Moral Issues 40 Multiple Choice Questions

Moral Issues Exam 1 The relevant sections of the textbook for this exam are: Introduction, chapters 1 through 4 Part I. Instructions: Type the letter of the best answer in the blank to the left of the number. ___c__1. a. b. c. d. The area of moral philosophy known as “value theory” includes questions such as: Is morality objective? What do we owe to each other? What kind of life is most worth living? How do we know which actions are morally right? __b___2. a. b. c. d. The question “do the ends justify the means?” falls within the area of value theory. normative ethics. metaethics. moral psychology. ___d__3.The claim that morality is a human invention and therefore not objective is a claim about a. applied ethics. b. value theory. c. normative ethics. d. metaethics. __d___4. Skepticism about morality is a. a position that no one has ever argued for. b. nearly universally accepted. c. nearly universally rejected. d. deeply controversial. ___a__5. Which of the following questions falls within the domain of metaethics? a. What is the status of moral claims and advice? b. What are our fundamental moral duties? c. Do the ends always justify the means? d. What is the good life? ___d__6. Which of the following claims falls within the domain of value theory? a. Morality is objective. b. Moral knowledge is impossible. c. The right thing to do is whatever maximizes happiness. d. The only thing that matters in order to live well is to get what you want. __b___7. What area of moral philosophy deals with questions about what our moral obligations are? a. value theory b. normative ethics c. metaethics d. moral epistemology ___g__8. Which of the following commonly motivates people to be skeptical about morality? e. the existence of moral disagreement f. the belief that science is the only way of discovering truth g. the view that all moral rules have exceptions h. all of the above __c___9. GetÝng a vaccine that prevents illness is an example of something that is . . . a. instrumentally valuable. b. intrinsically valuable. c. Both a. and b. d. None of the above. __b___10. If something is intrinsically valuable, then it must . . . a. bring about other good things. b. be valuable for its own sake. c. be recognized to be valuable by everyone, not just some people. d. be attainable by everyone. ___a__11. According to hedonism, the key ingredient to a good life is . . . a. happiness. b. getÝng what you want. c. doing God's will. d. being kind to others. ___c__12. An example of atÝtudinal pleasure would be . . . a. scratching an itch. b. the delicious sensation of eating chocolate cake. c. the enjoyment of listening to your favorite song. d. the feeling of a good massage. __d___13. Hedonists believe that . . . a. pleasure is not very important to having a good life. b. physical pleasure and atÝtudinal pleasure are equally valuable. c. physical pleasure is more important than atÝtudinal pleasure. d. atÝtudinal pleasure is more important than physical pleasure. __c___14. The area of moral philosophy known as “value theory” includes questions such as . . . a. Is morality objective? b. Do moral facts exist? c. What kind of life is most worth living? d. How do we know which actions are morally right? __b___15. The paradox of hedonism states that . . . a. the happier you are, the happier you make those around you. b. directly seeking happiness is often self-defeating. c. it is impossible to be both morally good and happy at the same time. d. many people who achieve all their goals remain unhappy. ___d__16. According to the argument from evil pleasures . . . a. hedonism implies that happiness that comes from evil deeds is good. b. happiness that comes from evil deeds is not as good as happiness that comes from good deeds. c. hedonism is false. d. All of the above. ___a__17. Ross's “Two Worlds” objection asks us to imagine two worlds that are alike in_____ and differ in _____. a. total happiness; whether people are virtuous or vicious. b. whether people are virtuous or vicious; total happiness. c. total happiness; whether hedonism is true. d. whether hedonism is true; total happiness. ___b__18. Hedonism is a theory about the value of . . . a. worlds. b. lives for the people who lead them. c. actions from the moral point of view. d. All of the above. __c___19. Nozick’s experience machine thought experiment is supposed to show that happiness is less valuable if it is based on . . . a. immorality. b. selfishness. c. false beliefs. d. trivial hobbies. __b___20. According to the text, the problem with the Paradox of Hedonism Argument is that . . . a. it is invalid. b. it is questionable whether hedonism implies that it is rational to directly pursue happiness. c. it is questionable whether directly pursuing happiness is rational. d. None of the above. __c___21. According to hedonism, happiness is . . . a. always more valuable at the beginning of one's life. b. always more valuable at the end of one's life. c. equally valuable at all times in one's life. d. more or less valuable at different times depending on the “trajectory” of one's life. ___d__22. If happiness always makes us better off, then hedonism . . . a. must be true. b. must be false. c. might be true but only if other things make us better off as well. d. might