,Chapter 1—The Nature of Morality
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following characteristics distinguishes moral standards from other sorts of standards?
a. moral standards are purely optional
b. moral standards take priority over other standards, including self-interest
c. moral standards cannot be justified by reasons
d. moral standards must be set or validated by some authoritative body
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 4-5
2. Choose the statement that gives the most accurate description of etiquette:
a. the rules of etiquette are a fundamental branch of morality
b. conformity with the rules of etiquette is sufficient for moral conduct
c. etiquette refers to a special code of social behavior or courtesy
d. the rules of etiquette are backed by statutory law
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 5
3. Our relationship with the law is best described by which of the following?
a. To a significant extent, law codifies a society's customs, norms, and moral values.
b. The law is a completely adequate guide to the moral standards that we should follow.
c. The law makes all immoral conduct illegal.
d. Violating the law is always immoral.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 7
4. Which of the following is not one of the four basic kinds of law?
a. statutes c. common law
b. constitutional law d. contractual law
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 9
5. A proper perspective of religion and morality is
a. only religion can tell us what is right and wrong
b. it's not true that morality must be based on religion
c. religion never influences people's moral beliefs
d. without religion, people wouldn't have a reason to act morally
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 11-12
6. When religion and morality are considered,
a. the moral instructions of the world's great religions are often general and imprecise.
b. most people act rightly only because their religion tells them to.
c. atheists are likely to be less moral than religious people.
d. in practice, people who share a religion will agree on all moral questions.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 11
7. The divine command theory implies that
a. God commands us to do whatever our reason tells us is right.
b. God forbids stealing because stealing is wrong.
c. God leaves right and wrong up to us.
, d. stealing is wrong only because God commands us not to steal.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 11
8. Ethical relativism supports the theory that
a. what is morally right is what society says is morally right.
b. there are no moral values whatsoever.
c. morality is relative to the goal of promoting human well-being.
d. different societies have different ideas about right and wrong.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 11-13
9. When ethical relativism is put into practice, it implies that
a. societies never share any moral values in common.
b. in ethics, sometimes the minority is right.
c. we cannot say that slavery is wrong if the society in question believes it is right.
d. as societies evolve, their morality improves.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 12-13
10. In the essay, "Is Business Bluffing Ethical?" Albert Carr insists that business
a. requires people to behave unethically.
b. has nothing to do with morality.
c. has its own special moral rules, divorced from ordinary morality.
d. requires employees to have absolute loyalty.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 43
11. Accepting a moral principle
a. is a purely intellectual act like accepting a scientific hypothesis.
b. generally involves a desire to follow that principle for its own sake.
c. means you will never go against that principle.
d. is a religiously based act of faith.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 14
12. The example of Huckleberry Finn shows
a. one should always obey one's conscience.
b. when in doubt, one should ignore one's conscience.
c. we shouldn't rely uncritically on what our conscience says.
d. unlike most people, Huckleberry Finn lacked a conscience.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 15
13. Morality and self-interest
a. can sometimes conflict. c. can never come into genuine conflict.
b. boil down to the same thing. d. are in basic, irreconcilable conflict.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 16
14. How did Aristotle view morality?
a. It's necessary for us to try to be virtuous or excellent human beings.
b. Moral judgments are true because God commands them of us.
c. Moral judgments are determined differently by each culture.
d. It's never right to help ourselves when we can help other people instead.
, ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 18
15. The code or principles of conduct that a person accepts
a. constitute the whole of his or her morality.
b. can be distinguished from the person's morality in a broader sense that includes his or her
values, ideals, and aspirations.
c. rarely guide his or her conduct in practice.
d. are always attained from his or her religion.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 17
16. The famous experiments by social psychologist Solomon Asch show
a. the truth of utilitarianism.
b. the power of peer pressure has been greatly exaggerated.
c. business organizations put more pressure on individual integrity than do other kinds of
organization.
d. even temporary groups can pressure people to conform.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 19-20
17. The authors use the murder of Kitty Genovese to illustrate
a. ethical relativism. c. groupthink.
b. bystander apathy. d. the paradox of hedonism.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 21
18. If an argument is valid, then
a. the argument is sound.
b. the argument's conclusion must be true.
c. the argument's premises are true.
d. its conclusion must be true, if its premises are.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 22
19. Good moral judgments should be logical and
a. justified by fallacies.
b. proven beyond reasonable doubt.
c. based on facts and acceptable moral principles.
d. coincide with what most scientifically trained people think.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 24
20. Philosophical discussion of moral issues typically involves
a. the revision and modification of arguments.
b. proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
c. circular reasoning.
d. determining what the majority thinks.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 26
21. The following is a logical fact.
a. All valid arguments are sound arguments.
b. All sound arguments are valid arguments.
c. A sound argument may have a false conclusion.
