Question 1

Wolf argues that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide cannot be justified on the grounds of patient autonomy because:

Accepted Answer

A)  Patients at the end of life more often than not lack autonomy. 
B)  A doctor is not obliged to do everything that a patient wants. 
C)  Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not necessary to provide humane end-of-life care. 
D)  A case where a patient autonomously elects to end his or her life is suicide, not euthanasia. 
A)  Patients at the end of life more often than not lack autonomy. 
B)  A doctor is not obliged to do everything that a patient wants. 
C)  Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not necessary to provide humane end-of-life care. 
D)  A case where a patient autonomously elects to end his or her life is suicide, not euthanasia.

Question 2

Norcross argues that nonhuman animals satisfy the Aristotelean criterion of rationality and, therefore, it is wrong to consume them.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What, according to McMahan, is the inherent problem with "lesser evil" justifications of actions such as torture?

Accepted Answer

A)  There exist no means to objectively determine which is the lesser of two evils. 
B)  Such justifications can be used to sanction almost any action whatsoever. 
C)  Such justifications ultimately rely on an implausible form of moral absolutism. 
D)  They inherently violate absolute and exceptionless principles of justice. 
A)  There exist no means to objectively determine which is the lesser of two evils. 
B)  Such justifications can be used to sanction almost any action whatsoever. 
C)  Such justifications ultimately rely on an implausible form of moral absolutism. 
D)  They inherently violate absolute and exceptionless principles of justice.

Question 4

Which of the following would be an objection to Metz's argument for the conclusion that the lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals?

Accepted Answer

A)  The lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because only human beings have inherent dignity. 
B)  The lives of human beings are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because animals lack legitimate autonomy. 
C)  The lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because human beings are a spiritual offshoot of God. 
D)  The lives of humans are not inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because many animals are also capable of loving, communal relationships. 
A)  The lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because only human beings have inherent dignity. 
B)  The lives of human beings are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because animals lack legitimate autonomy. 
C)  The lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because human beings are a spiritual offshoot of God. 
D)  The lives of humans are not inherently more valuable than the lives of animals because many animals are also capable of loving, communal relationships.

Question 5

Shue argues that ticking bomb cases illustrate the need to relax present legal prohibitions against torture to allow for legal torture in such extraordinary cases.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Assume that Sinnott-Armstrong is correct that individuals have no obligation to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Which of these claims would follow from that assumption?

Accepted Answer

A)  Governments have no obligation to reduce their citizens' greenhouse gas emissions. 
B)  There is nothing morally admirable about reducing your own greenhouse gas emissions. 
C)  You have no reason to reduce your own greenhouse gas emissions. 
D)  It is sometimes permissible to perform an activity although a large group of people performing that same activity will harm many people. 
A)  Governments have no obligation to reduce their citizens' greenhouse gas emissions. 
B)  There is nothing morally admirable about reducing your own greenhouse gas emissions. 
C)  You have no reason to reduce your own greenhouse gas emissions. 
D)  It is sometimes permissible to perform an activity although a large group of people performing that same activity will harm many people.

Question 7

Fetuses are like human adults in which of the following morally relevant respects, according to Marquis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fetuses have a human genetic code. 
B)  Fetuses have consciousness, empathy, emotions, self-concept, and the ability to communicate. 
C)  Fetuses have futures like ours. 
D)  Fetuses are persons. 
A)  Fetuses have a human genetic code. 
B)  Fetuses have consciousness, empathy, emotions, self-concept, and the ability to communicate. 
C)  Fetuses have futures like ours. 
D)  Fetuses are persons.

Question 8

According to Garcia, what is the difference between racially offensive speech and racist hate speech?

