Question 1

According to the ethics of care, caring for another person is strictly a matter of satisfying his or her needs and desires.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 2

What is the state of nature? What assumptions do contractarians typically make about the state of nature? Why are those assumptions important for contractarianism?

Accepted Answer

The state of nature is a concept in political philosophy that refers to the hypothetical condition of human existence before the establishment of organized societies and governments. It is often used as a thought experiment to explore the origins of political authority and the social contract.

Contractarians, such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, typically make certain assumptions about the state of nature in order to support their theories of political authority and the social contract. These assumptions are important for contractarianism because they provide the foundation for understanding the need for a social contract and the legitimacy of political authority.

One common assumption made by contractarians about the state of nature is that it is a state of war or conflict. This assumption is important because it helps to justify the need for a social contract and the establishment of political authority to maintain peace and order. For example, Thomas Hobbes famously described the state of nature as a "war of all against all," where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." This depiction of the state of nature serves as a justification for the necessity of a strong, centralized government to prevent chaos and violence.

Another assumption made by contractarians is that individuals in the state of nature have certain natural rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property. This assumption is important because it forms the basis for the idea that individuals enter into a social contract to protect and preserve these rights. For example, John Locke argued that individuals in the state of nature have the right to property and that the purpose of government is to protect these property rights.

Overall, the assumptions that contractarians make about the state of nature are important for contractarianism because they provide the rationale for the need for a social contract and the legitimacy of political authority. By understanding the state of nature as a condition of conflict and the existence of natural rights, contractarians are able to make a compelling case for the establishment of organized societies and governments.

Question 3

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

Accepted Answer

Practical reasoning plays a central role in natural law theories of ethics. According to natural law theorists, practical reasoning is the process by which individuals discern and apply the fundamental principles of morality that are inherent in human nature and the natural order. Through practical reasoning, individuals are able to understand and evaluate the moral implications of their actions, as well as make decisions that are in accordance with the natural law.

Practical reasoning in natural law theories involves the use of human reason to identify and understand the objective moral norms that govern human behavior. This process allows individuals to recognize the inherent value and dignity of human life, as well as the principles of justice, fairness, and the common good. By engaging in practical reasoning, individuals are able to discern the moral principles that guide their actions and choices, and to act in accordance with these principles.

Furthermore, practical reasoning in natural law theories emphasizes the importance of practical wisdom, or phronesis, in making moral decisions. This involves the ability to apply moral principles to specific situations and to make judgments about what actions are morally right or wrong. Through practical reasoning and the cultivation of practical wisdom, individuals are able to develop virtuous character and act in ways that are consistent with the natural law.

In summary, practical reasoning is essential in natural law theories of ethics as it enables individuals to discern and apply the fundamental principles of morality, make moral judgments, and act in accordance with the natural law. It is through practical reasoning that individuals are able to understand their moral obligations and strive to live virtuous and ethical lives.

Question 4

What is the ethics of ubuntu?

Accepted Answer

A)  A philosophical elaboration of the ethical principles articulated in the Akan culture of Ghana, emphasizing social harmony, group solidarity, and clan membership. 
B)  A philosophical reconstruction of some ethical ideas common to sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing social harmony, social identity, and group solidarity. 
C)  A way of understanding traditional ideas about morality found in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing benevolence, integrity, and respect for local customs. 
D)  A recent adaptation of the ethics of care by African philosophers who argue that feminist conceptions of care reflect traditional African moral concerns. 
A)  A philosophical elaboration of the ethical principles articulated in the Akan culture of Ghana, emphasizing social harmony, group solidarity, and clan membership. 
B)  A philosophical reconstruction of some ethical ideas common to sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing social harmony, social identity, and group solidarity. 
C)  A way of understanding traditional ideas about morality found in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing benevolence, integrity, and respect for local customs. 
D)  A recent adaptation of the ethics of care by African philosophers who argue that feminist conceptions of care reflect traditional African moral concerns.

Question 5

Which of the following would NOT count as a way of promoting a sense of shared identity in your community, according to Chapter 12?

Accepted Answer

A)  Participating in the rituals and traditions of your community. 
B)  Encouraging others to live up to their obligations to the community. 
C)  Telling a community member who doesn't care about the community's traditions to follow his heart and ignore the traditions. 
D)  Volunteering to help clean up a local park. 
A)  Participating in the rituals and traditions of your community. 
B)  Encouraging others to live up to their obligations to the community. 
C)  Telling a community member who doesn't care about the community's traditions to follow his heart and ignore the traditions. 
D)  Volunteering to help clean up a local park.