still be false if other things make us better off as well. ___d__23. According to hedonism . . . a. there are many different ways to live a good life. b. what is good for us is largely a matter of personal choice. c. most rules for living a good life have exceptions. d. all of the above. ___a__24. Some people enjoy their own physical pain in certain circumstances. Hedonists would say . . . a. that their physical pain is good for them in those circumstances. b. that their physical pain is always bad for them. c. that their physical pain in those circumstances is both good and bad. d. that the situation just described is impossible. __b___25. The fact that we don't want our (cognitively normal) loved ones to get lobotomies . . . a. is often cited in arguments in favor of hedonism. b. is often cited in arguments that are critical of hedonism. c. is often cited as evidence that hedonism is true. d. None of the above. ___d__26. According to the desire satisfaction theory of welfare something is intrinsically good for you a. if it satisfies your desires. b. only if it satisfies your desires. c. because it satisfies your desires. d. all of the above ___c__27. If the desire satisfaction theory is true, then health, wealth, and happiness are a. always intrinsically valuable whether or not you want them. b. intrinsically valuable if they help to satisfy your desires. c. instrumentally valuable if they help to satisfy your desires. d. always instrumentally valuable whether or not you want them. ___b__28. Desire satisfaction theorists think that no one can have a good life without a. believing the desire theory to be true. b. happiness. c. being devoted to some single thing. d. none of the above ___a__29. According to the desire satisfaction theory, getÝng what you want makes a. you intrinsically better off. b. you intrinsically better off only if it makes you happy. c. everyone intrinsically better off. d. everyone intrinsically better off if it creates more pleasure than pain. __c___30. A theory of well-being is an objective theory if and only if it claims a. to be true. b. to find a single ingredient (e.g., desire satisfaction) that is essential to a good life. c. that certain things are good for us independently of our desires and opinions. d. that welfare is to be found in material possessions rather than psychological states. ___a__31. According to the desire satisfaction theory, desire satisfaction is ____________ for becoming better off. a. necessary b. sufÏcient c. both a and b d. neither a nor b ___a__32. A pleasant surprise is an example of something that a. makes someone better off but does not satisfy any existing desire. b. satisfies a desire but does not make someone better off. c. satisfies a desire and makes someone better off. d. neither satisfies a desire nor makes someone better off. ___d__33. One example that shows that desire satisfaction is not necessary for becoming better off is the a. case of desires based on false beliefs. b. case of impoverished desires. c. paradox of self-harm. d. vaccination of small children. __b___34. According to the text, the satisfaction of a desire based on a false belief a. always makes us better off. b. does not always make us better off. c. always makes us worse off. d. is impossible. ____c_35. Informed desires are those desires that a. are based on technical scientific knowledge. b. have been instilled in us by our society. c. are not based on false beliefs. d. we have been told about by someone else. __b___36. A desire for distant strangers to flourish is an example of a(n) __________ desire. a. uninformed b. disinterested c. impoverished d. none of the above __c___37. Self-regarding desires are those desires that a. are genuinely your own. b. are not based on any false beliefs. c. concern only yourself. d. make you happy when they’re satisfied. __a___38. According to the desire satisfaction theory, a. no desire is intrinsically better than any other. b. desire satisfaction is good for us but only when it makes us happy. c. some things are objectively valuable. d. all of the above __b___39. The satisfaction of even informed, self-interested desires doesn’t seem to benefit us when a. we don’t know the desire has been satisfied. b. the desire was not formed autonomously. c. the desire is merely a passing fancy. d. all of the above __d___40. Impoverished desires pose a problem for desire theory because a. setÝng your sights low does not seem to make you better off. b. a satisfied slave does not seem to have a good life. c. many of our desires are shaped by the way we’ve been raised. d. all of the above “Shortish” answer instructions: Respond to all of the following with no more than five beautiful, precise, accurate, clear, and complete sentences (i.e. no fragments, bullets, semicolon abuse, etc.). Type your answers in the space below each question. Very Important instruction below! Use your own words. Do not quote from the textbook or other published sources (in print, online, or any other source). A grade reduction or an (F) for the assignment will result from failure to follow this instruction. 