Accepted Answer

A)  Racially offensive speech is private speech made by individuals to their friends or acquaintances, whereas racist hate speech is a public act made in a public setting such as the workplace or legislative assembly. 
B)  Racially offensive speech must be heard by others who are insulted by its content, whereas racist hate speech can be the internal speech of one's own thoughts that one does not voice out loud. 
C)  Racially offensive speech is constituted by racist disaffection toward the welfare of a certain group, whereas racist hate speech is defined by ill will toward racist institutions and governments. 
D)  Racially offensive speech is defined by its effects and whether people were insulted by what was said, whereas racist hate speech is defined by its origins and whether it expresses racial disregard. 
A)  Racially offensive speech is private speech made by individuals to their friends or acquaintances, whereas racist hate speech is a public act made in a public setting such as the workplace or legislative assembly. 
B)  Racially offensive speech must be heard by others who are insulted by its content, whereas racist hate speech can be the internal speech of one's own thoughts that one does not voice out loud. 
C)  Racially offensive speech is constituted by racist disaffection toward the welfare of a certain group, whereas racist hate speech is defined by ill will toward racist institutions and governments. 
D)  Racially offensive speech is defined by its effects and whether people were insulted by what was said, whereas racist hate speech is defined by its origins and whether it expresses racial disregard.

Question 9

Which of the following best captures Garcia's explanation for what makes institutions racist?

Accepted Answer

A)  An institution is racist when its effects disproportionately favor or privilege one group of people over another based on their races. 
B)  An institution is racist when the leaders of that institution themselves hold racist beliefs and views. 
C)  An institution is racist when its members are exclusively or predominantly members of a single race. 
D)  An institution is racist when people give it racist aims and plans and when individual racism informs its behavior. 
A)  An institution is racist when its effects disproportionately favor or privilege one group of people over another based on their races. 
B)  An institution is racist when the leaders of that institution themselves hold racist beliefs and views. 
C)  An institution is racist when its members are exclusively or predominantly members of a single race. 
D)  An institution is racist when people give it racist aims and plans and when individual racism informs its behavior.

Question 10

According to Woollard, what strategies does Unger use to show that proximity is not morally relevant to ground a difference in our obligations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Unger appeals to our intuitive reactions on particular cases and our general moral common sense, which consists of our considered views on the morally relevant features. 
B)  Unger appeals to comprehensive moral theories such as utilitarianism and deontology to explore the scope of our obligations. 
C)  Unger appeals to experiments that survey individual opinions about whether proximity is morally relevant. 
D)  Unger uses thought experiments about different lifeboat scenarios to clarify our obligations to help others in need. 
A)  Unger appeals to our intuitive reactions on particular cases and our general moral common sense, which consists of our considered views on the morally relevant features. 
B)  Unger appeals to comprehensive moral theories such as utilitarianism and deontology to explore the scope of our obligations. 
C)  Unger appeals to experiments that survey individual opinions about whether proximity is morally relevant. 
D)  Unger uses thought experiments about different lifeboat scenarios to clarify our obligations to help others in need.

Question 11

What, according to Liu, is the morally relevant difference between racial looksism and simple looksism (e.g., finding someone physically unappealing because he or she is fat)?

Accepted Answer

According to Liu, the morally relevant d

Question 12

Singer rejects a basic principle of impartiality, universalizability, or equality and argues that you have stronger obligations to those who stand in special relationships with respect to you, such as family members and friends.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Steinbock argues that the capacity for suffering is not relevant to determining the interests of nonhuman animals.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

What is the traditional distinction between duty and charity that Singer questions?

Accepted Answer

A)  Charity is the obligation to give to organizations that help others, whereas duty is the obligation not to commit any injustices such as killing or maiming others. 
B)  Duty and charity are identical because one has the duty to be charitable, and if one is not charitable, then one has acted immorally by failing one's duty. 
C)  The charitable person is praiseworthy whereas the uncharitable person is blameworthy; in contrast, the dutiful person is moral whereas the undutiful person is immoral. 
D)  Charity is an act of generosity that is good to do but not wrong not to do, whereas duty is what we must do and what is wrong not to do. 
A)  Charity is the obligation to give to organizations that help others, whereas duty is the obligation not to commit any injustices such as killing or maiming others. 
B)  Duty and charity are identical because one has the duty to be charitable, and if one is not charitable, then one has acted immorally by failing one's duty. 
C)  The charitable person is praiseworthy whereas the uncharitable person is blameworthy; in contrast, the dutiful person is moral whereas the undutiful person is immoral. 
D)  Charity is an act of generosity that is good to do but not wrong not to do, whereas duty is what we must do and what is wrong not to do.