Question 6

Care ethicists all reject impartial justice as a requirement of morality.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

In the ethics of ubuntu, a community has a sense of shared identity if it shares the same values.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What is contractarianism?

Accepted Answer

A)  The view that there is no objective morality, but only explicit or implicit agreements within social groups about how members of those groups should act. 
B)  The view that morality consists in a set of rules that follow directly from human nature. 
C)  The view that morality arises from a hypothetical social contract in which people agree to a certain set of rules because it is best for each person if everyone follows those rules. 
D)  The view that morality is a social construct created by the powerful to maintain law and order in a society. 
A)  The view that there is no objective morality, but only explicit or implicit agreements within social groups about how members of those groups should act. 
B)  The view that morality consists in a set of rules that follow directly from human nature. 
C)  The view that morality arises from a hypothetical social contract in which people agree to a certain set of rules because it is best for each person if everyone follows those rules. 
D)  The view that morality is a social construct created by the powerful to maintain law and order in a society.

Question 9

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

Accepted Answer

A)  It enables us to recognize limitations on how we may pursue or promote good things. 
B)  It helps us see which things are good and which are bad. 
C)  It allows us to figure out which rules would be in the social contract. 
D)  It is used to identify the means to whichever ends we select. 
A)  It enables us to recognize limitations on how we may pursue or promote good things. 
B)  It helps us see which things are good and which are bad. 
C)  It allows us to figure out which rules would be in the social contract. 
D)  It is used to identify the means to whichever ends we select.

Question 10

In Confucian ethics, rén has both a general and a specific meaning. Explain each meaning in your own words.

Accepted Answer

In Confucian ethics, rén has both a gene

Question 11

What role does empathy play in ethics, according to the ethics of care?

Accepted Answer

Empathy plays a crucial role in the ethi

Question 12

Care ethicists believe that empathy and emotional intelligence are essential to figuring out what the right thing to do in any given situation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The ethics of care emphasizes caring for others in terms of both taking care of them and caring about them.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

What does lǐ refer to in Confucian ethics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Integrity or righteousness arising from a fear of feeling ashamed at acting wrongly. 
B)  Traditional forms of behavior, including both official rituals and everyday interactions. 
C)  Social customs about how you greet other people, especially those of higher or lower social status. 
D)  The four cardinal virtues of Confucian ethics. 
A)  Integrity or righteousness arising from a fear of feeling ashamed at acting wrongly. 
B)  Traditional forms of behavior, including both official rituals and everyday interactions. 
C)  Social customs about how you greet other people, especially those of higher or lower social status. 
D)  The four cardinal virtues of Confucian ethics.

Question 15

How does the emphasis on social harmony in the ethics of ubuntu influence African responses to wrongdoing, according to Chapter 12?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because social harmony is so important, the ethics of ubuntu requires that people who threaten social harmony must be punished harshly. 
B)  Because punishment is divisive, the ethics of ubuntu urges that wrongdoers reconcile with their victims to restore social harmony. 
C)  Because punishment is disruptive, it is justified in the ethics of ubuntu only because it deters other people from undermining social harmony in the future. 
D)  Because social harmony is so well established in societies that observe the ethics of ubuntu, wrongdoing is so rare that there is no established way of dealing with it. 
A)  Because social harmony is so important, the ethics of ubuntu requires that people who threaten social harmony must be punished harshly. 
B)  Because punishment is divisive, the ethics of ubuntu urges that wrongdoers reconcile with their victims to restore social harmony. 
C)  Because punishment is disruptive, it is justified in the ethics of ubuntu only because it deters other people from undermining social harmony in the future. 
D)  Because social harmony is so well established in societies that observe the ethics of ubuntu, wrongdoing is so rare that there is no established way of dealing with it.

Question 16

What role does lǐ play in Confucian ethics, according to Chapter 12?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fear of feeling lǐ deters the virtuous person from acting immorally. 
B)  Lǐ is a stepping stone toward true virtue. 
C)  Consistently performing lǐ correctly trains you to become virtuous. 
D)  Performing lǐ correctly and with the right feeling is a way to express one's virtue. 
A)  Fear of feeling lǐ deters the virtuous person from acting immorally. 
B)  Lǐ is a stepping stone toward true virtue. 
C)  Consistently performing lǐ correctly trains you to become virtuous. 
D)  Performing lǐ correctly and with the right feeling is a way to express one's virtue.

