Multiple Choice Self-Quiz

1. Which of the following best describes the relationship between utilitarianism and
consequentialism?

a. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism.

b. Consequentialism is a form of utilitarianism.

c. Utilitarianism and consequentialism are completely independent theories.

d. Utilitarianism and consequentialism are inconsistent.

2. What does it mean to say a policy is optimific?

a. It treats everyone fairly.

b. It makes everyone better off.

c. It yields the greatest balance of benefits over drawbacks.

d. It is immoral.

3. What is our one moral duty, according to utilitarians?

a. Obey God's commands.

b. Maximize well-being.

c. Treat others as we'd like to be treated.

d. None of the above.

4. Which of the following might utilitarianism sometimes require?

a. Harming one person to benefit another.

b. Performing actions that benefit fewer people than we possibly could.

c. Performing actions that generate less happiness than we possibly could.

d. All of the above.

5. What is necessary in order to gain moral knowledge, according to most utilitarians?

a. Having a virtuous disposition.

b. Accurately predicting the consequences of an action.

c. Making a careful study of moral philosophy.

d. Most utilitarians deny the existence of moral knowledge.

6. Which of the following do most utilitarians believe determines the morality of actions?

a. The expected consequences of the action.

b. The actual consequences of the action.

c. The goodness of the intentions of the person performing the action.

d. Whether or not the action violates God's commands.

7. What determines the morality of the intentions behind one's actions, according to
utilitarianism?

a. The expected consequences of the action.

b. The actual consequences of the action.

c. The emotions felt by the person performing the action.

d. The sincerity of the person performing the action.

8. According to the text, what do most utilitarians believe about conventional moral wisdom?

a. Most of conventional morality is mistaken.

b. Conventional morality is mistaken in some ways but is mostly correct.

c. Conventional morality is entirely correct.

d. Conventional morality should be ignored whenever doing so is in one's self-

interest.

9. What attitudes do most utilitarians take toward moral rules?

a. Many moral rules are absolute and must never be broken.

b. Moral rules can be helpful but can be broken if doing so is optimific.

c. Following moral rules is harmful and ought to be shunned.

d. Utilitarians believe that the idea of a “moral rule” is incoherent.

10. What attitude do most utilitarians take toward non-human animals?

a. Their suffering does not matter morally.

b. Their suffering matters morally but not nearly as much as that of humans.

c. If an animal suffers to the same extent as a human, the animal’s suffering is

equally important.

d. Animal suffering is morally more important than human suffering because

animals are not moral agents.
PART I

Multiple Choice Self-Quiz - Results

You answered 4 out of 10 questions correctly, for a score of 40%.

1. Correct. You answered: a. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism..

Which of the following best describes the relationship between utilitarianism and
consequentialism?

The correct answer was: a. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism..

2. Correct. You answered: c. It yields the greatest balance of benefits over drawbacks..

What does it mean to say a policy is optimific?

The correct answer was: c. It yields the greatest balance of benefits over drawbacks..

3. Incorrect. You answered: c. Treat others as we'd like to be treated..

What is our one moral duty, according to utilitarians?

The correct answer was: b. Maximize well-being..

4. Incorrect. You answered: a. Harming one person to benefit another..

Which of the following might utilitarianism sometimes require?

The correct answer was: d. All of the above..

5. Incorrect. You answered: a. Having a virtuous disposition..

What is necessary in order to gain moral knowledge, according to most utilitarians?

The correct answer was: b. Accurately predicting the consequences of an action..

6. Correct. You answered: b. The actual consequences of the action..

Which of the following do most utilitarians believe determines the morality of actions?

The correct answer was: b. The actual consequences of the action..

7. Incorrect. You answered: b. The actual consequences of the action..

What determines the morality of the intentions behind one's actions, according to
utilitarianism?

The correct answer was: a. The expected consequences of the action..

8. Correct. You answered: b. Conventional morality is mistaken in some ways but is mostly
correct..
 According to the text, what do most utilitarians believe about conventional moral wisdom?

The correct answer was: b. Conventional morality is mistaken in some ways but is mostly
correct..

9. Incorrect. You answered: a. Many moral rules are absolute and must never be broken..

What attitudes do most utilitarians take toward moral rules?

