Question 1

Which of the following best captures Mencius's argument in 2A6 that everyone has the capacity to become virtuous?

Accepted Answer

A)  Even someone who feels no compassion when seeing a child about to fall down a well will see some reason to help the child, even if it is a selfish one. Actually saving the child, however, will make people feel good about themselves, which will lead them to do more good things in the future. Thus, anyone can become virtuous, even if they have no virtuous motivations now. 
B)  Only someone who wants to save a child from a well out of compassion is truly virtuous. Wanting to save the child for the sake of profit or fame is not virtuous. Therefore, everyone has the capacity to become virtuous. 
C)  Someone who lacks feelings of compassion and shame is not human. Therefore, all humans have the feelings of compassion and shame. Therefore, all humans have the capacity to become virtuous. 
D)  Anyone who sees a child about to fall down a well will naturally feel an urge to save the child, simply out of compassion. This shows that everyone has the natural capacity to feel compassion. Cultivating compassion leads to benevolence. The same goes for other virtues. Therefore, everyone has the capacity to develop virtues. 
A)  Even someone who feels no compassion when seeing a child about to fall down a well will see some reason to help the child, even if it is a selfish one. Actually saving the child, however, will make people feel good about themselves, which will lead them to do more good things in the future. Thus, anyone can become virtuous, even if they have no virtuous motivations now. 
B)  Only someone who wants to save a child from a well out of compassion is truly virtuous. Wanting to save the child for the sake of profit or fame is not virtuous. Therefore, everyone has the capacity to become virtuous. 
C)  Someone who lacks feelings of compassion and shame is not human. Therefore, all humans have the feelings of compassion and shame. Therefore, all humans have the capacity to become virtuous. 
D)  Anyone who sees a child about to fall down a well will naturally feel an urge to save the child, simply out of compassion. This shows that everyone has the natural capacity to feel compassion. Cultivating compassion leads to benevolence. The same goes for other virtues. Therefore, everyone has the capacity to develop virtues.

Question 2

Wolf claims that arguments against physician-assisted suicide are often premised on the likely consequences of permitting physicians to assist in suicide. Identify these allegedly likely consequences and explain how they support the conclusion that physician-assisted suicide should be forbidden.

Accepted Answer

The allegedly likely consequences of per

Question 3

According to Wolf, there is no significant risk of error or abuse in allowing for physician-assisted suicide.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Assume McMahan is correct in rejecting moral absolutism. Which of the following claims could then be inferred?

Accepted Answer

A)  No type of action is inherently forbidden in principle. 
B)  All actions are equally permissible in practice. 
C)  Torture is permissible in practice as well as in principle. 
D)  Actions are morally justified based on cost-benefit analysis. 
A)  No type of action is inherently forbidden in principle. 
B)  All actions are equally permissible in practice. 
C)  Torture is permissible in practice as well as in principle. 
D)  Actions are morally justified based on cost-benefit analysis.

Question 5

Thomas argues that all that is needed to eliminate bias from hiring decisions is a change in people's beliefs, which are currently racist and sexist.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

What is a hypothetical imperative?

Accepted Answer

A)  A principle that tells you what to do if you want to accomplish a particular goal. 
B)  A principle that tells you what to do in a specific situation, rather than as a general rule. 
C)  A principle that tells you what to do regardless of the desires or interests you happen to have. 
D)  A suggestion for a command that you might give yourself if it passes the test of morality. 
A)  A principle that tells you what to do if you want to accomplish a particular goal. 
B)  A principle that tells you what to do in a specific situation, rather than as a general rule. 
C)  A principle that tells you what to do regardless of the desires or interests you happen to have. 
D)  A suggestion for a command that you might give yourself if it passes the test of morality.

Question 7

Metz argues that the notion of ubuntu cannot be used to argue against the death penalty because this would implausibly imply that deadly force is never justified.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Why does Norcross discuss Steinbock's argument about speciesism in his paper?

Accepted Answer

A)  Norcross uses Steinbock's claim about nonhuman animals as a premise to support the claim that nonhuman animals feel pain. 
B)  Norcross uses Steinbock as an example of philosophers who attempt to prioritize human interests over nonhuman animals' interests by appeal to their lack of rationality. 
C)  Norcross interprets Steinbock as justifying Fred's torture of puppies by appealing to their inability to feel pain. 
D)  Norcross argues that Steinbock is merely rephrasing the Texan's Challenge. 
A)  Norcross uses Steinbock's claim about nonhuman animals as a premise to support the claim that nonhuman animals feel pain. 
B)  Norcross uses Steinbock as an example of philosophers who attempt to prioritize human interests over nonhuman animals' interests by appeal to their lack of rationality. 
C)  Norcross interprets Steinbock as justifying Fred's torture of puppies by appealing to their inability to feel pain. 
D)  Norcross argues that Steinbock is merely rephrasing the Texan's Challenge.

Question 9

Explain in your own words Nell's reasons for claiming that there may be unjustifiable killings in both sufficiency situations and scarcity situations.

