Question 1

Deontology is the normative theory according to which morality is primarily a matter of bringing about the best consequences.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

What is the purpose of the discussion in Chapter 11 of the lethal duel at the end of Hamlet?

Accepted Answer

A)  To prove that any action that ends in someone's death fails to treat that person as an end in itself. 
B)  To contrast consequentialist with deontological theories about right and wrong. 
C)  To show that it doesn't make sense to say that someone agreed to something if he or she didn't know what was being agreed to. 
D)  To illustrate how Kant's rule about universalizing maxims would apply in the case of dueling. 
A)  To prove that any action that ends in someone's death fails to treat that person as an end in itself. 
B)  To contrast consequentialist with deontological theories about right and wrong. 
C)  To show that it doesn't make sense to say that someone agreed to something if he or she didn't know what was being agreed to. 
D)  To illustrate how Kant's rule about universalizing maxims would apply in the case of dueling.

Question 3

What does it mean to treat someone "merely as a means?" What kinds of actions are prohibited by the obligation not to treat anyone merely as a means?

Accepted Answer

Treating someone "merely as a means" mea

Question 4

Which of the following actions would NOT count as treating someone merely as a means?

Accepted Answer

A)  Henry lies to Lucy to get her to go on a date with him. 
B)  A restaurant manager makes his staff wear ridiculous costumes as part of his horror-themed restaurant. 
C)  A detective finds evidence that Frank is a big-time heroin dealer and threatens to have Frank arrested unless Frank pays him $10,000 a month. 
D)  Roger manipulates four other men into helping him commit a crime with false promises of a big financial reward. 
A)  Henry lies to Lucy to get her to go on a date with him. 
B)  A restaurant manager makes his staff wear ridiculous costumes as part of his horror-themed restaurant. 
C)  A detective finds evidence that Frank is a big-time heroin dealer and threatens to have Frank arrested unless Frank pays him $10,000 a month. 
D)  Roger manipulates four other men into helping him commit a crime with false promises of a big financial reward.

Question 5

Virtue ethics is the normative theory that focuses on what makes people morally good people and evaluates actions based on whether they contribute to or reflect someone's good character.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Eudaimonia is often translated as "happiness" or "flourishing."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

A virtue is a character trait that contributes to a person's excellence, which is required for eudaimonia.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Consequentialism is the normative theory according to which the rightness of an action depends ultimately on the effects of that action or of something related to that action, such as rules that permit the action.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Define act utilitarianism.

Accepted Answer

A)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it maximizes the total happiness in the world, counting everyone's happiness equally. 
B)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it maximizes both the quantity and the quality of pleasure in the world, counting everyone's happiness equally. 
C)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if, relative to other available actions, it produces happiness for the greatest number of people. 
D)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it benefits people in proportion to their usefulness to society. 
A)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it maximizes the total happiness in the world, counting everyone's happiness equally. 
B)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it maximizes both the quantity and the quality of pleasure in the world, counting everyone's happiness equally. 
C)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if, relative to other available actions, it produces happiness for the greatest number of people. 
D)  Act utilitarianism is the view that an action is right if and only if it benefits people in proportion to their usefulness to society.

Question 10

Which of the following best explains the difference between normative ethics and applied ethics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Whereas normative ethics aims to answer questions about the nature of morality and moral thought and language, applied ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong. 
B)  Whereas applied ethics aims to determine what is actually right or wrong for you to do in specific situations, normative ethics aims to answer questions about what norms guide most people's moral reasoning in a society. 
C)  Whereas normative ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong, applied ethics aims to develop intermediate-level moral principles that enable us to apply the general theories of normative ethics. 
D)  Whereas applied ethics aims to determine what kinds of actions one should do in specific circumstances, normative ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong. 
A)  Whereas normative ethics aims to answer questions about the nature of morality and moral thought and language, applied ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong. 
B)  Whereas applied ethics aims to determine what is actually right or wrong for you to do in specific situations, normative ethics aims to answer questions about what norms guide most people's moral reasoning in a society. 
C)  Whereas normative ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong, applied ethics aims to develop intermediate-level moral principles that enable us to apply the general theories of normative ethics. 
D)  Whereas applied ethics aims to determine what kinds of actions one should do in specific circumstances, normative ethics aims to develop general theories about what makes actions right or wrong.

Question 11

What does it meant to treat someone "merely as a means"?

