Deck : Part II Introduction: Ethical Theories and Perspectives

Question 1

An acceptable ethical theory should have good explanatory power. This amounts to:

A) saying something about everything in morality.
B) being useful in real-life applications.
C) helping us understand what makes something right or wrong.
D) agreeing with our deepest moral intuitions.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Unless an ethical theory is well-confirmed morally, it is unacceptable. Moral confirmation includes:

A) saying something about everything in morality.
B) being useful in real-life applications.
C) helping us understand what makes something right or wrong.
D) agreeing with our deepest moral intuitions.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Practicability requires that an ethical theory achieve all of the following, except

A) provide clear, not vague guidance.
B) be useful to us even with our limited knowledge.
C) tell us what makes things right or wrong.
D) resolve dilemmas.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

If a moral theory starts telling us what we must wear or gives us other morally irrelevant prescriptions, then it has a problem with

A) moral confirmation.
B) explanatory power.
C) practicability.
D) completeness.

Question 5

Suppose a computer program could immediately answer any of our questions about what is good or bad, right or wrong with perfect accuracy, but not do anything else. This program would lack

A) moral confirmation.
B) explanatory power.
C) practicability.
D) completeness.

Question 6

Suppose a theory generates prescriptions that directly conflict with each other yet gives no way to determine which should be followed. This theory has a problem with

A) completeness.
B) practicability.
C) explanatory power.
D) moral confirmation.

Question 7

A moral theory that approves torturing innocents or allows widespread dishonesty would fail at which criterion?

A) completeness.
B) practicability.
C) explanatory power.
D) moral confirmation.

Question 8

"How do people form their beliefs about moral right and wrong?" and "What makes something right or wrong?" ultimately ask the same thing.

Question 9

It is more important for an ethical theory to address how people form their moral beliefs than what makes something right or wrong.

Question 10

One of the aspects of practicability has to do with a theory's providing moral guidance that is clear, precise, and not overly vague.