Accepted Answer

Nell claims that there may be unjustifia

Question 10

Warren argues that although a fetus is a person, it is not a member of the moral community, which means that abortion is morally permissible.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

According to Estes, reciprocal desire does not require the sexual goals and expectations of partners to be complementary or that partners attempt to satisfy those goals and expectations.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

How does Bentham think that his method for calculating the value of a pleasure or pain compares to the way people normally calculate the value of something?

Accepted Answer

A)  His method is an innovation that will replace the misguided way that people have previously used to calculate the value of anything. 
B)  His method is the application to ethics of the new methods being developed by the early economists of Bentham's day. 
C)  His method is one among many existing methods for calculating values, each of which is useful for certain purposes. 
D)  His method is essentially the same as the method people use to calculate the value of anything. 
A)  His method is an innovation that will replace the misguided way that people have previously used to calculate the value of anything. 
B)  His method is the application to ethics of the new methods being developed by the early economists of Bentham's day. 
C)  His method is one among many existing methods for calculating values, each of which is useful for certain purposes. 
D)  His method is essentially the same as the method people use to calculate the value of anything.

Question 13

Which of the following is the best example of a morally relevant human capacity, according to Steinbock?

Accepted Answer

A)  The capacity for suffering and enjoyment. 
B)  The capacity to reproduce. 
C)  The capacity for sensory experience. 
D)  The capacity to be held responsible for their actions. 
A)  The capacity for suffering and enjoyment. 
B)  The capacity to reproduce. 
C)  The capacity for sensory experience. 
D)  The capacity to be held responsible for their actions.

Question 14

Why does Thomson discuss opponents of abortion, who argue that since the fetus is a person with the right to life, and since abortion is a violation of that right, abortion is impermissible?

Accepted Answer

A)  Thomson argues that a fetus is not a person. 
B)  Thomson argues that a fetus is a person. 
C)  Thomson argues that the fetus lacks the right to life. 
D)  Thomson argues that abortion does not necessarily violate the right to life. 
A)  Thomson argues that a fetus is not a person. 
B)  Thomson argues that a fetus is a person. 
C)  Thomson argues that the fetus lacks the right to life. 
D)  Thomson argues that abortion does not necessarily violate the right to life.

Question 15

How does the idea of justice create a problem for utilitarianism? How does Mill try to resolve that problem?

Accepted Answer

The idea of justice creates a problem fo

Question 16

Garcia thinks that racism fundamentally involves our beliefs and their rationality or irrationality.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Eaton argues that many of the harms that pornography could cause should be addressed through state intervention, such as censorship.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Nathanson argues that "payback" retributivism is not an adequate account of moral desert because:

Accepted Answer

A)  It implausibly entails that extremely barbaric crimes should be punished extremely barbarically. 
B)  It focuses too strongly on the actual intentions, motives, and circumstances of the criminal. 
C)  It entails that an individual cannot deserve the death penalty for a crime other than murder. 
D)  It provides a circular, question-begging justification for one's being deserving a punishment. 
A)  It implausibly entails that extremely barbaric crimes should be punished extremely barbarically. 
B)  It focuses too strongly on the actual intentions, motives, and circumstances of the criminal. 
C)  It entails that an individual cannot deserve the death penalty for a crime other than murder. 
D)  It provides a circular, question-begging justification for one's being deserving a punishment.

Question 19

Why does the Dougherty discuss in this paper the Chihuahua case in which Aisha deceives him into letting her Chihuahua into his apartment by claiming her dog is a Great Dane although he hates Chihuahua?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dougherty uses this case to support the claim that there is no morally relevant distinction between core and periphery features in sexual encounters. 
B)  Dougherty uses this case to argue that it is relevantly similar to cases of deceiving someone into sex and that both are wrong. 
C)  Dougherty is reporting on moral theories about agreements that have been offered by philosophers. 
D)  Dougherty uses this case to object to the harm explanation. 
A)  Dougherty uses this case to support the claim that there is no morally relevant distinction between core and periphery features in sexual encounters. 
B)  Dougherty uses this case to argue that it is relevantly similar to cases of deceiving someone into sex and that both are wrong. 
C)  Dougherty is reporting on moral theories about agreements that have been offered by philosophers. 
D)  Dougherty uses this case to object to the harm explanation.

Question 20

Which of the following would count as an objection to Eaton's argument that feminists should employ the methods of epidemiology in their analysis of pornography's harms?

Accepted Answer

A)  Feminists are not trained in the scientific methods of epidemiology and so would not be able to employ them when analyzing pornography's harms. 
B)  Since pornography's causal relationship to its harms are deterministic, the methods of epidemiology that employ a probabilistic conception of causation would be unhelpful in analyzing pornography's harms. 
C)  The methods of epidemiology cannot be used to analyze pornography's harms because this does not rule out the fact that the harms of gender inequity may themselves be what causes people's interest in pornography in the first place. 
D)  Since pornography is not a disease but a phenomenon created by humans, pornography's harms could be better analyzed using scientific methods in the social sciences such as sociology while still employing a probabilistic conception of causation. 
A)  Feminists are not trained in the scientific methods of epidemiology and so would not be able to employ them when analyzing pornography's harms. 
B)  Since pornography's causal relationship to its harms are deterministic, the methods of epidemiology that employ a probabilistic conception of causation would be unhelpful in analyzing pornography's harms. 
C)  The methods of epidemiology cannot be used to analyze pornography's harms because this does not rule out the fact that the harms of gender inequity may themselves be what causes people's interest in pornography in the first place. 
D)  Since pornography is not a disease but a phenomenon created by humans, pornography's harms could be better analyzed using scientific methods in the social sciences such as sociology while still employing a probabilistic conception of causation.