Accepted Answer

A)  To use them to achieve your goals. 
B)  To treat them as a mere thing that can be used however you wish. 
C)  To treat them as beings with aims and purposes of their own. 
D)  To use them to achieve your goals, but with their consent. 
A)  To use them to achieve your goals. 
B)  To treat them as a mere thing that can be used however you wish. 
C)  To treat them as beings with aims and purposes of their own. 
D)  To use them to achieve your goals, but with their consent.

Question 12

Consequentialism is:

Accepted Answer

A)  A normative theory according to which the rightness of an action depends ultimately on the consequences of performing that action or on the consequences of something closely connected to the action, such as a rule that permits the action. 
B)  A type of deontology that focuses on only on the most serious obligations, such as the obligation to treat persons as ends in themselves and never merely as means. 
C)  A metaethical view according to which an individual's moral obligations depend on the moral beliefs of his or her culture, but the correctness of those beliefs depends on the effects of everyone accepting those beliefs. 
D)  A view in applied ethics according to which all moral reasoning must be conducted solely in terms of the consequences of the specific actions being considered. 
A)  A normative theory according to which the rightness of an action depends ultimately on the consequences of performing that action or on the consequences of something closely connected to the action, such as a rule that permits the action. 
B)  A type of deontology that focuses on only on the most serious obligations, such as the obligation to treat persons as ends in themselves and never merely as means. 
C)  A metaethical view according to which an individual's moral obligations depend on the moral beliefs of his or her culture, but the correctness of those beliefs depends on the effects of everyone accepting those beliefs. 
D)  A view in applied ethics according to which all moral reasoning must be conducted solely in terms of the consequences of the specific actions being considered.

Question 13

Rossian deontology is the view that the correct moral code consists of an unorderable set of irreducible prima facie obligations.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

According to virtue ethics, how should we make moral judgments about specific actions?

Accepted Answer

According to virtue ethics, moral judgme

Question 15

What is virtue ethics?

Accepted Answer

A)  A view in applied ethics that moral reasoning should focus entirely on the goodness or badness of persons rather than the rightness of wrongness of their actions. 
B)  A metaethical theory according to which the only meaningful moral terms are thick ethical terms, such as courage, rather than thin ethical terms, such as right or wrong. 
C)  A normative theory that says that what you ought to do follows from what kind of person you ought to be and that what kind of person you ought to be follows from what is required for a flourishing human life. 
D)  A type of consequentialism according to which an action is right if and only if it exhibits a character trait that increases the overall level of happiness in a person's life. 
A)  A view in applied ethics that moral reasoning should focus entirely on the goodness or badness of persons rather than the rightness of wrongness of their actions. 
B)  A metaethical theory according to which the only meaningful moral terms are thick ethical terms, such as courage, rather than thin ethical terms, such as right or wrong. 
C)  A normative theory that says that what you ought to do follows from what kind of person you ought to be and that what kind of person you ought to be follows from what is required for a flourishing human life. 
D)  A type of consequentialism according to which an action is right if and only if it exhibits a character trait that increases the overall level of happiness in a person's life.

Question 16

Practical wisdom is a skill that enables people to apply their virtues correctly.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

A categorical imperative is a principle that tells you what to do regardless of whether you have a particular goal.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

According to rule utilitarianism, whether an action is right or wrong depends on whether it is permitted by the rules whose acceptance would produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain, counting everyone's pleasure and pain equally.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What does it mean to say that someone has a prima facie obligation to perform a certain action?

Accepted Answer

A)  That although it appears that the person has an obligation to perform the action, that appearance might be mistaken. 
B)  That the person has a genuine obligation to perform that action, but the obligation could be overridden by another obligation if the other obligation is more important in this case. 
C)  That the person's obligation to perform the action derives ultimately from the primary obligation to treat people with respect. 
D)  That the person has an obligation that cannot be reduced to any other obligation. 
A)  That although it appears that the person has an obligation to perform the action, that appearance might be mistaken. 
B)  That the person has a genuine obligation to perform that action, but the obligation could be overridden by another obligation if the other obligation is more important in this case. 
C)  That the person's obligation to perform the action derives ultimately from the primary obligation to treat people with respect. 
D)  That the person has an obligation that cannot be reduced to any other obligation.

Question 20

Suppose that the world's greatest video game designer was admitted to the hospital suffering from advanced liver failure. Every video game he designs produces hours and hours and happiness for tens of thousands of people, and if he survives he will produce many more video games. A little while later, a homeless man who has no friends or family is admitted to the emergency room after being hit by a car. Doctors realize that if they secretly let the badly injured homeless man die, they could transplant his liver into the video game designer; if they save the homeless man, the video game designer will die. Which of the following would an act utilitarian be most likely to say about what the doctors should do?