Question 15

Which of the following best captures the objection that using drones will lead to violations of the rules of war?

Accepted Answer

A)  The rules of war prohibit the use of uninhabited aerial vehicles for carrying out lethal military operations. Therefore, any lethal use of drones automatically constitutes a violation of the rules of war. 
B)  If commanders know that they can carry out a military operation without endangering their subordinates, they will carry out more operations. Every military operation carries a risk of jus in bello violations. Therefore, using drones will increase the number of jus in bello violations. 
C)  It is harder to tell the difference between combatants and noncombatants when using drones than when using other means of conducting military operations. Therefore, using drones increases the risk of killing noncombatants. That means that using drones will increase the number of jus in bello violations. 
D)  Drone operators will inevitably come to see their combat operations as a video game. That will lead them to take killing people, including noncombatants, less seriously than other kinds of warfighters would. Therefore, using drones will lead to more violations of the rules of war. 
A)  The rules of war prohibit the use of uninhabited aerial vehicles for carrying out lethal military operations. Therefore, any lethal use of drones automatically constitutes a violation of the rules of war. 
B)  If commanders know that they can carry out a military operation without endangering their subordinates, they will carry out more operations. Every military operation carries a risk of jus in bello violations. Therefore, using drones will increase the number of jus in bello violations. 
C)  It is harder to tell the difference between combatants and noncombatants when using drones than when using other means of conducting military operations. Therefore, using drones increases the risk of killing noncombatants. That means that using drones will increase the number of jus in bello violations. 
D)  Drone operators will inevitably come to see their combat operations as a video game. That will lead them to take killing people, including noncombatants, less seriously than other kinds of warfighters would. Therefore, using drones will lead to more violations of the rules of war.

Question 16

What does it mean, according to Metz, for a creature to have dignity? In your own words, explain how this notion relates to the concept of degradation that Metz uses to explain the wrongness of the death penalty.

Accepted Answer

According to Metz, for a creature to hav

Question 17

What, according to Thomson, does it mean to say that someone has "the right to life"? How is Thomson's view of the right to life different from other conceptions of it?

Accepted Answer

According to Thomson, to say that someon

Question 18

In your own words, state Singer's main conclusion in "All Animals Are Equal" and summarize his main argument for that conclusion.

Accepted Answer

Singer's main conclusion in "All Animals

Question 19

McMahan argues that it is sometimes morally permissible for soldiers to intentionally target people whom they know to be civilians.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

What is the point of the story Mencius tells in 1A3 about soldiers who flee from battle but laugh at those who fled even farther?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mencius wants the king to understand that unless he has perfect virtue, he does not count as having virtue at all. 
B)  Mencius is emphasizing the poor understanding of morality exhibited by the common people. 
C)  Mencius is drawing an analogy to emphasize that the king is not ruling well although he is ruling better than others. 
D)  Mencius is trying to help the king become a better general by showing him the importance of demonstrating personal courage. 
A)  Mencius wants the king to understand that unless he has perfect virtue, he does not count as having virtue at all. 
B)  Mencius is emphasizing the poor understanding of morality exhibited by the common people. 
C)  Mencius is drawing an analogy to emphasize that the king is not ruling well although he is ruling better than others. 
D)  Mencius is trying to help the king become a better general by showing him the importance of demonstrating personal courage.

Wolf argues that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide cannot be justified on the grounds of patient autonomy because:

Norcross argues that nonhuman animals satisfy the Aristotelean criterion of rationality and, therefore, it is wrong to consume them.

