Quiz 2 True or False

False

Kant argued that if an agent performs a morally praiseworthy action, but the primary motive was self-interest or inclination, the act retains moral worth so long as the consequences were good for humanity.

True

The principle that rule-following will only work if the moral agent has the necessary character and disposition suggests that Virtue Ethics is highly dependent on moral education.

True

The Kingdom of Ends Formula implies that our fundamental moral obligation is to act only on principles that fully rational agents, having an equal share in legislating, would accept for their community.

True

A Categorical Imperative (CI) denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement that is required and justified as an end in itself, such as the command "Thou shall not steal.

True

Since reason is the characteristic that distinguishes man from animals and plants, Aristotle concluded that happiness requires man to cultivate and develop his rational faculties.

True

The Moral Theory of Contractarianism holds that moral rules are a sort of contract, and therefore, moral obligations are binding only upon people who fully understand and agree to the terms of that contract.

True

The Good Will, according to Kant, is considered good without qualification primarily because of the excellent results it is likely to produce for the greatest number of people.

False

Case Study: An employee chooses to perform an extra task at work because he believes it is his strict obligation (duty) as an employee, not because he expects a bonus or wants a promotion. Kant would argue that this act has no moral worth since duty is not based on inclination.

False

Kant argues that moral commands must be Hypothetical Imperatives because they compel action based on rational desires that apply to all rational beings.

False

Case Study: A manager constantly praises his team leader, treating her well only because he needs her unique technical skills to land a big contract. Kant’s Humanity Formula (F2) would deem this behavior morally acceptable because the team leader benefited from the praise.

False

The strength of Virtue Ethics, as a normative moral theory, hinges on the belief that the development of moral virtues is less fundamental than the establishment of rigid moral norms or principles based on duty.

False

For Aristotle, to live the good life, man must exclusively develop his physical capacities and basic biological functions, as these are the main characteristics separating him from plants.

False

Intellectual virtues are primarily acquired through habit and training, while moral virtues are cultivated through education and study, guided by prudence.

False

Case Study: A leader decides to lie to her constituents, believing the deception will prevent widespread panic and lead to the best possible outcome for the public. Deontological ethics finds this action morally sound because of the desirable consequences.

True

The Natural Rights Theory holds that humans have absolute natural rights that are inherent in the nature of ethics, and moral obligations arise directly from these human rights.

True

Case Study: A company adopts a new policy requiring employees to donate 10% of their salary to charity. According to the Divine Command Theory of deontology, this act is morally obligatory if it is commanded by God.

False

When the will is autonomous, according to Kant, it is inherently influenced by outside factors, but only when those factors compel the agent toward duty.

True

Happiness, for Aristotle, is the 'supreme good' because it is desired for its own sake, and all other goods are ultimately pursued because they are believed to lead to it.

False

Deontological Ethics focuses on the rightness or wrongness of the actor's character and habits, placing less emphasis on the action itself, thereby opposing Consequentialism.

True

The Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Humanity Formula) mandates that humanity, in oneself and others, must always be treated as an end and never merely as a means.

True

Deontological Ethics focuses on the relationship between duty and the morality of human actions, implying that an action's moral goodness comes from characteristics intrinsic to the action itself.

True

Aristotle claimed that the attainment of man's purpose in life is simultaneously the living of the good life, achievable by acquiring good qualities and excellences.

False

If a maxim (rule of conduct) cannot be universalized, Kant argues that the resulting action might still possess conditional moral worth if the outcome is exceptionally beneficial.

True

For Aristotle, although promoting one's own well-being is not bad, promoting the well-being of the community is considered more noble and important because man pursues the good life in cooperation with others.

True

The core question asked by Virtue Ethics is "How ought I to live my life?" which focuses on the right disposition and character of the agent over the right action.

True

Intellectual virtues include understanding, science, wisdom, art, and prudence, according to Aristotle’s classification.

False

Immanuel Kant defined an imperative as a command that must be a Categorical Imperative (CI) if it applies only when an agent desires a specific goal, such as "Do your homework if you want a good grade."

True

Prudence, categorized as an intellectual virtue, is specifically defined as the knowledge of how to perform actions correctly and make good choices and decisions.

True

A criticism often leveled against Virtue Ethics is that it is fundamentally self-centered, a view that is validated by the fact that all virtues, including kindness, are primarily focused on the agent’s own well-being or flourishing.

False

The Third Formulation (Autonomy Formula) emphasizes the dignity of humanity by requiring that human beings act as universal law followers rather than universal law givers.

False

According to Kant's concept of duty, self-interest must be the motive in the performance of a moral act to ensure the act is freely chosen by the autonomous will.

True

Moral virtues are acquired through habit and training, and this process must be guided by the intellectual virtue of prudence.

False

The pursuit of happiness derived from temporary pleasure and honor is classified by Aristotle as the highest good, as these are the forms of happiness that best suit human nature

False

Virtue Ethics is generally considered a form of Applied Ethics, as it deals with the actual application of ethical theories to concrete moral actions in specific situations.

False

Pluralistic Deontology, advocated by William David Ross, simplifies moral decisions by asserting that there is only one primary prima facie duty.

True

Kant's First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Principle of Universality) commands acting only on a maxim that one can, at the same time, will to become a universal law.

True

Aristotle believed that a well-functioning human being is a good human being, and all human actions tend toward some form of good.

False

Kantian Ethics defines the Good Will as that which facilitates a human act and is good based on its results, provided those results are highly desired by the agent.

False

For Aristotle, the highest good sought as an end in itself is subordinate to other goods that are sought merely as a means to achieve a different goal.

True

A criticism raised against Virtue Ethics is that rule-following will only be effective if the moral agent possesses the prerequisite character and disposition to follow the rules, undermining rule-based ethics.