APPLIED ETHICS -Chapters 3 and 4

Utilitarianism Misc.

100

TRUE or FALSE: The utilitarians’ distinguishing belief is that they should pursue the greatest good for the greatest number.

TRUE

200

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of egoism? a. It refers to the ethical belief that an act is recommendable if it brings the greatest good to the greatest number, if it increases net happiness—or decreases net unhappiness—when everyone is taken into account. b. It refers to the ethical belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences increase net happiness (or decrease net unhappiness) when everything is taken into account except the actor’s increased or diminished happiness. c. It refers to the belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences are more beneficial than unfavorable for the person who acts. d. It refers to the ethical belief that derives the rightness or wrongness of one's conduct from the character of the behavior itself rather than the outcomes of the conduct. e. It refers to the ethical belief that states that moral correctness evolves, similarly to scientific knowledge, socially over the course of many lifetimes.

c. It refers to the belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences are more beneficial than unfavorable for the person who acts.

300

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of altruism? a. It refers to the ethical belief that makes the study of people's beliefs about morality. b. It refers to the ethical belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences increase net happiness (or decrease net unhappiness) when everything is taken into account except the actor’s increased or diminished happiness. c. It refers to the ethical belief that focuses on the inherent character of a person rather than on the specific actions he or she performs. d. It refers to the ethical belief that derives the rightness or wrongness of one's conduct from the character of the behavior itself rather than the outcomes of the conduct. e. It refers to the ethical belief that states that moral correctness evolves, similar to scientific knowledge, socially over the course of many lifetimes.

b. It refers to the ethical belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences increase net happiness (or decrease net unhappiness) when everything is taken into account except the actor’s increased or diminished happiness.

400

This term refers to an agreement made between people to act in certain ways not because the acts are themselves good or bad, but because the rules for action are mutually beneficial. a. Social contract of Relativism b. Cultural relativism c. Veil of ignorance d. Hypothetical imperative e. Invisible hand f. Social Contract g. Utilitarianism Contract of Social Morality

f. Social Contract

500

41. An individual plans to set up an organization to help old people living on the streets. He solicits funds from business houses to put this plan into operation. Donations pour in from different quarters. Now he diverts some amount of money to invest in the share market for his own benefits. This is as an example of: a. cause egoism. b. metaethics. c. intellectualism. d. social contract. e. cultural relativism. f. egoism g. personal egoism h. enlightened egoism a; Moderate

a. cause egoism.

Utilitarianism Misc.

100

TRUE or FALSE: Altruism is identical to selflessness.

FALSE

200

A person opens the first and only bakery in a town. The individual sees an opportunity to make profit by selling bread in a town with almost no competition. The town gains the resource of bread, and through his specialization into one field he can produce the goods more efficiently than other members of society could if they were to make it for only themselves. In effect he has captured the market and is able to make a lot of money simply by pursuing his own self-interest. This is an example of: a. egoism. b. metaethics. c. intellectualism. d. social contract. e. cultural relativism.

a. egoism.

300

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of consequentialism? a. It refers to the ethical belief that states that moral correctness evolves, similarly to scientific knowledge, socially over the course of many lifetimes. b. It refers to the ethical belief that focuses on the inherent character of a person rather than on the specific actions he or she performs. c. It refers to the ethical belief that derives the rightness or wrongness of one's conduct from the character of the behavior itself rather than the outcomes of the conduct. d. It refers to the ethical belief that focuses on the results of actions, not the actions themselves. e. It refers to the ethical belief that makes the study of people's beliefs about morality.

d. It refers to the ethical belief that focuses on the results of actions, not the actions themselves.

400

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of cause egoism? a. It refers to giving a false appearance of being concerned with the welfare of others in order to advance one’s own interests. b. It refers to practicing an ethics of egoism without regard for what others are doing or should do. c. It refers to the belief that everyone should practice ethical egoism. d. It refers to subscribing to ethical egoism because it’s the most reasonable of the ethical theories, the one a perfectly rational person would choose. e. It refers to the belief that benefitting others—acting to increase their happiness—can serve the egoist’s self-interest just as much as the egoist’s acts directly in favor of him or herself. f. All of the Above g. d and e only

a. It refers to giving a false appearance of being concerned with the welfare of others in order to advance one’s own interests.

500

Corporations give contributions to scholarship programs. They do this to educate their future workers. These same corporations may also support cultural programs in the cities where their corporate headquarters are located; one motivation for their doing so may be to make those cities more attractive to the people they are recruiting to work for them. These acts of the corporations serve as examples of: a. enlightened egoism. b. impersonal egoism. c. personal egoism. d. intellectualism. e. altruism. f. cause egoism g. invisible hand

a. enlightened egoism.

Chapter 3 and 4 Vocabulary

100

TRUE or FALSE: Egoism is the belief that an action is morally right if the action’s consequences are more beneficial than unfavorable for the person who acts.

