprit and so would be easy to frame. The sheriff is fairly sure that he is not actually the murderer, and so she would likely be framing someone who, while not innocent overall, is innocent of these particular crimes. But she is not sure what else she can do to keep the peace.
-Should the sheriff frame Jim? Why or why not? What does this tell us about utilitarianism, and consequentialism more generally?

Accepted Answer

The sheriff should not frame Jim, even t

Question 19

Which is not an attraction of utilitarianism?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is impartial 
B)  It makes it easy to acquire moral knowledge 
C)  It justifies many of our basic moral beliefs. 
D)  It helps us solve moral conflicts. 
A)  It is impartial 
B)  It makes it easy to acquire moral knowledge 
C)  It justifies many of our basic moral beliefs. 
D)  It helps us solve moral conflicts.

Question 20

Being a member of the moral community means that you are

Accepted Answer

A)  part of a society that has certain moral beliefs. 
B)  part of a group that acts morally. 
C)  morally virtuous. 
D)  are morally important in your own right. 
A)  part of a society that has certain moral beliefs. 
B)  part of a group that acts morally. 
C)  morally virtuous. 
D)  are morally important in your own right.

Utilitarians believe in

What implications does utilitarianism have for our treatment of non-human animals? Do you find utilitarians' conclusions about animals plausible? If so, why? If not, how would you respond to their arguments?

Utilitarianism states that it is always intrinsically wrong to

Consequentialism states that an action is right if and only if it

Which of the following responses to the problem of injustice is not consistent with utilitarianism?

Most consequentialists believe that rule consequentialism

According to utilitarian Jeremy Bentham, what is the relevant question for determining membership in the moral community?

Describe a case in which utilitarianism seems to require that someone behave unjustly. Do you think utilitarianism nonetheless gives the correct moral verdict in this case? Why or why not? How might a utilitarian reply to the objection that the theory wrongly licenses injustice?

What attitudes do most utilitarians take toward moral rules?

The principle of utility can be summarized as

What attitude do most utilitarians take toward non-human animals?

Which of the following best describes the relationship between utilitarianism and consequentialism?

Most utilitarians regard utilitarianism as a

Utilitarians claim that

If utilitarianism is true, it is

Which is not an attraction of utilitarianism?

Being a member of the moral community means that you are

What Is Morality and Moral Reasoning

Skepticism About Morality

The Good Life

Natural Law

Kantian Ethics

Social Contract Theory

The Ethic of Prima Facie Duties

Virtue Ethics

Feminist Ethics and the Ethics of Care

Filters

Exam 5: Consequentialism

Utilitarians believe in

What implications does utilitarianism have for our treatment of non-human animals? Do you find utilitarians' conclusions about animals plausible? If so, why? If not, how would you respond to their arguments?

Utilitarianism states that it is always intrinsically wrong to

Consequentialism states that an action is right if and only if it

Which of the following responses to the problem of injustice is not consistent with utilitarianism?

Most consequentialists believe that rule consequentialism

According to utilitarian Jeremy Bentham, what is the relevant question for determining membership in the moral community?

Describe a case in which utilitarianism seems to require that someone behave unjustly. Do you think utilitarianism nonetheless gives the correct moral verdict in this case? Why or why not? How might a utilitarian reply to the objection that the theory wrongly licenses injustice?

What attitudes do most utilitarians take toward moral rules?

The principle of utility can be summarized as

What attitude do most utilitarians take toward non-human animals?

Which of the following best describes the relationship between utilitarianism and consequentialism?

Most utilitarians regard utilitarianism as a

Utilitarians claim that

If utilitarianism is true, it is

Which is not an attraction of utilitarianism?

Being a member of the moral community means that you are

What Is Morality and Moral Reasoning

Skepticism About Morality

The Good Life

Natural Law

Kantian Ethics

Social Contract Theory

The Ethic of Prima Facie Duties

Virtue Ethics

Feminist Ethics and the Ethics of Care

Filters