Test 1

Question 1

Argument

Answer 1

Attempt to persuade by giving justification to take action or adapt a belief

Involves reason, logic, premises and conclusions

Not the same as rhetoric

Question 2

Implicit Premise

Answer 2

A premise that is implied but not explicitly said

Question 3

Religious Moralism

Answer 3

The idea that (truth in) morality is dependent upon (truth in) religious belief

The above connection is neither necessary nor logical

Question 4

Devine Command Theory

Answer 4

The idea that right/wrong/good/bad are defined by God’s will; God is the author of morality. Theory is problematic bc is makes morality seem arbitrary.

In order for DVT to be validated, the following must be proven: Extensional Equivalence Thesis and Dependency Thesis

Question 5

Extensional Equivalence Thesis

Answer 5

1 of 2 theses that must be proven to validate Devine Command Theory

The idea that an act is good because God wills it, and an action is bad because God forbids it. God tells us what’s moral.

Question 6

Dependency Thesis

Answer 6

1 of 2 theses that must be proven to validate Devine Command Theory

The idea that an act is good by way of the fact that God commanded it, or bad by way of the fact that God forbade it. If God said it, it must be moral.

Question 7

Descriptive Ethical Relativism

Answer 7

Theory that observes/acknowledges of the FACT that different cultures have different moral beliefs/attitudes

Question 8

Descriptive Ethical Absolutism

Answer 8

Theory that observes/acknowledges of the FACT that different cultures must have at least moral belief/attitude in common

Question 9

Normative Ethical Relativism

Answer 9

The idea that different cultures OUGHT to have different moral beliefs/attitudes; The idea that good/bad is defined from culture to culture.

Has 4 major flaws: impossibility of comparing cultures, impossibility of moral progress, degeneration of cultural relativism to individual relativism, and tolerance of immorality

Question 10

Normative Ethical Absolutism

Answer 10

The idea that different cultures OUGHT to have at least moral belief/attitude in common

Question 11

Ethical Egoism

Answer 11

Normative Moral Theory: We each OUGHT to do what we feel is best for ourselves/makes us most happy (happiness defined by hedonism, eudaimonism, and desire satisfaction).

Not the same as Psychologial Egoism

Question 12

Psychologial Egoism

Answer 12

Descriptive theory that observes/acknowledges of the FACT that people are self-serving and generally choose actions that help themselves.

Not the same as Ethical Egoism

Question 13

Euthyphro’s criticism of Devine Command Theory

Answer 13

1. The idea that God’s will makes actions moral implies that morality is arbitrary.
2. DVT can only be validated is we assume morality is the result of God’s will. Since we can’t prove that assumption, we can’t validate DVT.

Question 14

Abraham’s criticism of Devine Command Theory

Answer 14

1. If God’s will makes actions morally right, His will could make any action (murder, rape) right. There would be no independent standard to judge acts as wrong.

Question 15

Tolerance of immorality

Answer 15

1 of 4 flaws in the Normative Ethical Relativity theory

If morality is relative, no one can be immoral, and thus we must be tolerant of cultures that what would otherwise be considered immoral. This is bad.

Question 16

Ethical Relativism

Answer 16

The idea that moral/ethical standards are subjective to what a group or individual believes.

The idea that there are no objective moral/ethical truths.

Question 17

Eudaimonism

Answer 17

1 of 3 ways happiness is defined in Ethical Egoism theory.

Question 18

Perceived Circumstantial Variation

Answer 18

2 of 2 counter-explanations for cultural variations in morality: cultures may share universal morals but express them differently based on PERCEIVED differences in circumstances.

Question 19

(2) Flaws in Ethical Egoism

Answer 19

1. It doesn’t tell us how we should resolve conflicts
2. It prohibits from preventing costs to others when it means incurring costs ourselves (i.e. not saving a child from drowning bc our clothes might get wet)

Question 20

Theists on Religious Moralism

Answer 20

Theists can accept or reject Religious Moralism

Question 21

Atheists on Religious Moralism

Answer 21

Atheists can accept or reject Religious Moralism

Question 22

Theists on Religious Moralism

Answer 22

Theists can accept or reject Religious Moralism (when they reject, they also have logical grounds to praise and/or criticize God when He is immoral bc God is subject to morality, not the creator of it)

Question 23

Hedonism

Answer 23

1 of 3 ways happiness is defined in Ethical Egoism theory.

Roughly means pleasure

Question 24

Eudaimonism

Answer 24

1 of 3 ways happiness is defined in Ethical Egoism theory.

Roughly means contentment

Question 25

Desire satisfaction

Answer 25

1 of 3 ways happiness is defined in Ethical Egoism theory. Roughly refers to the number of desires that are satisfied

Question 26

(2) Flaws in Ethical Egoism

Answer 26

1. It doesn't tell us how we should resolve conflicts; Adequacy Argument Fail 2. It prohibits from preventing costs to others when it means incurring costs ourselves (i.e. not saving a child from drowning bc our clothes might get wet); Counter-intuitive Consequences Fail