Chapter 1: Thinking About Values TB - 1 | 1 Chapter 1: Thinking About Values True/False Questions 1. The phrase “50 - 50 nation” refers to those above and below the poverty line. (F) 2. Psychologists claim that a child must develop a sense of values by the age of 7 in order to become an adult with a conscience. (T) 3. The study of a moral center in the brain claims that a mapping of the moral center can tell us whether one moral answer is better than another. (F) 4. The study of ethics is an exclusively Western phenomenon. (F) 5. According to the lessons of Milgram, Zimbardo, and Arendt, norma l, decent people are capable of committing evil acts such as murdering innocents in extreme and unusual circumstances. (T) 6. The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” originated in the American Indian tradition. (F) 7. “Morality” usually refers to theories about the moral rules we follow. (F) 8. There is common agreement among ethicists that it is not possible for an atheist to have morals. (F) 9. A nonmoral value never refers to something as being good or bad, or right or wrong. (F) 10. Philosophers believe that there is an important use for reason as a tool in ethics in building bridges among religious peo ple, atheists, and agnostics. (T ) 11 . Historically, Western philosophers emphasized reason over faith in defending particular moral positions because they tended to be atheists. (F) 12. An inductive argument is a conclusion based on gathering of evidence, but you can’t be certain that the conclusion is true. (T) 13. There are two types of “arguments” in philosophy: deductive and inductive. (T) 14. The logical fallacy of using threats is called the ad baculum fallacy. (T) 15. The logical fallacy of begging the question makes the assumption that what you’re trying to prove is a fact. (T) 16. The logical fallacy of bifurcation makes the assumption that what you’re trying to prove is a fact. (F) 17. The logical fallacy of a slippery slope assumes that drastic consequences will follow a certain policy. (T) 18. Recent research of the brain suggests that the “normal” brain has evolved to recognize the value of a human life emotionally. (T) 19. Moral naturalism is the view that we all come equipped with a moral intuition, hardwired from birth. (T) Chapter 1: Thinking About Values TB - 1 | 2 20. In Bradbury’s story Fahrenheit 451, a group of book lovers memorize banned books of world literature, and each becomes a living book. (T) 21. Martha Nussbaum agrees with most of the philosophical tradition when she says that emotions have no cognitive value. (F) 22. For Nussbaum, we understand ourselves and our emotions best through narratives. (T) 23 . For Nussbaum, it is inevitable that since narratives reflect the values of society narratives deprive people of their moral autonomy. (F) 24. According to Nussbaum, when we experience the emotions of disgust and shame, we are establishing the environment of “Us vs. Them”. (T) 25. In the film Smoke Signals, Thomas, the storyteller, undertakes a sad journey to collect his father’s ashes in Wyoming. (F) 26. Big Fish and The Moral of the Story both emphasize the important role of storytelling in human life. (T) Multiple - Choice Questions 27 . The part of the brain most correlated with human moral sense is the… a. conscience b. prefrontal cortex c. limbic system d. cerebellum Answer: B 28 . Which is not one of the main branches or fields of philosophy? a. anthropology b. epistemology c. metaphysics d. ethics Answer: A 29. Which one of these descriptions comes closest to a definition of the theory of naturalism in philosophy of law? a. It explores the legal ramifications of nudity on beaches. b. It claims that any behavior that derives from human nature should be legal. c. It explores the natural laws of science. d. It claims that the law is based on universal moral standards. Answer: D 30 . Which is a characteristic of Socrates’ dialectical method? a. questions and answers b. rational examination of values c. dialogue between people Chapter 1: Thinking About Values TB - 1 | 3 d. all of the above Answer: D 31 . Which logical fallacy makes the assumption that what you’re trying to prove is a fact? a. begging the question b. ad hominem c. bifurcation d. ad baculum Answer: A 32 . Which is not an example of a logical “fallacy”? a. red herring b. black beast c. slippery slope d. false dichotomy Answer: B 33 . Which one of these answers to the question “Why are there moral rules?” is NOT in Chapter 1? a. Moral rules come from God/the gods. b. Moral rules originate in human reason. c. Moral rules are dictated by the economy. d. Moral rules derive from the fear of being caught. Answer: C 34 . The fallacy of ad miserecordiam commonly appeals to: a. the assumption that what you are trying to prove is a fact. b. the concept that drastic consequences will follow a miserable policy. c. pity for the individual. d. the belief the concept is so bizarre, it couldn’t possibly be believed. Answer: C 35. In comparison to subjects with healthy undamaged brains, scientific studies indicate that subjects with damage to their ventromedial frontal lobes a. are more likely to make a decision that would cause death to other people. b. are less likely to make a decision that would cause death to other people. c. are equally likely to make a decision that would cause death to other people. d. are unable to make decisions of any sort. 36. Martha Nussbaum claims that a. t here is no cognitive value in emotions. b. Aristotle warned against