What, according to McMahan, is the inherent problem with "lesser evil" justifications of actions such as torture?

Which of the following would be an objection to Metz's argument for the conclusion that the lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals?

Shue argues that ticking bomb cases illustrate the need to relax present legal prohibitions against torture to allow for legal torture in such extraordinary cases.

Assume that Sinnott-Armstrong is correct that individuals have no obligation to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Which of these claims would follow from that assumption?

Fetuses are like human adults in which of the following morally relevant respects, according to Marquis?

According to Garcia, what is the difference between racially offensive speech and racist hate speech?

Which of the following best captures Garcia's explanation for what makes institutions racist?

According to Woollard, what strategies does Unger use to show that proximity is not morally relevant to ground a difference in our obligations?

What, according to Liu, is the morally relevant difference between racial looksism and simple looksism (e.g., finding someone physically unappealing because he or she is fat)?

Singer rejects a basic principle of impartiality, universalizability, or equality and argues that you have stronger obligations to those who stand in special relationships with respect to you, such as family members and friends.

Steinbock argues that the capacity for suffering is not relevant to determining the interests of nonhuman animals.

What is the traditional distinction between duty and charity that Singer questions?

Which of the following best captures the objection that using drones will lead to violations of the rules of war?

What does it mean, according to Metz, for a creature to have dignity? In your own words, explain how this notion relates to the concept of degradation that Metz uses to explain the wrongness of the death penalty.

What, according to Thomson, does it mean to say that someone has "the right to life"? How is Thomson's view of the right to life different from other conceptions of it?

In your own words, state Singer's main conclusion in "All Animals Are Equal" and summarize his main argument for that conclusion.

McMahan argues that it is sometimes morally permissible for soldiers to intentionally target people whom they know to be civilians.

What is the point of the story Mencius tells in 1A3 about soldiers who flee from battle but laugh at those who fled even farther?

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

Wolf argues that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide cannot be justified on the grounds of patient autonomy because:

Norcross argues that nonhuman animals satisfy the Aristotelean criterion of rationality and, therefore, it is wrong to consume them.

What, according to McMahan, is the inherent problem with "lesser evil" justifications of actions such as torture?

Which of the following would be an objection to Metz's argument for the conclusion that the lives of humans are inherently more valuable than the lives of animals?

Shue argues that ticking bomb cases illustrate the need to relax present legal prohibitions against torture to allow for legal torture in such extraordinary cases.

Assume that Sinnott-Armstrong is correct that individuals have no obligation to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Which of these claims would follow from that assumption?

Fetuses are like human adults in which of the following morally relevant respects, according to Marquis?

According to Garcia, what is the difference between racially offensive speech and racist hate speech?

Which of the following best captures Garcia's explanation for what makes institutions racist?

According to Woollard, what strategies does Unger use to show that proximity is not morally relevant to ground a difference in our obligations?

What, according to Liu, is the morally relevant difference between racial looksism and simple looksism (e.g., finding someone physically unappealing because he or she is fat)?

Singer rejects a basic principle of impartiality, universalizability, or equality and argues that you have stronger obligations to those who stand in special relationships with respect to you, such as family members and friends.

Steinbock argues that the capacity for suffering is not relevant to determining the interests of nonhuman animals.

What is the traditional distinction between duty and charity that Singer questions?

Which of the following best captures the objection that using drones will lead to violations of the rules of war?

What does it mean, according to Metz, for a creature to have dignity? In your own words, explain how this notion relates to the concept of degradation that Metz uses to explain the wrongness of the death penalty.

What, according to Thomson, does it mean to say that someone has "the right to life"? How is Thomson's view of the right to life different from other conceptions of it?

In your own words, state Singer's main conclusion in "All Animals Are Equal" and summarize his main argument for that conclusion.

McMahan argues that it is sometimes morally permissible for soldiers to intentionally target people whom they know to be civilians.

What is the point of the story Mencius tells in 1A3 about soldiers who flee from battle but laugh at those who fled even farther?

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