Question 1

According to Kant, the different formulations of the categorical imperative that he gives in the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals are:

Accepted Answer

A)  Different ways of expressing the same supreme principle of morality. 
B)  Competing possibilities for the supreme principle of morality. 
C)  A set of different rules that, taken together, explain all of our moral obligations. 
D)  Different supreme principles of morality for people who have achieved different levels of moral perfection. 
A)  Different ways of expressing the same supreme principle of morality. 
B)  Competing possibilities for the supreme principle of morality. 
C)  A set of different rules that, taken together, explain all of our moral obligations. 
D)  Different supreme principles of morality for people who have achieved different levels of moral perfection.

Question 2

According to Bentham, humans are motivated entirely by pleasure and pain.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Which of the following best captures Liu's main argument for the claim that racial looksism is an overgeneralization?

Accepted Answer

A)  Racial looksism is an overgeneralization because racism itself is an overgeneralization that assumes some people are inferior because they belong to a certain race. 
B)  Racial looksism overlooks people's moral characteristics and focuses exclusively on the physical traits generally associated with their race. 
C)  Racial looksism ignores the clothing and accessories people wear to make their physical appearance more attractive. 
D)  Racial looksism disregards how an individual looks because racial identity is not directly contributive to one's physical appearance because of variances within a race. 
A)  Racial looksism is an overgeneralization because racism itself is an overgeneralization that assumes some people are inferior because they belong to a certain race. 
B)  Racial looksism overlooks people's moral characteristics and focuses exclusively on the physical traits generally associated with their race. 
C)  Racial looksism ignores the clothing and accessories people wear to make their physical appearance more attractive. 
D)  Racial looksism disregards how an individual looks because racial identity is not directly contributive to one's physical appearance because of variances within a race.

Question 4

Broome argues that although the average person in a rich country does a significant amount of harm through his or her greenhouse gas emissions, that harm is not unjust because it is difficult for the average person to reduce his or her carbon footprint to zero.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Nell argues that the right not to be killed unjustifiably entails the right not to be allowed to die by those who could prevent it.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

According to van den Haag, the death penalty has been conclusively demonstrated to have a deterrent effect on crime.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Marquis claims that abortion is justified in some instances, but only in the rarest of cases. Under which conditions does he think would it be justified? And how does the future-like-ours account allow for this?

Accepted Answer

Marquis argues that abortion may be just

Question 8

Why, according to Warren, does Noonan's antiabortion argument fail? What question does Noonan fail to consider, and why, according to Noonan, is that question so important in the context of abortion?

Accepted Answer

According to Warren, Noonan's antiaborti

Question 9

Which of the following best captures the central question(s) addressed by McMahan in "Torture in Principle in Practice"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Is torture always wrong and should it ever be legally sanctioned? 
B)  What types of torture are permissible in both principle and practice? 
C)  What do ticking bomb cases demonstrate about the morality of torture? 
D)  Is any type of action inherently and universally forbidden? 
A)  Is torture always wrong and should it ever be legally sanctioned? 
B)  What types of torture are permissible in both principle and practice? 
C)  What do ticking bomb cases demonstrate about the morality of torture? 
D)  Is any type of action inherently and universally forbidden?

Question 10

By the phrase "deceiving another person into sex," Dougherty means:

Accepted Answer

A)  The deception concerns the sexual encounter and a feature of the sexual encounter that the other person finds undesirable. 
B)  The deception concerns the sexual encounter and a deal breaker or a feature of the sexual encounter to which the other person's will is opposed. 
C)  The deception involves misleading another about a core feature such as one's religion or ethnicity. 
D)  The deception involves misleading another about a periphery feature such as one's occupation or natural hair color. 
A)  The deception concerns the sexual encounter and a feature of the sexual encounter that the other person finds undesirable. 
B)  The deception concerns the sexual encounter and a deal breaker or a feature of the sexual encounter to which the other person's will is opposed. 
C)  The deception involves misleading another about a core feature such as one's religion or ethnicity. 
D)  The deception involves misleading another about a periphery feature such as one's occupation or natural hair color.

Question 11

According to Wolf, which of the following is NOT widely accepted as a necessary condition for terminal sedation?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is no less dangerous way to provide effective pain relief. 
B)  The physician's goal is to relieve pain, not to end the patient's life. 
C)  A patient or his or her surrogate is informed of and accepts the risks. 
D)  The risk of death resulting from the sedation is not significant. 
A)  There is no less dangerous way to provide effective pain relief. 
B)  The physician's goal is to relieve pain, not to end the patient's life. 
C)  A patient or his or her surrogate is informed of and accepts the risks. 
D)  The risk of death resulting from the sedation is not significant.

Question 12

What is Aristotle's argument in I.7 for the claim that the function of human beings is "activity of the soul in accord with reason"?

