Deck 1: Morality and Moral Philosophy Wiliam K Frankena

Question 1

A sociologist would typically be most concerned with which of the following?

A) Empirical inquiry intended to describe or explain moral phenomena
B) Normative inquiry into what is right, good, and obligatory in general
C) Normative inquiry into what is right, good, and obligatory in a particular case
D) Analytical or critical inquiry into how ethical values are established or justified

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following reasons does Socrates not give for obeying the law?

A) Keep your promises.
B) The larger community usually knows best.
C) Obey one's parents and teachers.
D) Never harm others.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A typical pattern of moral reasoning involves which of the following?

A) A general moral rule or principle
B) A premise that involves a statement of fact
C) A meta-ethical question
D) Both a and b

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Frankena claims that we have begun to engage in moral philosophy when

A) we have begun to behave according to the rules of our society.
B) we have completely internalized the rules of our society.
C) we have learned to act according to our feelings.
D) we have begun to think for ourselves about moral questions.

Question 5

To say that it is always wrong to harm someone is to make which of the following kinds of claims?

A) Normative
B) Meta-ethical
C) Empirical
D) Descriptive

Question 6

Someone who reflects on whether our moral judgments have any ultimate justification is engaged in what type of inquiry?

A) Normative
B) Meta-ethical
C) Religious
D) Descriptive

Question 7

Descriptive claims are relevant to ethics because

A) facts about what humans desire determine what makes an act right.
B) facts about psychological and anthropological theories bear on some normative and meta-ethical questions.
C) facts about the past may falsify some normative theories.
D) None of the above

Question 8

Socrates believes that it is appropriate to act immorally if by doing so we can save ourselves from serious harm.

Question 9

Normative ethics has to do with what people generally think about moral issues.

Question 10

According to Frankena, moral philosophy arises when we no longer rely upon tradition to direct our behavior.

Question 11

The question "What does it mean to say that something is morally 'right' or good?" is meta-ethical.

Question 12

According to Socrates, moral questions can and should be settled by reason.

Question 13

Socrates believes that doing the right thing means doing the thing that is most likely to maximize pleasure and minimize pain in any given situation.

Question 14

Socrates gives a threefold argument to show that he ought to break the laws by escaping.

Question 15

According to the Socratic view of morality summarized by Frankena, is a person brought up by immoral parents in a corrupt society capable of making correct moral judgments? Why or why not? Do you agree?

Question 16

In defending his decision about whether to escape, Socrates offers three arguments that demonstrate a typical pattern of reasoning. Which of these arguments do you find most compelling? How might you rationally convince Socrates to change his mind?

Question 17

People commonly choose to act to conform to popular opinion. If popular opinion led to the same conclusions arrived at through moral reasoning, would it still be important to engage in moral philosophy? Why or why not? Support your answer with an example.