1
Claire is helping her elderly neighbor, Ms. Flannigan, with some yard work. Ms. Flannigan has no close family and tells Claire that she is beginning to wonder who will get the small bundles of cash she has hidden throughout her large house. Ms. Flannigan even remarks that she cannot remember where she has hidden them all. After helping Ms. Flannigan, Claire goes inside to freshen up. In the bathroom she notices a large wad of cash tucked inside the medicine cabinet.
Which action is supported by utilitarianism but intuitively seems unethical?
Claire takes the money and donates it to the food kitchen that feeds the community's homeless population.
Claire takes the money and puts it in a savings account that she will not touch for 10 years.
Claire leaves the money, and tells Ms. Flannigan that she will take her to the bank the following week to deposit it.
Claire leaves the money, but tells her friends about Mrs. Flannigan's forgetfulness and where she had found the money.
2
Choose the true statement about virtue-based ethics.
According to the principles of virtue-based ethics, the consequences of actions are very important.
According to the principles of virtue-based ethics, rules are used to evaluate actions.
According to the principles of virtue-based ethics, right and wrong are assessed using culture as a guide.
According to the principles of virtue-based ethics, character is more important than actions.
3
"I always say everyone shouldn't be afraid to try new things. On a recent trip to Spain, I ate all my meals at my favorite place— McDonald's."
Which of the following sources of bias is apparent in this quotation?
Upbringing
Religion
Self-interest
Familiarity
4
Which of the following people would most likely be satisfied with conventionalism?
Karin is looking for an ethical framework that has a basis outside of humanity.
Keith is looking for an ethical framework that focuses on his own character.
Kayden is looking for an ethical framework that says, "Right is right, even if nobody is right."
Kelly is looking for an ethical framework that respects diverse traditions.
5
Which of the following statements about philosophy is true?
Philosophy is a way to answer questions about the physical universe without observation.
Philosophy is obsolete due to advances in scientific inquiry.
Philosophy is quite interesting, despite having little or no application in other fields.
Philosophy is concerned with seeking and recognizing knowledge.
6
An argument is strong and the conclusion is true, but both premises are false.
Which of the following terms best describes the argument?
Cogent
Sound
Unsound
Uncogent
7
Stefan is from Spain and is visiting Denmark. He finds himself very popular among native Danes because they like his casual and relaxed nature. When Stefan is invited to a local family's home for dinner, he arrives late and is surprised that his hosts have seemingly taken offense.
"This is how we do it in Spain," he explained with a smile. "Dinner times are approximate and we arrive when we can."
"That is not how we do it in Denmark," replied his host, rather stiffly.
According to conventionalism, who has the stronger ethical stance— Stefan or his host?
Stefan, because his casual nature is why the Danes like him.
The host, because in Denmark, everyone is expected to arrive on time.
Stefan, because by Spanish standards, he had arrived early.
The host, because society functions best when individuals are punctual.
8
The following statements are all part of one argument.
Which one is the conclusion?
Jenny hasn't seen her mother in a month.
Children who haven't seen their mothers in more than a week miss their mothers.
Jenny misses her mother.
A month is longer than a week.
9
Which of the following actions represents the step, "Identify positions on the question"?
An undergraduate argues that funding for school-sponsored clubs should be based on the number of active members.
A graduate student spends several hours in the library reading books on a particular ethical issue.
A medical student asks a professor whether a certain drug is effective against the flu.
A law student weighs arguments on the interpretation of a particular law against decisions from the Supreme Court.
10
Which of the following represents a difficulty with egoism?
Because good is determined by self-interest, the egoist cannot judge the actions of others.
Cooperating with others is a social skill that egoists do not have an opportunity to learn.
Socially determined actions are usually more successful than self-determined actions.
Individuals pursuing personal excellence often help a society to progress.
11
Which action demonstrates a shortcoming of virtue-based ethics?
Refusing to engage in gossip out of a sense of respect for others' privacy
Lying so that a coworker will lose his job
Donating to a charity out of a sense of superiority and ego
Participating in an anti-war protest due to personal convictions about the morality of war
12
Which of the following is an inductive argument?
Bruce is not feeling well. If Bruce is ill, he will not be able to attend classes today. Therefore, Bruce will not attend classes today.
There are seven employees that are on assignment today. There are two employees that are in the office. There are no other employees. Therefore, there are nine employees.