1. What is Hedonism? Hedonism is based on the belief that the more pleasure and the lesser pain that a person experiences during life, the better it is. In other words, a person living life on the principles of a hedonistic lifestyle could argue that seeking pleasurable experiences while reducing the painful, uncomfortable and distressing ones is simply the way to a happier life and well-being. 2. Explain Ross’ “Two Worlds” argument against Hedonism. British philosopher William Ross presents an argument against Hedonism known as “Two Worlds”. Here, he argues that two worlds – both containing a similar amount of happiness and misery on the contrary. Next, Ross portrays that one world only has virtuous people while the other world solely consists of vicious people. Ultimately, believers in Hedonism state that these two worlds would be equally good and Ross has thereby proven them wrong. 3. How can the Hedonist respond to Ross’ argument in #2? A Hedonist might respond to Ross’ argument by explaining that people with high moral values tend to make other people happy. At the same time, of course, people with vicious and evil traits would make other people more unhappy and miserable. A Hedonist would argue that this is in fact what truly separates the two worlds and differentiates them despite the fact that they might contain equal amounts of happiness and misery. 4. What is Autonomy? As human beings, we strive to make our own decisions independently and be our own selves without feeling the pressing influence of others trying to decide this for us. It’s the practice of our own freedom of choice and will despite the fact that this desire may have serious consequences such as pain and misery. Thereby, in my opinion, free will is an essential factor in the good life. This idea is known as Autonomy. 5. Why do critics of Hedonism think Autonomy is not properly valued by Hedonism? Critics of Hedonism believe that Hedonism fails to truly recognize the importance of Autonomy. If we simply imagine a society where the ability to make our own choices and exercise free will has been robbed from us, we would be living in misery. It would be worse than a life in prison. Therefore, critics believe that happiness is not the only thing that necessary on its own to live a good life – so is Autonomy which Hedonism doesn’t put enough value into. 6. Suppose that a philosopher argues that X is a necessary condition for promoting your own well-being. How could you prove this claim to be false? (Just in general, don’t use a particular example.) Generally speaking, I could argue that X would not be necessary for promoting my well-being. This condition would exemplify the first argument of the Desire Satisfaction Theory where X would be intrinsically good for me by helping to satisfy my desire of well-being and being better off. However, I could counterargue this claim by explaining that not everything that benefits us also satisfies or helps to satisfy our desires such as suicide prevention or pleasant surprises. 7. Suppose that a philosopher argues that X is a sufÏcient condition for promoting your own well-being. How could you prove this claim to be false? (Just in general, don’t use a particular example.) In this case, I could present the argument that x would not be sufÏcient for promoting my well-being because this relates directly to the second part of the Desire Satisfaction Theory. In other words, if the philosopher’s condition was true, then I would be better off when my desire has become satisfied which there are plenty of reasons to disbelieve. For example, if my specific desire was based on a false belief or a misunderstanding of mine. (8 – 10) Critics of the Desire Satisfaction Theory (DST) argue that there are several reasons to doubt the truth of DST. Briefly describe three of those reasons. (Your choice; choose those that you feel confident about explaining clearly, given the instructions for the exam). 8. As explained in #6, the first part of the Desire Satisfaction Theory is mistaken because not everything that benefits us also leads to direct satisfaction of our desires or even helps to satisfy our desires. There are several examples of such events when it comes things that we disregard or are not aware of could actually benefit us. Examples include surprises with a happy outcome, suicide prevention or even learning as a child. 9. Additionally, I think the saying “be careful what you wish for” sums up the argument against the second part of the DST very well. If a person isn’t fully aware of the consequences of what he or she desires or is misinformed, this can end unhappily and thereby prove part B of the DST wrong. As an example, I met a guy who really wanted to play with the NSU men’s basketball team whom I play for. Therefore, I introduced him to the team, and he participated in a few practices before he quickly realized that this training was way too straining on the body to enjoy playing basketball. His desire was simply non-informed and therefore ended badly. 10. Ultimately, there’s the argument against part B of the DST of other-regarding desires. This is where an occurrence turns out the way we desire it to turn out but yet, it still doesn’t help us. I think that altruism is an appropriate example of this since helping others doesn’t benefit us directly. Doing good and helpful deeds for others might bring us pleasure, but pleasure isn’t assigned any intrinsic value by desire theorists. Therefore, this argument is also valid.