Theology Midterm/Final

According to Gula, the ingredient of reflection ask which types of questions?

What can we know and what can we not know - how reliable is our knowledge?

This ethical theory emphasizes the development of virtuous character traits as the key to ethical living.  These excellences are not merely external behaviors, but qualities that shape one's inner being and guide their actions.

Virtue ethics

In virtue ethics, "habitas" refers to:

The actions we do habitually

The principle of double effect states that a morally good action can sometimes have foreseen, but unintended, bad consequences. Which of the following is NOT a key condition for this principle to apply?

The evil/bad effect must be the primary intention of the action.

In virtue ethics, "arete" refers to:

An excellence that inheres in the soul

Suppose you were invited to help cheat on this test. According to Kantian deontology, you would not do so because:

You cannot will and conceive a world in which everyone would cheat.

If I make the statement, "what does the word "cheat" mean"? Such a statement is an example of:

Metaethics

Kant encourages people to consult their feelings prior to making moral decisions.

False

Which of the methods of applying ethics holds that principles are derived from practice – thus the practice of ethics is primary while principles are secondary?

Bottom-Up

Which way below is not a method by which ethics may be applied?

Side-to-side

The term objectivity is used to describe:

A type of ethical thinking that holds up the possibility for universal codes of conduct because right and wrong are right or wrong regardless of human thinking

Natural Law has it roots in which ancient philosopher?

Aristotle

The ancient notion of 'selem,' which is found in the book of genesis, means:

That which makes present

Which of the following statements represents a duty-oriented system?

An ethical system that hold that the right action is one that is based on ethical principles that are known to be right, independent of whether they serve good ends.

Which of the following phrases best describes Richard Gula's way of understanding the role of intellect (thinking) and emotions?

It is important to have a balance between the intellect and the heart. One must be able to think clearly and one must be able to be in touch with her/his feelings.

Gula asserts that, to be a moralist, one must be able to arrive at a strict moral code that should be implemented without regard to individual situations and motivations.

False

According to Kant, a right act always treats humans as a means to another person’s ends.

False

The categorical imperative is a way of forming moral judgments that uses reason instead of tradition, authority, intuition, etc...

True

The second version of the categorical imperative basically states:

Do not use other people

Natural law theory takes the position that rational reflection on nature, particularly human nature, will yield principles of good and bad that are unique to each and every individual. What is right for one person may be wrong for another, so long as they are happy.

False

For Kant, because everyone must follow their duty, all persons must always obey legal laws, even if a person cannot universalize (without contradiction) the law using her/his reason. E.g., if the law requires using other people, it still must be followed.

False

The nurse has been asked by a therapist on staff as to whether or not Mrs. White has expressed any desire to end her own life. In considering whether or not to tell the therapist about Mrs. White’s potential plans to kill herself, the nurse recalls that she promised Mrs. White to keep her confidence. She thinks that it would be wrong to break a promise because she wouldn’t want everyone to do the same.

Her way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Kantian Deontology

The nurse believes that she should tell someone qualified about Mrs. White’s potential plans to kill herself because she considers the impact that it will have on Mrs. White’s family. The nurse believes that families are an intrinsic good that ought to be protected.

Her way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Natural Law Theory

“Mrs. White believes that it is ethically acceptable to terminate her own life.”

Which form of ethics does this statement represent?

Descriptive ethics

There are several things that are intrinsically good that ought to be protected in all moral decisions.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Natural Law Theory

It does not matter what the consequences of a person’s actions are. What matters is that they are doing what they know to be right according to reason.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Kantian Deontology

What matters is that every person must be able to do whatever it is they feel is right or wrong.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Relativism

What matters is that every person must strive to achieve flourishing (fulfillment of one's true nature) for themselves and others.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Natural Law Theory

What matters is that all human people should achieve happiness (as a subjective feeling) for themselves and as many other people as possible.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Utilitarianism

Many factors (goods) must be in place (and balanced) in order for a person to live according to their fullest potential.

This way of reasoning is best aligned with:

Natural Law Theory

There is a single Truth.
My ethical position embodies that truth.

This way of reasoning is best described by:

Absolutism

There is no Truth.
My position is just as true as yours, even though we totally disagree.

Relativism

‘An anthropology’ can be best described as a(an) ___________.

View of human persons

The idea that humans are created in the image and likeness of God means that ________.

Humans have inviolable dignity

The ‘affective’ dimension of moral decision making requires the use of one’s _________

Heart

The best way of describing "ethical relativism" is by the phrase ______________.

Nothing is no moral right or wrong in and of itself, it is only right or wrong for the persons who do the action

The best way of describing “ethical absolutism” is by the phrase _______________.

There are objective rights and wrongs and these never change

For the duty-oriented ethicist such as Kant, the consequences of an act are ___________ in the determination of rightness or wrongness.

Irrelevant

The good for which a whole, good human life aims, according to natural law is known as:

flourishing

The first version of Kant's "categorical imperative" basically states:

Only do those things that you can both will and conceive everyone else doing.

The second version of Kant's "categorical imperative" basically states:

Treat others as human persons by not using them or exploiting them.

The third version of Kant's "categorical imperative" basically states:

Everyone must arrive at what they know to be their duty on their own; e.g., without coercion or manipulation.