Michael and Laura and their two children make a family of four. Michael and Laura have blond hair. Their children have blond hair, too. Thus, all members of the family have blond hair.
My new cell phone charges to full capacity in 30 minutes. My best friend's new cell phone does the same thing, and so does my sister's. It follows that all new cell phones recharge in 30 minutes.
13
Many people confuse topics of religion, social etiquette, and law with ethical topics.
Select the example related to social etiquette.
Tara installs a wheelchair ramp at her business to meet government regulations.
Nathan talks loudly on his cell phone while standing in line at the store.
Marcy disapproves of working on Sundays because she was taught it was a day of rest.
Anthony follows the flow of traffic, even if he is exceeding the speed limit.
14
Norma gives her elderly mother a ride to the grocery store once a week when she does her own grocery shopping. On a form at work, she lists this as a community service and hides the fact that it's her own mother she's helping because she knows her boss values volunteerism and actively encourages all employees to contribute to the community. When her boss praises her for her commitment to community service, Norma feels pleased and optimistic that she will soon get a raise.\
According to virtue-based ethics, why is Norma's action unethical?
She is not cultivating any virtues by helping her mother.
Lying is always wrong.
She is prioritizing monetary gain over honesty.
She is acting out of a sense of compassion and goodwill.
15
The idea that people ought to act only in their own self interest is part of what kind of egoism?
Logical egoism
Psychological egoism
Ethical egoism
Philosophical egoism
16
How would a Kantian deontologist evaluate an action?
By evaluating the relevant maxim
By evaluating the act's morality
By evaluating the total good and total bad it brings about
By evaluating the categorical imperative
17
Which of the following represents a potential problem for Kantian deontology?
A person can treat other people as means to an end without respect for them.
A person who tries and fails to murder someone is just as guilty as someone who succeeds.
A person in one place is subject to different rules than a person elsewhere.
A person who feels at ease with his or her actions can make them right.
18
Which of the following is a valid deductive argument?
All cyclists are health-conscious. Byron is health-conscious. Therefore, Byron is a cyclist.
Smith is one of the most common last names in the United States. My friend Todd is a very common person. Therefore, Todd's last name is Smith.
For over five decades, fantasy fiction has been very popular. It will probably continue to be popular in the coming decade.
Every time it snows, the roads need to be plowed. It is supposed to snow later today. Therefore, the roads will need to be plowed later today.
19
Which of the following critiques represents a challenge to virtue-based ethics?
The agent's moral character isn't properly emphasized.
Mass chaos would ensue since everyone only cares about him or herself.
Effects the agent couldn't have anticipated impact his or her guilt.
Some virtues that are lacking can be hard to develop.
20
Which of the following represents rule utilitarianism?
Rhonda drinks tea instead of coffee because she finds it more soothing.
Raj buys a particular brand of computer because it best suits his professional needs.
Rick helps his daughter with her taxes because he thinks parents should help their children.
Renee is honest with her doctor because she wants a correct diagnosis.
21
After moving to a new city, Rachel continues to support her hometown's baseball team. A friend tells her she has to support her new city's team, but Rachel points out that God hasn't said anything on the matter.
In Rachel's view, her action is __________ according to divine command theory.
neutral
impermissible
supererogatory
obligatory
22
How might a Kantian deontologist evaluate a jury voting to convict someone they know is innocent because they disagree with his political beliefs?
It is morally right because the jurors' obligation to their party and their country are more important than one innocent man's freedom.
It is morally right because juries decide legal truth and can't be punished for any decisions they make.
It is morally wrong because if all juries acted that way, the judicial system would cease to be about justice and become a vehicle for political oppression.
It is morally wrong because if their motives are obvious, it could hurt their own party's reputation just to prevent just one person from voting against them.
23
Ogo always gets pepperoni and black olives on his pizza.
How might a virtue-based ethicist classify this action?
Neutral
Obligatory
Supererogatory
Impermissible
24
Ingrid steals from a wealthy neighbor's excess so she can afford shoes for her children.
How would a utilitarian classify this action?
Neutral
Supererogatory
Impermissible
Obligatory
25
According to egoism, what might an egoist consider when faced with the issue of world hunger?
We are obligated to do a better job distributing food.
We all have an obligation to ensure all people have access to food.
Individuals are obligated to feed themselves.
Governments of poor nations are obligated to feed their citizens.