Accepted Answer

A)  The doctors should save the homeless man because designing video games is not useful to society, and so it is not worth sacrificing someone's life to have better video games. 
B)  The doctors should let the homeless man die and transplant his liver because the happiness resulting from the video game designer's work will outweigh the loss of happiness associated with the homeless man's death. 
C)  The doctors should save the homeless man because the benefits of having a rule that forbids doctors from letting people die to harvest their organs would outweigh the benefits of saving the video game designer. 
D)  The doctors should let the homeless man die and transplant his liver because saving the homeless man would benefit one person, whereas saving the video game designer would benefit many people. 
A)  The doctors should save the homeless man because designing video games is not useful to society, and so it is not worth sacrificing someone's life to have better video games. 
B)  The doctors should let the homeless man die and transplant his liver because the happiness resulting from the video game designer's work will outweigh the loss of happiness associated with the homeless man's death. 
C)  The doctors should save the homeless man because the benefits of having a rule that forbids doctors from letting people die to harvest their organs would outweigh the benefits of saving the video game designer. 
D)  The doctors should let the homeless man die and transplant his liver because saving the homeless man would benefit one person, whereas saving the video game designer would benefit many people.

Deontology is the normative theory according to which morality is primarily a matter of bringing about the best consequences.

What is the purpose of the discussion in Chapter 11 of the lethal duel at the end of Hamlet?

What does it mean to treat someone "merely as a means?" What kinds of actions are prohibited by the obligation not to treat anyone merely as a means?

Which of the following actions would NOT count as treating someone merely as a means?

Virtue ethics is the normative theory that focuses on what makes people morally good people and evaluates actions based on whether they contribute to or reflect someone's good character.

Eudaimonia is often translated as "happiness" or "flourishing."

A virtue is a character trait that contributes to a person's excellence, which is required for eudaimonia.

Consequentialism is the normative theory according to which the rightness of an action depends ultimately on the effects of that action or of something related to that action, such as rules that permit the action.

Define act utilitarianism.

Which of the following best explains the difference between normative ethics and applied ethics?

What does it meant to treat someone "merely as a means"?

Consequentialism is:

Rossian deontology is the view that the correct moral code consists of an unorderable set of irreducible prima facie obligations.

According to virtue ethics, how should we make moral judgments about specific actions?

What is virtue ethics?

Practical wisdom is a skill that enables people to apply their virtues correctly.

A categorical imperative is a principle that tells you what to do regardless of whether you have a particular goal.

According to rule utilitarianism, whether an action is right or wrong depends on whether it is permitted by the rules whose acceptance would produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain, counting everyone's pleasure and pain equally.

What does it mean to say that someone has a prima facie obligation to perform a certain action?

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 2

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

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Exam 11: Normative Theories, Part 1

Deontology is the normative theory according to which morality is primarily a matter of bringing about the best consequences.

What is the purpose of the discussion in Chapter 11 of the lethal duel at the end of Hamlet?

What does it mean to treat someone "merely as a means?" What kinds of actions are prohibited by the obligation not to treat anyone merely as a means?

Which of the following actions would NOT count as treating someone merely as a means?

Virtue ethics is the normative theory that focuses on what makes people morally good people and evaluates actions based on whether they contribute to or reflect someone's good character.

Eudaimonia is often translated as "happiness" or "flourishing."

A virtue is a character trait that contributes to a person's excellence, which is required for eudaimonia.

Consequentialism is the normative theory according to which the rightness of an action depends ultimately on the effects of that action or of something related to that action, such as rules that permit the action.

Define act utilitarianism.

Which of the following best explains the difference between normative ethics and applied ethics?

What does it meant to treat someone "merely as a means"?

Consequentialism is:

Rossian deontology is the view that the correct moral code consists of an unorderable set of irreducible prima facie obligations.

According to virtue ethics, how should we make moral judgments about specific actions?

What is virtue ethics?

Practical wisdom is a skill that enables people to apply their virtues correctly.

A categorical imperative is a principle that tells you what to do regardless of whether you have a particular goal.

According to rule utilitarianism, whether an action is right or wrong depends on whether it is permitted by the rules whose acceptance would produce the greatest balance of pleasure over pain, counting everyone's pleasure and pain equally.

What does it mean to say that someone has a prima facie obligation to perform a certain action?

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 2

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

Filters