PHL Short Test - 4

According to Act Utilitarianism you can give special weight to the utility measures of your family and friends - especially those closest to you.

False

According to Act Utilitarianism you should maximize the non moral good for the greatest number of people.

False

An action can be moral only if it is motivated by The Good Will, according to Kant.

True

Kant's Principle of Universal Law, advises you to look at the consequences of universalizing your maxim.

False

Two difficulties faced by Classical Act Utilitarianism are that it is

Measurement Problem and Overly Demanding Moral Theory

In order to calculate utility, I must assess the following four elements of every action

Scope, Duration, Intensity, Probability

According to Act Utilitarianism, moral rules and maxims (such as "don't kill an innocent") override considerations of utility maximization.

False

The following is an example of a _____________________________ imperative: "You should see the doctor."

Hypothetical Imperative

If Act Utilitarianism is true, then every action is a morally significant action.

True

According to Act Utilitarianism you can never use another person as a means to your ends.

False

Kant's Principle of Ends

Never treat a person merely as a means to an end. Always treat persons as ends in themselves

Explain why, if Act Utilitarianism is true, there are no supererogatory actions

Act Utilitarianism requires maximizing utility at all times. Since maximizing utility is required at all times. Nobody can go above and beyond utility.

Please explain what The Good Will is, according to Kant.

The Good will is acting from duty because you recognize it is your duty. Actions motivated by the Good Will alone have moral worth.

Explain what Kant means when he says that for an action to be moral it must be possible to will the maxim of the action to be a Universal Law without contradiction (This is the Principle of Universal Law).

What Kant means is that a maxim is moral only if you can rationally will everyone to follow it without contradiction. If universalizing the maxim creates a contradiction the action is immoral

Please explain why, if Act Utilitarianism is true, the lives all of us are leading are (almost certainly) immoral.

Most people do not maximize utility in every action. Since CAU requires maximizing utility at all times. Most of us are acting immorally no matter what we do.

Please explain what, according to Kant, you must figure out using reason in order to determine whether a maxim can be rationally willed to be a universal law.

Reason must determine whether a maxim can be universally adopted by everyone without contradiction.