Deck 19: Ethical Relativism

Question 1

What does it mean to say that an ethical standard is objective? In what ways do ethical relativists deny the objectivity of ethics, and why do you think they do so? Is morality objective? Defend your answer.

Answer 1

No Answer.

Question 2

Explain the advantages of ethical relativism. Do you think that these really are advantages? Do they give us good reason to favor ethical relativism over objectivist theories? Explain and defend your response.

Answer 2

No Answer.

Question 3

Write an essay comparing and contrasting the theories of cultural relativism and individual subjectivism. Is one of these theories more plausible than the other? Does either one provide a plausible account of morality?

Answer 3

No Answer.

Question 4

What is moral progress? Why is moral progress impossible if ethical relativism is true? How serious of a problem is this for the theory?

Question 5

Do relativism and subjectivism generate contradictions? Why might someone accuse the theories of doing so? How could a relativist or subjectivist respond?

Question 6

Define the notion of an ideal observer, and explain the role that ideal observers could play in a modified version of subjectivism. How does invoking ideal observers solve some of the traditional problems for subjectivism? What new problems do ideal observer theories face?

Question 7

Moral skepticism is

A) the view that there are no objective moral standards.
B) the denial that our culture's moral code is correct.
C) the denial that our individual moral beliefs are always correct.
D) the view that the same moral standards apply to everyone.

Question 8

Moral nihilists believe that

A) all moral truths are relative to a culture.
B) all moral truths are relative to an individual.
C) there are moral truths, but we cannot know them.
D) there are no moral truths.

Question 9

All ethical relativists agree that

A) there are no moral truths.
B) moral truths are determined by individuals.
C) moral truths are determined by society.
D) None of the above

Question 10

According to ethical subjectivism, whether an act is right or wrong is determined by

A) the consequences of the action.
B) personal approval.
C) cultural approval.
D) All of the above

Question 11

According to ethical subjectivism, what is intrinsically valuable?

A) Whatever you think is intrinsically valuable
B) Whatever society thinks is intrinsically valuable
C) Your own opinions
D) Nothing

Question 12

If ethical subjectivism is true, then one's deepest moral commitments are

A) always right.
B) sometimes right and sometimes wrong, depending on the person.
C) usually wrong.
D) always wrong.

Question 13

According to ethical subjectivism, questioning whether your moral commitments are right is

A) impossible.
B) nonsensical.
C) important.
D) inconsequential.

Question 14

According to ethical subjectivism,

A) things are good simply because we like them.
B) we often like things because they are good.
C) whether something is good is independent of whether we like it.
D) there are no truths about what is good.

Question 15

If cultural relativism is true, then

A) cultures can make moral progress, but individuals cannot.
B) individuals can make moral progress, but cultures cannot.
C) both individuals and cultures can make moral progress.
D) neither individuals nor cultures can make moral progress.

Question 16

If ethical subjectivism does not generate contradictions, then moral disagreement

A) is widespread.
B) is rare.
C) is impossible.
D) is immoral.

Question 17

The problem of contradiction applies to

A) ethical subjectivism.
B) cultural relativism.
C) Both of the above
D) None of the above

Question 18

According to ideal observer subjectivism, an action is morally right if

A) I approve of it.
B) a third party would approve of it.
C) everyone approves of it.
D) I would approve of it if I were fully informed and perfectly rational.

Question 19

Which of the following would the ethical objectivist accept?

A) Morality is determined by the guiding ideals of a society.
B) Morality is determined by personal opinion.
C) There are no moral truths at all.
D) None of the above

Question 20

Which of the following would a cultural relativist accept?

A) Morality is determined by the guiding ideals of a society.
B) Morality is determined by personal opinion.
C) There are no moral truths at all.
D) None of the above

Question 21

Which of the following is not a version of moral skepticism?

A) Moral nihilism
B) Ethical objectivism
C) Ethical subjectivism
D) Cultural relativism

Question 22

According to ethical subjectivism, what is the relationship between a thing being good and someone approving of it?

A) The only reason people approve of things is because those things are good.
B) Whether something is good is independent of whether anyone approves of it.
C) Good people approve of good things, whereas bad people approve of bad things.
D) Things are good only because people approve of them.

Question 23

If cultural relativism is true, what happens when the moral code of a society changes?

A) Such changes always indicate moral progress.
B) Such changes only rarely indicate moral progress.
C) Such changes never indicate moral progress.
D) It is impossible for a society's moral code to change, according to cultural relativism.

Question 24

If I say, "The death penalty is immoral," what does this mean, according to ethical subjectivism?

A) The death penalty is objectively morally wrong.
B) My society disapproves of the death penalty.
C) I disapprove of the death penalty.
D) This claim is meaningless, according to ethical subjectivism.

Question 25

What is an ideal observer?

A) A fair third party who negotiates disputes
B) An improved version of oneself who is fully informed and perfectly rational
C) Someone who comes to moral verdicts by using thought experiments
D) None of the above

Question 26

According to the text, what is the most serious problem for ideal observer subjectivism?

A) Ideal observers would approve of things because they were good and not vice versa.
B) It cannot account for moral disagreement.
C) It makes moral progress impossible.
D) It makes questioning one's own commitments pointless.