The correct answer was: b. Moral rules can be helpful but can be broken if doing so is
optimific..

10. Incorrect. You answered: b. Their suffering matters morally but not nearly as much as that of
humans..

What attitude do most utilitarians take toward non-human animals?

The correct answer was: c. If an animal suffers to the same extent as a human, the animal’s
suffering is equally important..

Multiple Choice Self-Quiz

1. What makes someone a good person, according to the natural law theory?

a. Obeying the laws of the land.

b. Obeying God's commands.

c. Fulfilling his or her true nature.

d. Doing whatever maximizes happiness.

2. Which of the following is natural law theory thought to explain?

a. The objectivity of morality.

b. The origins of morality.

c. The possibility of moral knowledge.

d. All of the above.

3. What is an empirical truth?

a. A truth that couldn't possibly have been false.

b. A truth that can be known simply by understanding it.

c. A truth that can be known only by using the senses.

d. A scientific hypothesis that is regarded as true but has not been proven.
4. How do we come to have moral knowledge, according to natural law theory?

a. By consulting religious texts.

b. By careful scientific study.

c. By reflecting on the idea of morality.

d. Moral knowledge is impossible, according to natural law theory.

5. Which of the following claims best describes Hobbes's conception of human nature?

a. People are inherently selfish and competitive.

b. People are inherently cooperative and altruistic.

c. People are inherently moral but are quickly corrupted by society.

d. People are inherently blank slates, neither naturally selfish nor naturally
altruistic.

6. What two models of natural purposes are discussed in the text?

a. The Efficiency Model and the Fitness Model.

b. The Pleasure Model and the Desire Satisfaction Model.

c. The Natural Law Model and the Positive Law Model.

d. The Empirical Model and the Conceptual Model.

7. What is it for a term to be ambiguous?

a. It is clear and precise.

b. It has more than one meaning.

c. It is meaningless.

d. It plays a key role in an argument.

8. How do moral laws differ from natural laws?

a. They can be broken.

b. They do not describe how we actually behave.

c. They are not used to predict future behavior.

d. All of the above.

9. According to the text, what is wrong with the Argument from Humanity?
 a. It is invalid.

b. One of the premises is clearly false.

c. One of the key terms is ambiguous.

d. All of the above.

10. According to the text, what is the role of nature in moral theory?

a. Nature determines what is right or wrong.

b. Nature is completely irrelevant to morality.

c. Nature sets the outer bounds of morality.

d. None of the above.

Multiple Choice Self-Quiz - Results

You answered 2 out of 10 questions correctly, for a score of 20%.

1. Incorrect. You answered: b. Obeying God's commands..

What makes someone a good person, according to the natural law theory?

The correct answer was: c. Fulfilling his or her true nature..

2. Incorrect. You answered: b. The origins of morality..

Which of the following is natural law theory thought to explain?

The correct answer was: d. All of the above..

3. Incorrect. You answered: a. A truth that couldn't possibly have been false..

What is an empirical truth?

The correct answer was: c. A truth that can be known only by using the senses..

4. Incorrect. You answered: c. By reflecting on the idea of morality..

How do we come to have moral knowledge, according to natural law theory?

The correct answer was: b. By careful scientific study..

5. Incorrect. You answered: c. People are inherently moral but are quickly corrupted by
society..

Which of the following claims best describes Hobbes's conception of human nature?

The correct answer was: a. People are inherently selfish and competitive..
6. Correct. You answered: a. The Efficiency Model and the Fitness Model..

What two models of natural purposes are discussed in the text?

The correct answer was: a. The Efficiency Model and the Fitness Model..

7. Correct. You answered: b. It has more than one meaning..

What is it for a term to be ambiguous?

The correct answer was: b. It has more than one meaning..

8. Incorrect. You answered: c. They are not used to predict future behavior..

How do moral laws differ from natural laws?

The correct answer was: d. All of the above..

9. Incorrect. You answered: b. One of the premises is clearly false..

According to the text, what is wrong with the Argument from Humanity?

The correct answer was: c. One of the key terms is ambiguous..

10. Incorrect. You answered: b. Nature is completely irrelevant to morality..

According to the text, what is the role of nature in moral theory?

The correct answer was: c. Nature sets the outer bounds of morality..

PART 2