Accepted Answer

A)  Each profession has a function and every part of the body has a function. Thus, it stands to reason that a human being has a function. 
B)  Just as the function of a harpist is to play the harp, the function of a human being is activity in accord with the part of the soul that has reason or obeys reason. 
C)  Fulfilling the function of a human being well is what makes a human being excellent. Virtue is what makes a human being excellent, and virtue involves activity in accord with reason. Therefore, the function of a human being is activity in accord with reason. 
D)  The function of human beings cannot be mere survival, since even plants do that. Nor can it be mere sense perception, since even animals have perception. Therefore, it must be acting in accord with reason. 
A)  Each profession has a function and every part of the body has a function. Thus, it stands to reason that a human being has a function. 
B)  Just as the function of a harpist is to play the harp, the function of a human being is activity in accord with the part of the soul that has reason or obeys reason. 
C)  Fulfilling the function of a human being well is what makes a human being excellent. Virtue is what makes a human being excellent, and virtue involves activity in accord with reason. Therefore, the function of a human being is activity in accord with reason. 
D)  The function of human beings cannot be mere survival, since even plants do that. Nor can it be mere sense perception, since even animals have perception. Therefore, it must be acting in accord with reason.

Question 13

According to Singer, a speciesist is someone who believes that his or her own species is distinct from other species in terms of cognitive abilities.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT among the necessary conditions for a morally permissible episode of interrogational torture, according to Shue?

Accepted Answer

A)  The purpose of the torture is both morally good and supremely important. 
B)  Terroristic torture is the least harmful means of accomplishing this purpose. 
C)  It is clear what would constitute the achievement of the torture's purpose. 
D)  The victim is to be tortured using the least painful means necessary for the goal. 
A)  The purpose of the torture is both morally good and supremely important. 
B)  Terroristic torture is the least harmful means of accomplishing this purpose. 
C)  It is clear what would constitute the achievement of the torture's purpose. 
D)  The victim is to be tortured using the least painful means necessary for the goal.

Question 15

What is the connection between morality and the customs of different societies, according to Wiredu?

Accepted Answer

A)  Society's customs are irrelevant to people's moral obligations because morality is universal. 
B)  Morality is entirely determined for each person by the customs of his or her society. 
C)  Although morality is universal, each society's customs shape exactly how people fulfill their obligations. 
D)  Most of a person's obligations are just social customs, but some obligations are truly universal. 
A)  Society's customs are irrelevant to people's moral obligations because morality is universal. 
B)  Morality is entirely determined for each person by the customs of his or her society. 
C)  Although morality is universal, each society's customs shape exactly how people fulfill their obligations. 
D)  Most of a person's obligations are just social customs, but some obligations are truly universal.

Question 16

How, according to Singer, would our lives change if we accepted his conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Peter Singer is a contemporary philosoph

Question 17

Which of the following is a key premise in Gay-Williams's "Argument from Practical Effects"?

Accepted Answer

A)  The practice may have a corrupting influence on health-care providers. 
B)  The patient might "miraculously" recover from his or her symptoms if left alone. 
C)  Euthanasia sets a person against his or her natural goal of survival. 
D)  Euthanasia may incline a patient to give up too easily, rather than fight for survival. 
A)  The practice may have a corrupting influence on health-care providers. 
B)  The patient might "miraculously" recover from his or her symptoms if left alone. 
C)  Euthanasia sets a person against his or her natural goal of survival. 
D)  Euthanasia may incline a patient to give up too easily, rather than fight for survival.

Question 18

According to Estes, what matters to ensure voluntary participation in sexual activities is not necessarily the explicitness of communication, but the reasonable, conscientious belief of each partner that reciprocal consent and desire exist.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following best captures Sinnott-Armstrong's argument for the claim that the universalizability principle would not prohibit going for a joyride in a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle?

Accepted Answer

A)  The maxim behind going for a joyride is to have harmless fun, which is universalizable. 
B)  Even if everyone eliminated joyrides in gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles, climate change would still have bad consequences. 
C)  The universalizability principle is a deontological principle, whereas climate change is a purely consequentialist problem. 
D)  The maxim behind going for a joyride differs from person to person and so the action could not be universally prohibited. 
A)  The maxim behind going for a joyride is to have harmless fun, which is universalizable. 
B)  Even if everyone eliminated joyrides in gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles, climate change would still have bad consequences. 
C)  The universalizability principle is a deontological principle, whereas climate change is a purely consequentialist problem. 
D)  The maxim behind going for a joyride differs from person to person and so the action could not be universally prohibited.

Question 20

Why, according to Metz, would an individual on death row not warrant the degree of unfriendly treatment inherent in execution?

