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Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
1. “People often find it difficult to do what they believe is right” is a normative statement.
a. True
b. False
2. To say that Sue has a right to know the truth is to give a consequentialist reason for being honest.
a. True
b. False
3. Ethics is exclusively a descriptive discipline.
a. True
b. False
4. An ethical theory is a systematic exposition of a particular view about what is the nature and basis of good or right.
a. True
b. False
5. While emotions or feelings may play some role in moral considerations, in an Ethics course one is also expected to give
reasons for one’s moral judgments.
a. True
b. False
6. The fallacy that criticizes the source of an opinion, instead of critiquing the reason given for it, is called begging the
question.
a. True
b. False
7. Ethics is a branch of philosophy that seeks to discover what different moral beliefs different people do, in fact, have.
a. True
b. False
8. According to the text, one reason why we study ethics is to see whether we can justify the beliefs we already hold.
a. True
b. False
9. The following is an example of normative ethics: “Capital punishment is wrong because it is wrong to directly take a
human life.”
a. True
b. False
10. In doing metaethics one analyzes the meaning and function of ethical language.
a. True
b. False
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11. Ethics is that branch of philosophy that is concerned with how we ought to live, with the idea of the good, and with the
meaning of such concepts as right and wrong.
a. True
b. False
12. The naturalistic fallacy says that you cannot derive a descriptive claim from a normative claim.
a. True
b. False
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
13. Ethical theory does which of the following
a. Proves an argument to be right or wrong.
b. Shows people how they should act.
c. Agrees with legal decisions.
d. Provides reasons for judging actions to be right or wrong.
14. Which of the following is considered by many to be a problem for naturalistic explanations of ethics?
a. The naturalistic fallacy
b. Natural law theory
c. Subjectivism
d. Emotivism
15. The reasons supporting a conclusion in an argument are called
a. ethical principles.
b. ad hominems.
c. valid forms.
d. premises.
16. Metaethics is largely about studying
a. The meanings of ethical language.
b. Those things which are beyond normal ethics.
c. Historical literature about ethics.
d. Ethical decisions sanctioned by religious beliefs.
17. Ethics requires skillful reasoning. Which of the following is not important to making a good argument?
a. The structure of the argument.
b. The conclusion follows from the premises.
c. The argument leads to the right conclusion.
d. The argument has internal logic.
18. Another name for a good argument is
a. A correct argument.
b. A sound argument.
c. A winning argument.
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d. A fair argument.
19. The difference between teleological and deontological is that
a. Teleological is moral and deontological is immoral.
b. Teleological is focused on intention and deontological is focused on motive.
c. Deontological is focused of intention and teleological is focused on consequence.
d. Deontological is moral and teleological is immoral.
20. Which of the following in not a reason given for developing our natural moral reasoning skills?
a. We should be able to critically evaluate our own beliefs.
b. As we develop our skills we will be able to win more ethical arguments.
c. People of all perspectives should be able to hold meaningful dialogue with each other.
d. Diverse communities necessitate that values be built of reason.
21. A key issue in the reading by Hume concerns:
a. The difficulty of connecting ethics and natural science.
b. The ethics of religion.
c. The question of capital punishment.
d. The problem of deriving an ought from an is.
Indicate one or more answer choices that best complete the statement or answer the question.
22. Which of the following claims that our ideas about ethics rest upon some sort of intuitive knowledge of ethical truths.
a. Intuitionism
b. Emotivism
c. Objectivism
d. Subjectivism
Label these Normative Judgments as Ethical (E), or Aesthetic (A), or Legal (L) Judgments or as matters of Custom (C):
23. That is a worthless piece of art because it says nothing and expresses nothing.
Label the following as Consequentialist (C) or Non-consequentialist (NC) forms of reasoning.
24. Students ought not to cheat on their ethics test because, if everyone cheated, then the test grades would not mean
anything.
25. You should give her the position, because that is the only fair option.
Choose the best answer:
26. That type of ethics which holds that an act is never justified by its consequences, the end does not justify the means:
Teleological (T) or Deontological (D) ethics?
Label the following as Normative (N) or Descriptive (D) statements.
27. “It would not be right to decorate a room with furniture from two different historical periods.”
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Label these Normative Judgments as Ethical (E), or Aesthetic (A), or Legal (L) Judgments or as matters of Custom (C):
28. You ought to stand when the Queen enters the room.
29. What he did was praiseworthy because it was so selfless.
Choose the best answer:
30. Which type of ethics analyzes and asks the meaning and function of ethical terms, such as “good” or “right,” and
ethical statements, such as “This is Good.” Normative ethics (N) or Metaethics (M)?
Label the following as Normative (N) or Descriptive (D) statements.
31. “More people now than twenty years ago believe that the death penalty is sometimes justified.“
Label the following as Consequentialist (C) or Non-consequentialist (NC) forms of reasoning.
32. Although you intended well, what you did was bad because it caused more harm than good.
Label these Normative Judgments as Ethical (E), or Aesthetic (A), or Legal (L) Judgments or as matters of Custom (C):
33. One ought to pay one’s taxes.
Choose the best answer:
34. The statement “More than half the people in this country believe that giving military aid to foreign governments is
wrong” is Normative (N) or Descriptive (D)?
Label the following as Normative (N) or Descriptive (D) statements.
35. “We ought to respect our elders because it is the right thing to do.”
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Answer Key
1. False
2. False
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