Deck 15: Ethical Pluralism and Absolute Moral Rules

Question 1

Write an essay explaining the difference between monistic and pluralistic approaches to ethics. Give an example of a monistic theory, and explain why it qualifies as monistic. What are the two main types of pluralistic theories? Is ethical pluralism preferable to ethical monism? Defend your answer.

Answer 1

No Answer.

Question 2

Describe the argument from disaster prevention, and explain why it is an objection to ethical absolutism. How might an absolutist reply to this argument? Do you find the argument convincing?

Answer 2

No Answer.

Question 3

What is the Doctrine of Double Effect? Describe a case in which the doctrine could be used as a source of moral guidance. Do you think the Doctrine of Double Effect gives good advice in this case? What about in general?

Answer 3

No Answer.

Question 4

Present in detail the consequentialist argument for the conclusion that moral absolutism is irrational. Do you find this argument compelling? Why or why not?

Question 5

What view do absolutists commonly hold about the moral significance of the distinction between doing and allowing? Describe a case in which their view seems to give the right ethical verdict and another case in which it seems to get things wrong. Do you think the absolutist view of this distinction can be supported? Defend your answer.

Question 6

Explain why the distinction between intention and foresight poses problems for the Doctrine of Double Effect. Develop what you take to be the most plausible account of the distinction. Does your account help the Doctrine of Double Effect avoid the problems? Explain and defend your response.

Question 7

Ethical monism is the theory that

A) there is only one fundamental moral rule, and it is absolute.
B) there is only one fundamental moral rule, and it is not absolute.
C) morality is objective and not a matter of personal opinion.
D) morality is subjective and simply a matter of personal opinion.

Question 8

According to the argument from disaster prevention

A) all moral rules are absolute.
B) every moral rule may be permissibly broken.
C) absolute moral rules may be permissibly broken.
D) All of the above

Question 9

If every moral rule may permissibly be broken in order to prevent a catastrophe, then

A) ethical pluralism is true.
B) ethical pluralism is false.
C) moral absolutism is true.
D) moral absolutism is false.

Question 10

The Doctrine of Double Effect states that

A) doing harm is always worse than allowing harm.
B) it is always wrong to intentionally harm others.
C) you are sometimes permitted to foreseeably cause certain harms, but you must never intend to cause those harms.
D) All of the above

Question 11

If the Doctrine of Double Effect is true, then

A) consequentialism is true.
B) consequentialism is false.
C) ethical pluralism is false.
D) ethical absolutism is false.

Question 12

Utilitarians and other act consequentialists maintain that two acts with identical results

A) might have different moral statuses.
B) must be morally equivalent.
C) are done with the same intention.
D) are impossible.

Question 13

What is the most serious difficulty with the Doctrine of Double Effect?

A) It seems to recommend deeply offensive actions in some circumstances.
B) It ignores the consequences of our actions.
C) We lack a clear basis for distinguishing between intention and foresight.
D) All of the above

Question 14

If two supposedly absolute moral rules conflict with each other, then

A) this generates a contradiction, which refutes the claim that both rules are absolute.
B) this generates a contradiction, and one may permissibly break either rule on that occasion.
C) this shows that ethical pluralism is false.
D) this shows that ethical absolutism is false.

Question 15

According to the text, what is the moral absolutists' best response to the argument from contradiction?

A) Deny that theories which generate a contradiction are false.
B) Maintain that absolute moral rules can be honored entirely through inaction.
C) Deny that conflicting absolute moral rules generate a contradiction.
D) Maintain that absolute moral rules sometimes have exceptions.

Question 16

According to the argument from irrationality, why are absolute moral rules irrational?

A) Because perfect obedience to any absolute moral rule can sometimes frustrate its underlying purpose
B) Because following absolute moral rules doesn't require us to appreciate why we're following them
C) Because all of the arguments for moral absolutism beg the question
D) All of the above

Question 17

The Doctrine of Doing and Allowing claims that

A) if one is morally permitted to allow a harm, then one is permitted to cause that harm directly.
B) if one is not morally permitted to do a harm, one is not permitted to allow that harm.
C) it is always morally worse to allow harm than to do the same harm.
D) it is always morally worse to do harm than to allow the same harm to occur.

Question 18

One problem for the Doctrine of Doing and Allowing is that

A) it sometimes seems worse to do harm than to allow harm.
B) it seems as though it is not always permissible to allow certain harms.
C) it is sometimes very difficult to determine whether something counts as doing or allowing.
D) All of the above

Question 19

Ethical egoism, utilitarianism, and contractarianism all fall into what family of theories?

A) Consequentialism
B) Hedonism
C) Ethical pluralism
D) Ethical monism

Question 20

What is the term for an ethical rule that may never permissibly be broken?

A) A fundamental rule
B) A monistic rule
C) An absolute rule
D) A pluralistic rule

Question 21

What does it mean to say that an ethical rule is fundamental?

A) It may never permissibly be broken.
B) Every other moral rule is derived from it.
C) It is not explained by some deeper, more basic rule.
D) All of the above

Question 22

Which of the following would an ethical pluralist not accept?

A) In questions of morality, there are no truths.
B) There is no single supreme principle of morality.
C) There is more than one fundamental moral rule.
D) Utilitarianism and ethical egoism are both false.

Question 23

What is the argument from disaster prevention supposed to show?

A) There are no absolute moral rules.
B) There are no fundamental moral rules.
C) Ethical pluralism is true.
D) Ethical pluralism is false.

Question 24

What is the term for the view that we are sometimes permitted to act in ways that foreseeably cause certain harms, even though we are never permitted to intend those harms?

A) The Doctrine of Doing and Allowing
B) Ethical pluralism
C) The Doctrine of Double Effect
D) The Intentionality Doctrine

Question 25

Suppose someone could show that any two moral rules are bound to conflict at some point. What would this show?

A) Ethical pluralism is false.
B) Ethical absolutism is false.
C) There can be, at most, only one absolute moral rule.
D) Consequentialism is true.

Question 26

In what sense is ethical absolutism sometimes thought to be irrational?

A) Adherence to absolute rules can frustrate the underlying purpose of the rules.
B) There is no evidence for the existence of objective moral rules.
C) Ethical absolutism requires assuming that one's views are right and that everyone else is wrong.
D) All of the above

Question 27

Which of the following claims states the Doctrine of Doing and Allowing?

A) It is never permissible to do harm but sometimes permissible to allow harm.
B) It is always morally worse to do harm than to allow the same harm to occur.
C) It is never permissible to allow harm but sometimes permissible to do harm.
D) It is always morally worse to allow harm than to do the same harm.

Question 28

According to the text, which of the following is a problem for the Doctrine of Doing and Allowing?

A) It is sometimes difficult to distinguish doings from allowings.
B) There seem to be cases in which allowing a harm is as bad as doing it.
C) The results of some thought experiments seem to conflict with it.
D) All of the above