Deck 2: Moral Relativism

Question 1

Subjectivism and relativism _______ nonmoral normative realms like laws or etiquette.

A) address
B) do not address
C) are based on
D) completely dictate

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The idea that people or groups may sometimes differ regarding their moral beliefs and practices is compatible with

A) objectivism.
B) relativism.
C) subjectivism.
D) All of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A major objection to subjectivism is that

A) every person in a group is bound by the same moral standard of that group.
B) it makes morality largely meaningless, unable to fulfill its function.
C) it relies heavily on religious concepts.
D) it values certain moral standards more highly than others.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

It seems that relativism could allow anything to be morally right as long as

A) it is not morally evil.
B) at least a few reformers consider it right.
C) a society's majority consider it right.
D) all of society considers it right.

Question 5

A person or group can reasonably try to implement moral reforms if _______ is true.

A) objectivism
B) their chosen moral standard
C) relativism
D) subjectivism

Question 6

After carefully considering the true nature of tolerance, it becomes clear that tolerance requires that we never

A) disagree with each other about any moral issue.
B) present arguments and reasons against another group's moral beliefs.
C) interfere with what others do, no matter what that might be.
D) None of the above

Question 7

Relativism maintains that

A) different moral standards can hold for different people belonging to the same undivided social group.
B) the same moral standard holds for everyone in the same social group regardless of their beliefs.
C) there is only one universal moral standard, which holds for all.
D) None of the above

Question 8

Relativism, objectivism and subjectivism are viewpoints

A) that suggest what is right or wrong.
B) about morality and about moral standards.
C) that can coexist.
D) concerned with cultural differences in non-moral values as well as moral values.

Question 9

The fact that in many modern societies, a single person can belong to several different subcultures at once creates a problem regarding

A) social groups.
B) moral progress.
C) reformers.
D) making anything right.

Question 10

Which is the most accurate claim?

A) Relativism cannot support intolerance.
B) Relativism can support both tolerance and intolerance.
C) Neither tolerance nor intolerance gets any support from relativism.
D) Relativism and tolerance are mutually exclusive.

Question 11

Wong's pluralistic relativism would probably include within the common moral core a principle that

A) forbids murder.
B) forbids eating with your hands.
C) requires everyone to drive in the right lane of a two-way street.
D) requires that one always remain totally loyal to one's family members regardless of what they do.

Question 12

Objectivism

A) requires that people all act the same way no matter the circumstances.
B) can allow circumstances to make a difference in how one ought to act.
C) allows for different moral principles to hold for different groups.
D) allows for different moral principles to hold for different people.

Question 13

Moral subjectivism is the view that there

A) is one correct moral standard that holds for all within a society.
B) is one correct moral standard that holds for all, everywhere, no matter the circumstances.
C) can be several equally correct moral standards for different societies.
D) can be many equally correct moral standards for different persons within a single society.

Question 14

If subjectivism were true, then

A) one's moral standard could change over time.
B) concepts such as justice, fairness, and rights would be very hard to make sense of.
C) Both of the above
D) Neither of the above

Question 15

Objectivism entails that

A) a moral standard exists that holds for all persons, regardless of their beliefs or culture.
B) moral standards can be different for different persons.
C) moral standards can vary from one cultural group to another.
D) what is right depends on what you believe.

Question 16

The Callatians and the Greeks agreed on one very important thing:

A) cannibalism is morally wrong.
B) it is morally appropriate to honor the dead.
C) the dead should be buried.
D) once someone is dead, anything can be done to dispose of their body.

Question 17

The problem of _______ argues that accepting relativism makes talking about reform with respect to, say, racial discrimination, utterly useless.

A) tolerance
B) anything being made right
C) social groups
D) moral progress

Question 18

Given relativism, if society widely accepts tolerance as a moral standard, then

A) all in that society are bound to be tolerant.
B) all in that society are bound to be tolerant, except moral reformers.
C) all other societies must hold the value of tolerance as well.
D) it will become clear that subjectivism is true as well.

Question 19

The fact that people can vary regarding what might violate their person conscience

A) proves that subjectivism is correct.
B) is something that objectivism might well be able to handle.
C) shows that people are wrong about what their consciences tell them.
D) suggests that humans are inherently immoral.

Question 20

A moral principle that says people should not do what goes against their consciences

A) proves subjectivism is correct.
B) can be a principle within objectivism.
C) is too relative to be compatible objectivism.
D) None of the above

Question 21

Objectivism tells us that stealing and murder are morally wrong.

Question 22

Cultural relativism does not require that everyone in a group always act the same regardless of their circumstances.

Question 23

The sort of mild relativism recommended by Wong includes both objective and relativistic moral components.

Question 24

It is possible for objectivism, relativism, or subjectivism to be true, but it is not possible for any combination of these to be true.

Question 25

The general strategy of most arguments against relativism first imagines that relativism is true and then considers the acceptability of what it leads us to.

Question 26

Suppose that a society's widespread acceptance of a moral principle can indeed make that principle hold for people of that society. Then the society's majority could never be mistaken about anything moral-the majority would be morally infallible in this way.

Question 27

There is empirical evidence that life experiences shape behaviors, beliefs, values, and practices, including moral ones.

Question 28

Wong's pluralistic relativism is no different from either objectivism or relativism as first presented.

Question 29

Different social groups may differ in some moral beliefs while also sharing many others. The widely shared beliefs are probably rooted in human nature while the differences probably reflect distinctive characteristics of the groups.