Question 17

Which of the follow does Thomas Aquinas NOT mention as a good in his natural law theory of ethics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Knowledge. 
B)  Society. 
C)  Wealth. 
D)  Reasonable action. 
A)  Knowledge. 
B)  Society. 
C)  Wealth. 
D)  Reasonable action.

Question 18

The natural law theory of ethics is often associated with the Catholic tradition.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Contractarians believe that the moral rules of each society must be based on an actual social contract, such as the U.S. Constitution or the Magna Carta.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The ethics of care models morality on caring personal relationships rather than contractual relationships between independent people.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

According to the ethics of care, caring for another person is strictly a matter of satisfying his or her needs and desires.

What is the state of nature? What assumptions do contractarians typically make about the state of nature? Why are those assumptions important for contractarianism?

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

What is the ethics of ubuntu?

Which of the following would NOT count as a way of promoting a sense of shared identity in your community, according to Chapter 12?

Care ethicists all reject impartial justice as a requirement of morality.

In the ethics of ubuntu, a community has a sense of shared identity if it shares the same values.

What is contractarianism?

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

In Confucian ethics, rén has both a general and a specific meaning. Explain each meaning in your own words.

What role does empathy play in ethics, according to the ethics of care?

Care ethicists believe that empathy and emotional intelligence are essential to figuring out what the right thing to do in any given situation.

The ethics of care emphasizes caring for others in terms of both taking care of them and caring about them.

What does lǐ refer to in Confucian ethics?

How does the emphasis on social harmony in the ethics of ubuntu influence African responses to wrongdoing, according to Chapter 12?

What role does lǐ play in Confucian ethics, according to Chapter 12?

Which of the follow does Thomas Aquinas NOT mention as a good in his natural law theory of ethics?

The natural law theory of ethics is often associated with the Catholic tradition.

Contractarians believe that the moral rules of each society must be based on an actual social contract, such as the U.S. Constitution or the Magna Carta.

The ethics of care models morality on caring personal relationships rather than contractual relationships between independent people.

An Introduction to Arguments

Moral Arguments

Reasoning With Obligations

Reasoning About Consequences

Reasoning With Virtues and Vices

Reasoning With Principles and Counterexamples

Reasoning With Analogies

Answering Moral Questions

Skepticism, Subjectivism, and Relativism

Religion and Moral Reasoning

Normative Theories, Part 1

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

Filters

Exam 12: Normative Theories, Part 2

According to the ethics of care, caring for another person is strictly a matter of satisfying his or her needs and desires.

What is the state of nature? What assumptions do contractarians typically make about the state of nature? Why are those assumptions important for contractarianism?

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

What is the ethics of ubuntu?

Which of the following would NOT count as a way of promoting a sense of shared identity in your community, according to Chapter 12?

Care ethicists all reject impartial justice as a requirement of morality.

In the ethics of ubuntu, a community has a sense of shared identity if it shares the same values.

What is contractarianism?

What role does practical reasoning play in natural law theories of ethics?

In Confucian ethics, rén has both a general and a specific meaning. Explain each meaning in your own words.

What role does empathy play in ethics, according to the ethics of care?

Care ethicists believe that empathy and emotional intelligence are essential to figuring out what the right thing to do in any given situation.

The ethics of care emphasizes caring for others in terms of both taking care of them and caring about them.

What does lǐ refer to in Confucian ethics?

How does the emphasis on social harmony in the ethics of ubuntu influence African responses to wrongdoing, according to Chapter 12?

What role does lǐ play in Confucian ethics, according to Chapter 12?

Which of the follow does Thomas Aquinas NOT mention as a good in his natural law theory of ethics?

The natural law theory of ethics is often associated with the Catholic tradition.

Contractarians believe that the moral rules of each society must be based on an actual social contract, such as the U.S. Constitution or the Magna Carta.

The ethics of care models morality on caring personal relationships rather than contractual relationships between independent people.

An Introduction to Arguments

Moral Arguments

Reasoning With Obligations

Reasoning About Consequences

Reasoning With Virtues and Vices

Reasoning With Principles and Counterexamples

Reasoning With Analogies

Answering Moral Questions

Skepticism, Subjectivism, and Relativism

Religion and Moral Reasoning

Normative Theories, Part 1

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

Filters