Accepted Answer

A)  The incarcerated criminal is already paying his or her debt owed to the community. 
B)  The incarcerated criminal would necessarily suffer more than his or her victims. 
C)  The incarcerated criminal, as a human being, has an inherent right to friendly treatment. 
D)  The incarcerated criminal no longer poses an active threat to the community. 
A)  The incarcerated criminal is already paying his or her debt owed to the community. 
B)  The incarcerated criminal would necessarily suffer more than his or her victims. 
C)  The incarcerated criminal, as a human being, has an inherent right to friendly treatment. 
D)  The incarcerated criminal no longer poses an active threat to the community.

According to Kant, the different formulations of the categorical imperative that he gives in the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals are:

According to Bentham, humans are motivated entirely by pleasure and pain.

Which of the following best captures Liu's main argument for the claim that racial looksism is an overgeneralization?

Broome argues that although the average person in a rich country does a significant amount of harm through his or her greenhouse gas emissions, that harm is not unjust because it is difficult for the average person to reduce his or her carbon footprint to zero.

Nell argues that the right not to be killed unjustifiably entails the right not to be allowed to die by those who could prevent it.

According to van den Haag, the death penalty has been conclusively demonstrated to have a deterrent effect on crime.

Marquis claims that abortion is justified in some instances, but only in the rarest of cases. Under which conditions does he think would it be justified? And how does the future-like-ours account allow for this?

Why, according to Warren, does Noonan's antiabortion argument fail? What question does Noonan fail to consider, and why, according to Noonan, is that question so important in the context of abortion?

Which of the following best captures the central question(s) addressed by McMahan in "Torture in Principle in Practice"?

By the phrase "deceiving another person into sex," Dougherty means:

According to Wolf, which of the following is NOT widely accepted as a necessary condition for terminal sedation?

What is Aristotle's argument in I.7 for the claim that the function of human beings is "activity of the soul in accord with reason"?

According to Singer, a speciesist is someone who believes that his or her own species is distinct from other species in terms of cognitive abilities.

Which of the following is NOT among the necessary conditions for a morally permissible episode of interrogational torture, according to Shue?

What is the connection between morality and the customs of different societies, according to Wiredu?

How, according to Singer, would our lives change if we accepted his conclusion?

Which of the following is a key premise in Gay-Williams's "Argument from Practical Effects"?

According to Estes, what matters to ensure voluntary participation in sexual activities is not necessarily the explicitness of communication, but the reasonable, conscientious belief of each partner that reciprocal consent and desire exist.

Which of the following best captures Sinnott-Armstrong's argument for the claim that the universalizability principle would not prohibit going for a joyride in a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle?

Why, according to Metz, would an individual on death row not warrant the degree of unfriendly treatment inherent in execution?

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

Normative Theories, Part 2

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Exam 13: Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

According to Kant, the different formulations of the categorical imperative that he gives in the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals are:

According to Bentham, humans are motivated entirely by pleasure and pain.

Which of the following best captures Liu's main argument for the claim that racial looksism is an overgeneralization?

Broome argues that although the average person in a rich country does a significant amount of harm through his or her greenhouse gas emissions, that harm is not unjust because it is difficult for the average person to reduce his or her carbon footprint to zero.

Nell argues that the right not to be killed unjustifiably entails the right not to be allowed to die by those who could prevent it.

According to van den Haag, the death penalty has been conclusively demonstrated to have a deterrent effect on crime.

Marquis claims that abortion is justified in some instances, but only in the rarest of cases. Under which conditions does he think would it be justified? And how does the future-like-ours account allow for this?

Why, according to Warren, does Noonan's antiabortion argument fail? What question does Noonan fail to consider, and why, according to Noonan, is that question so important in the context of abortion?

Which of the following best captures the central question(s) addressed by McMahan in "Torture in Principle in Practice"?

By the phrase "deceiving another person into sex," Dougherty means:

According to Wolf, which of the following is NOT widely accepted as a necessary condition for terminal sedation?

What is Aristotle's argument in I.7 for the claim that the function of human beings is "activity of the soul in accord with reason"?

According to Singer, a speciesist is someone who believes that his or her own species is distinct from other species in terms of cognitive abilities.

Which of the following is NOT among the necessary conditions for a morally permissible episode of interrogational torture, according to Shue?

What is the connection between morality and the customs of different societies, according to Wiredu?

How, according to Singer, would our lives change if we accepted his conclusion?

Which of the following is a key premise in Gay-Williams's "Argument from Practical Effects"?

According to Estes, what matters to ensure voluntary participation in sexual activities is not necessarily the explicitness of communication, but the reasonable, conscientious belief of each partner that reciprocal consent and desire exist.

Which of the following best captures Sinnott-Armstrong's argument for the claim that the universalizability principle would not prohibit going for a joyride in a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle?

Why, according to Metz, would an individual on death row not warrant the degree of unfriendly treatment inherent in execution?

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

Normative Theories, Part 2

Filters