Ethics exam 1 - Prof Stearns

What was the main goal of the Milgram Obedience Experiment?

To study how far people would obey authority even when it meant harming another person.

In the original Milgram experiment what percentage of participants administered the maximum 450-volt shock?

About 65 percent.

What role did peer pressure play in the Milgram experiments?

When others refused to obey participants were far less likely to continue giving shocks.

What does the Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrate?

That ordinary people can commit abusive acts when placed in positions of power within a corrupt system.

Why was the Stanford Prison Experiment stopped early?

Because participants showed extreme stress and the situation became psychologically harmful.

Which of the following is not a finding of the Jane Elliott experiment?

That discrimination is based on genetics rather than learned behavior.

According to Zimbardo what is a common pattern in the development of evil?

Dehumanizing others and gradually disengaging from moral responsibility.

What is the psychological definition of evil used in this module?

Intentionally causing unjustified harm to others.

Which of the following most accurately defines situationalism in ethics?

The idea that behavior and morality are shaped more by environment and context than by character.

What concept does the quote "The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being" reflect?

That all people are capable of both good and evil depending on inner choice and circumstance.

What does the Milgram study suggest about human nature?

That most people will obey authority figures even when it conflicts with their morals.

In the Stanford Prison Experiment who terminated the study early due to ethical concerns?

Christina Maslach.

In Jane Elliott's experiment what was the main method used to create discrimination?

Dividing the class by eye color and labeling one group as superior.

What is a key takeaway from the Jane Elliott experiment?

Prejudice and discrimination can be quickly learned and unlearned through social conditioning.

Which of the following is true according to the module?

Ordinary people can commit evil when influenced by authority and social roles.

According to the lecture how can individuals be trained to resist evil?

By developing moral courage and questioning unjust authority.

What does the diffusion of responsibility mean as seen in the Milgram experiment?

People feel less accountable for harm when responsibility is shared among others.

What is not a factor Zimbardo identifies in the spread of evil?

Inborn genetic wickedness or natural evil tendencies.

Which of the following best supports situationalism?

People's behavior changes dramatically when the situation or environment changes.

What is a major ethical implication of these experiments for modern society?

The need for ethical safeguards and accountability to prevent abuse of power.

"This product is natural, so it must be safe."

Appeal to Nature

"You're either with us or against us."

Black and White Thinking (False Dilemma)

"Don't listen to her argument; she's just a teenager."

Ad Hominem

"That idea came from social media, so it can't be true."

Genetic Fallacy

"If we let students retake one quiz, soon they'll expect to retake every exam."

Slippery Slope

"No one has proven aliens don't exist, so they must be real."

Argument from Ignorance

"He only looked at studies that agreed with him and ignored the rest."

Cherry Picking

"You should believe this ad because it makes you feel guilty not to."

Appeal to Emotion

"Everyone believes it, so it has to be true."

Ad Populum

"I wore my lucky socks and then we won, so my socks caused the win."

Post Hoc (False Cause)

"My opponent wants affordable health care, so he must think everything should be free."

Straw Man

"That may be true for you, but it's false for me."

Relativist Fallacy

"Stealing is always wrong, even to feed a starving child."

Absolutism

"God exists because the Bible says so, and the Bible is true because God wrote it."

Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning)

"A feather is light. What is light cannot be dark. So a feather cannot be dark."

Equivocation

"My neighbor smoked and lived to 100, so smoking isn't dangerous."

Hasty Generalization

"Each player on the team is talented, so the team must be the best in the league."

Composition

"The company is successful, so every employee must be rich."

Division

"It's nearly impossible for life to appear by chance, so it must have been designed."

Lottery Fallacy

"My favorite actor says this diet works, so it must be healthy."

Appeal to Dubious or Inappropriate Authority

"We shouldn't talk about the budget; think of all the hardworking employees we'd upset."

Red Herring

"We shouldn't use vaccines because that would be playing God."

Playing God

Which of the following best expresses the difference between morality and law?

Law promotes social order; morality promotes deeper human flourishing.

According to the reading how does etiquette differ from morality?

Etiquette focuses on politeness and social customs while morality focuses on well-being and right behavior.

Which example best illustrates the difference between morality and preference?

Bob prefers slavery over equality and must justify that view with facts and principles.

What is one main way the reading distinguishes morality from religion?

Morality appeals to reason and principles while religion often appeals to divine authority.

Why is cheating on a partner a useful example for distinguishing morality from law?

It is legal but still widely considered immoral showing morality and law are not the same.

According to the reading which of the following best captures the difference between morality and beauty (aesthetics)?

Morality focuses on human well-being while aesthetics focuses on enjoyment and taste.

According to the reading moral beliefs must be supported by reasons and principles while preferences do not need justification.

True

The reading argues that morality and ethics are completely different concepts and should never be used interchangeably.

False

What does Thomas Hobbes mean by the "State of Nature"?

A condition without laws or morality where life is dangerous and chaotic.

How does Hobbes describe life in the State of Nature?

Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

According to Hobbes what motivates people to agree to a social contract?

Rational self-interest and desire for safety and order.

What is the purpose of moral and legal rules in Hobbes' Social Contract Theory?

To promote human flourishing and prevent a return to the State of Nature.

What was Hobbes' view of human nature?

Humans are egoists driven by self-interest.

What political position did Hobbes take during the English Civil War?

He rejected both the Divine Right of Kings and early democracy advocating for a sovereign based on rational self-interest.

According to Hobbes what is human nature primarily driven by?

Self-interest and mechanistic responses to stimuli.

In Hobbes' theory what is the purpose of the Sovereign created by the social contract?

To enforce peace and prevent a return to the State of Nature.

Why according to Hobbes must the Sovereign have absolute authority?

Only absolute power can prevent people's passions from causing a return to chaos.

Would Hobbes agree with the idea that "it's right if I feel it is right"?

No.

According to Plato why should one be just?

Because justice brings inner harmony and is good in itself.

Plato compares the just soul to what?

A healthy body or harmonious music.

Plato believes that justice is primarily about following laws and avoiding punishment.

False

Which philosophers viewed justice as a tool of power or illusion?

Nietzsche and Foucault.

According to Plato what part of the soul should rule the others?

Reason.

Plato considers afterlife consequences the most important reason to be just.

False

In Plato's analogy which part of the soul corresponds to the charioteer who guides the horses?

Reason.

Which of the following best describes a disordered soul according to Plato?

A soul ruled by appetite or emotion instead of reason.

Plato believes that being just can bring joy even in the face of suffering or death.

True

The archetype of the tripartite soul appears in all of the following stories except which one?

The Matrix.

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