True

200

What refers to the suspicion that values and morality are culture specific and not the result of universal reason. a. Cultural imperialism b. Cultural relativism c. Cultural myopia d. Cultural altruism e. Cultural cringe

b. Cultural relativism

300

This refers to the force of marketplace competition that encourages or even requires individuals who want to make money to make the lives of others better in the process. a. Social contract b. Cultural relativism c. Veil of ignorance d. Hypothetical imperative e. Invisible hand

e. Invisible hand

400

____ refers to acting without regard for one’s own well-being.

What is Selflessness

500

Which of the following is a vice as presented by the advocates of virtue ethics? a. Avarice b. Gluttony c. Temperance d. Insensibility e. Sloth

d. Insensibility

Cultural Relativism

100

_____ refers to the method of resolving ethical dilemmas by gathering involved parties and asking them to discuss the matter reasonably until a consensual and peaceful solution is found. a. Egoistic hedonism b. Intuitionism c. Universalistic hedonism d. Veil of ignorance e. Discourse ethics

e. Discourse ethics

200

Which of the following statements is an advantage of virtue ethics? a. It allows flexibility. b. It maximizes individual authenticity. c. It pursues the well-being of everyone collectively. d. It allows people to exhibit their cultural superiority. e. It promotes human morality.

a. It allows flexibility.

300

_____ is the virtue of showing consideration for others without humiliating yourself. a. Civility b. Sincerity c. Temperance d. Courage e. Fairness

a. Civility

400

What are the virtues as given by the proponents of the virtue ethics?

Every advocate of virtue ethics will present a constellation of virtues that they believe captures the essence of what needs to be acquired to be virtuous. Here’s a set of virtues overlapping with what most proponents will offer: • Wisdom (both theoretical and practical) • Fairness • Courage • Temperance • Prudence • Sincerity • Civility

500

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of practical wisdom? a. It refers to the virtue accumulated from the study and the observance of the ethical codes of the superior cultures. b. It refers to a virtue with the learned ability to respond to difficult situations intelligently, calmly, and prudently. c. It refers to the redemptive insight that helps us to deal with the wrongs we have done to others and that others have done to us. d. It refers to a virtue with the ability to learn high-level, academic knowledge and the accumulated possession of that knowledge. e. It refers to the virtue shared with individuals who have transcended the philosophical boundaries of everyday thought. f. All of the Above g. B and D only h. None of the Above

b. It refers to a virtue with the learned ability to respond to difficult situations intelligently, calmly, and prudently.

Cultural Relativism

100

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of courage? a. It refers to the ability to reveal yourself to others with confidence that you’ll be respected. b. It refers to the virtue of self-control and the ability to patiently delay gratification. c. It refers to the virtue of habitually being and expressing yourself in a way that establishes your presence without threatening or impinging on others. d. It refers to the virtue of judging people’s acts dispassionately, evenhandedly and from all points of view. e. It refers to the virtue of moderate boldness between the extremes of cowardice and rashness.

e. It refers to the virtue of moderate boldness between the extremes of cowardice and rashness.

200

Which of the following statements holds true for the concept of virtue ethics? a. It refers to the belief that the cultivation of moral character is the most essential issue in ethics. b. It refers to the belief that the establishment of rules based on duties is the most essential issue in ethics. c. It refers to the belief that people should respond to the needs of those nearest to them. d. It refers to the ethical belief that an act is recommendable if it brings the greatest good to the greatest number, if it increases net happiness—or decreases net unhappiness—when everyone is taken into account. e. It refers to the ethical belief that states that moral correctness evolves, similarly to scientific knowledge, socially over the course of many lifetimes.

a. It refers to the belief that the cultivation of moral character is the most essential issue in ethics.

300

20. An individual dies and is immediately reborn right back in the same year and place where everything started the time before. Every decision he makes and everything he feels, says, and does will have to be repeated again. At the end of this life, he does it all again in exactly the same way. Existence becomes an infinite loop. The above instance is an example of: a. hypothetical imperative b. invisible hand c. intuitionism d. ethics of justice e. eternal return of the same

e. eternal return of the same

400

45. In the 1980s at the southern California theme park, Disneyland, connotations of the family metaphor in the Walt Disney Corporation (WDC) culture (primarily articulated by employees) conflicted with the profit and efficiency focused needs associated with the drama metaphor (primarily used by management). Those involved gathered and tried to discuss this conflict. WDC management and employees were involved in long and protracted discussions. The initial discussions between the parties threw out solutions which weren’t accepted by one party or the other. After long and hard negotiations, the conflict ended with results that were to the satisfaction of both the parties. That is, the matter was discussed reasonably until a consensual and peaceful solution was found. The above instance serves as an example of: a. hypothetical imperative. b. invisible hand. c. intuitionism. d. discourse ethics. e. eternal return of the same f. None of the Above

d. discourse ethics.

500

What steps need to be taken to solve a dilemma with the help of discourse ethics?

• Define the immediate stakeholders—that is, those who’re most affected by the dilemma and may be gathered to resolve it. • Establish a language for discussion. In the international world this is actually a real problem and needs to be addressed. • Establish the goal, which in discourse ethics is always the peaceful and consensual resolution to the dilemma. • Define the problem. This stage of the process would require fairly lengthy elaborations by all those involved of exactly what they understand their obligations and interests to be. • Propose solutions. Discourse ethics is open, a kind of ethical brainstorming: those involved offer solutions, modify each others’ proposals, and try to discern whether a common ground can be mapped.