Which of the following best captures Mencius's argument in 2A6 that everyone has the capacity to become virtuous?

Wolf claims that arguments against physician-assisted suicide are often premised on the likely consequences of permitting physicians to assist in suicide. Identify these allegedly likely consequences and explain how they support the conclusion that physician-assisted suicide should be forbidden.

According to Wolf, there is no significant risk of error or abuse in allowing for physician-assisted suicide.

Assume McMahan is correct in rejecting moral absolutism. Which of the following claims could then be inferred?

Thomas argues that all that is needed to eliminate bias from hiring decisions is a change in people's beliefs, which are currently racist and sexist.

What is a hypothetical imperative?

Metz argues that the notion of ubuntu cannot be used to argue against the death penalty because this would implausibly imply that deadly force is never justified.

Why does Norcross discuss Steinbock's argument about speciesism in his paper?

Explain in your own words Nell's reasons for claiming that there may be unjustifiable killings in both sufficiency situations and scarcity situations.

Warren argues that although a fetus is a person, it is not a member of the moral community, which means that abortion is morally permissible.

According to Estes, reciprocal desire does not require the sexual goals and expectations of partners to be complementary or that partners attempt to satisfy those goals and expectations.

How does Bentham think that his method for calculating the value of a pleasure or pain compares to the way people normally calculate the value of something?

Which of the following is the best example of a morally relevant human capacity, according to Steinbock?

Why does Thomson discuss opponents of abortion, who argue that since the fetus is a person with the right to life, and since abortion is a violation of that right, abortion is impermissible?

How does the idea of justice create a problem for utilitarianism? How does Mill try to resolve that problem?

Garcia thinks that racism fundamentally involves our beliefs and their rationality or irrationality.

Eaton argues that many of the harms that pornography could cause should be addressed through state intervention, such as censorship.

Nathanson argues that "payback" retributivism is not an adequate account of moral desert because:

Why does the Dougherty discuss in this paper the Chihuahua case in which Aisha deceives him into letting her Chihuahua into his apartment by claiming her dog is a Great Dane although he hates Chihuahua?

Which of the following would count as an objection to Eaton's argument that feminists should employ the methods of epidemiology in their analysis of pornography's harms?

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

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

Which of the following best captures Mencius's argument in 2A6 that everyone has the capacity to become virtuous?

Wolf claims that arguments against physician-assisted suicide are often premised on the likely consequences of permitting physicians to assist in suicide. Identify these allegedly likely consequences and explain how they support the conclusion that physician-assisted suicide should be forbidden.

According to Wolf, there is no significant risk of error or abuse in allowing for physician-assisted suicide.

Assume McMahan is correct in rejecting moral absolutism. Which of the following claims could then be inferred?

Thomas argues that all that is needed to eliminate bias from hiring decisions is a change in people's beliefs, which are currently racist and sexist.

What is a hypothetical imperative?

Metz argues that the notion of ubuntu cannot be used to argue against the death penalty because this would implausibly imply that deadly force is never justified.

Why does Norcross discuss Steinbock's argument about speciesism in his paper?

Explain in your own words Nell's reasons for claiming that there may be unjustifiable killings in both sufficiency situations and scarcity situations.

Warren argues that although a fetus is a person, it is not a member of the moral community, which means that abortion is morally permissible.

According to Estes, reciprocal desire does not require the sexual goals and expectations of partners to be complementary or that partners attempt to satisfy those goals and expectations.

How does Bentham think that his method for calculating the value of a pleasure or pain compares to the way people normally calculate the value of something?

Which of the following is the best example of a morally relevant human capacity, according to Steinbock?

Why does Thomson discuss opponents of abortion, who argue that since the fetus is a person with the right to life, and since abortion is a violation of that right, abortion is impermissible?

How does the idea of justice create a problem for utilitarianism? How does Mill try to resolve that problem?

Garcia thinks that racism fundamentally involves our beliefs and their rationality or irrationality.

Eaton argues that many of the harms that pornography could cause should be addressed through state intervention, such as censorship.

Nathanson argues that "payback" retributivism is not an adequate account of moral desert because:

Why does the Dougherty discuss in this paper the Chihuahua case in which Aisha deceives him into letting her Chihuahua into his apartment by claiming her dog is a Great Dane although he hates Chihuahua?

Which of the following would count as an objection to Eaton's argument that feminists should employ the methods of epidemiology in their analysis of pornography's harms?

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