d. A sound argument may have a false premise.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following characteristics distinguishes moral standards from other sorts of standards?
a. moral standards are purely optional
b. moral standards take priority over other standards, including self-interest
c. moral standards cannot be justified by reasons
d. moral standards must be set or validated by some authoritative body
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 4-5
2. Choose the statement that gives the most accurate description of etiquette:
a. the rules of etiquette are a fundamental branch of morality
b. conformity with the rules of etiquette is sufficient for moral conduct
c. etiquette refers to a special code of social behavior or courtesy
d. the rules of etiquette are backed by statutory law
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 5
3. Our relationship with the law is best described by which of the following?
a. To a significant extent, law codifies a society's customs, norms, and moral values.
b. The law is a completely adequate guide to the moral standards that we should follow.
c. The law makes all immoral conduct illegal.
d. Violating the law is always immoral.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 7
4. Which of the following is not one of the four basic kinds of law?
a. statutes c. common law
b. constitutional law d. contractual law
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 9
5. A proper perspective of religion and morality is
a. only religion can tell us what is right and wrong
b. it's not true that morality must be based on religion
c. religion never influences people's moral beliefs
d. without religion, people wouldn't have a reason to act morally
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 11-12
6. When religion and morality are considered,
a. the moral instructions of the world's great religions are often general and imprecise.
b. most people act rightly only because their religion tells them to.
c. atheists are likely to be less moral than religious people.
d. in practice, people who share a religion will agree on all moral questions.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 11
7. The divine command theory implies that
a. God commands us to do whatever our reason tells us is right.
b. God forbids stealing because stealing is wrong.
c. God leaves right and wrong up to us.
, d. stealing is wrong only because God commands us not to steal.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 11
8. Ethical relativism supports the theory that
a. what is morally right is what society says is morally right.
b. there are no moral values whatsoever.
c. morality is relative to the goal of promoting human well-being.
d. different societies have different ideas about right and wrong.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 11-13
9. When ethical relativism is put into practice, it implies that
a. societies never share any moral values in common.
b. in ethics, sometimes the minority is right.
c. we cannot say that slavery is wrong if the society in question believes it is right.
d. as societies evolve, their morality improves.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 12-13
10. In the essay, "Is Business Bluffing Ethical?" Albert Carr insists that business
a. requires people to behave unethically.
b. has nothing to do with morality.
c. has its own special moral rules, divorced from ordinary morality.
d. requires employees to have absolute loyalty.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 43
11. Accepting a moral principle
a. is a purely intellectual act like accepting a scientific hypothesis.
b. generally involves a desire to follow that principle for its own sake.
c. means you will never go against that principle.
d. is a religiously based act of faith.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 14
12. The example of Huckleberry Finn shows
a. one should always obey one's conscience.
b. when in doubt, one should ignore one's conscience.
c. we shouldn't rely uncritically on what our conscience says.
d. unlike most people, Huckleberry Finn lacked a conscience.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 15
13. Morality and self-interest
a. can sometimes conflict. c. can never come into genuine conflict.
b. boil down to the same thing. d. are in basic, irreconcilable conflict.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 16
14. How did Aristotle view morality?
a. It's necessary for us to try to be virtuous or excellent human beings.
b. Moral judgments are true because God commands them of us.
c. Moral judgments are determined differently by each culture.
d. It's never right to help ourselves when we can help other people instead.
, ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 18
15. The code or principles of conduct that a person accepts
a. constitute the whole of his or her morality.
b. can be distinguished from the person's morality in a broader sense that includes his or her
values, ideals, and aspirations.
c. rarely guide his or her conduct in practice.
d. are always attained from his or her religion.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 17
16. The famous experiments by social psychologist Solomon Asch show
a. the truth of utilitarianism.
b. the power of peer pressure has been greatly exaggerated.
c. business organizations put more pressure on individual integrity than do other kinds of
organization.
d. even temporary groups can pressure people to conform.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 19-20
17. The authors use the murder of Kitty Genovese to illustrate
a. ethical relativism. c. groupthink.
b. bystander apathy. d. the paradox of hedonism.
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 21
18. If an argument is valid, then
a. the argument is sound.
b. the argument's conclusion must be true.
c. the argument's premises are true.
d. its conclusion must be true, if its premises are.
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 22
19. Good moral judgments should be logical and
a. justified by fallacies.
b. proven beyond reasonable doubt.
c. based on facts and acceptable moral principles.
d. coincide with what most scientifically trained people think.
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 24
20. Philosophical discussion of moral issues typically involves
a. the revision and modification of arguments.
b. proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
c. circular reasoning.
d. determining what the majority thinks.
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 26
21. The following is a logical fact.
a. All valid arguments are sound arguments.
b. All sound arguments are valid arguments.
c. A sound argument may have a false conclusion.
d. A sound argument may have a false premise.