paying attention to stories. c. e motions can have cognitive value. d. p hilosophical examples are superior to stories in conveying a philosophical issue. Answer: C Chapter 1: Thinking About Values TB - 1 | 4 37 . Which is the least likely conclusion to be drawn from Zimbardo’s work? a. people with strong moral values are less likely to be corrupted by immora l circumstances b. human nature has the capacities for both compassion and cruelty c. that Abu Ghraib prison should not have surprised us d. that prisons can psychologically harm both prisoners and guards Answer: A 38. According to Arendt, the banality of evil refers to the fact that a. acts of evil are often performed out of duty to one’s job or country. b. acts of evil are perceived by those who commit them as normal everyday acts and not as anything extreme or immoral. c. a cts of evil are often committed by normal everyday people and not perverted or sadistic people. d. All of the above. Answer: D 39. All p hilosophers believe that a. emotions should be the basis for moral decisionmaking and that logic (rationality) should not. b. logic (rationality) should be the basis for moral decisionmaking and that emotions should not. c. both logic (rationality) and emotions should play major roles in moral decisionmaking. d. None of the above: th ere are philosophers who take each of the three positions above. Answer: D 40 . East of Eden most resembles which story archetype (listed in Chapter 2)? a. the Bargain b. the Quest c. g ood and bad twins d. right and wrong rules Answer: C Essay/Study Questions (For additional study questions, see chapter text) 41 . What do you think is the origin of “evil”? Something present or absent in human nature, or some other source? 42 . Explain the difference between morals and ethics. 43 . What is the lesson that Arendt would have you draw regarding the horrors committed against the Jews during WWII? 44 . If children need to develop a concept of values by the age of 7, what can we, as citizens, do to ensure that? Is it a matter for schools or homes, or is there another alternative? 45 . Why is it insufficient, according to most theories of ethics, to answer the question of what is morally right or wrong by referring to God’s commands? 46 . List three logical fallacies, explain why they are fallacies, and give examples of fallacious statements from the world of moral problems. Chapter 1: Thinking About Values TB - 1 | 5 47 . Identify the moral challenges in what you hope will be your future profession (or your current profession): What are the general challenges of the workplace? Are there specific moral challenges associated with your chosen field? Would the presence of such moral challenges influence your choice of a profession? 48 . Identify and discuss moral challenges associated with being a college/ university student and with being a college/university instructor. 49 . Nussbaum claims that philosophy has not wanted to deal with emotions, because when humans are emotional, they are not self - sufficient. What does she mean by that? 50 . Comment on Nussbaum’s statement: “We have never lived enough. Our experience is, without fiction, too confined and too parochial. Literature extends it, making us reflect and feel about what might otherwise be too distant for feeling.” 51. Many students will agree that many people, even many of their fellow students, might do very bad acts such as the murder of innocents under extreme circumstances (as A rendt and Zimbardo have suggested ) . Still, they will say that they themselves would not. What might Arendt or Zimbardo say in response? Do you agree? Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 1 Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories True/False Questions 1. The moral of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is that you should never lie, because sooner or later people aren’t going to believe you anymore, even when you tell the truth. (T) 2. The criminal justice system has recently begun to experiment with sentencing convicted offenders to reading books and watching films in order to teach them moral responsibility. (T) 3. There is a difference between stories that moralize and stories that discuss moral problems. (T) 4. A didactic story is a story that teaches a lesson. (T) 5. There is a sharp distinction between factual and fictional stories. (F) 6. Even stories that are believed to be factual have an element of poetic creativity. (T) 7. Traditional myths have two purposes: To strengthen social bonding and to serve as wish fulfillment. (F) 8. Fairy tales are, to some psychoanalysts, pure wish fulfillment. (T) 9. “Reality TV” represents a decline in reliance on narrative and plot to keep audience interest. (T) 10. The story of the prodigal son belongs to the category of parables. (T) 11. Kierkegaard believed that Abraham’s obedience to God was not an example of ordinary morality, but required a leap of faith. (T) 12. The anthropologist Carol Delaney asks why over the years hasn’t anyone wondered how Sarah felt about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice her only child? (T) 13. Western (or “cowboy”) movies have changed very little over the last century. (F) 14. Western movies often feature a story of the Individual vs. larger forces. (T) 15 . Crime stories generally concern themselves with the battle between good and evil. (T) 16 . The science fiction genre sometimes referred to as “cyberpunk” contains visions of a dark and frightening future. (T) 17 . We can learn moral lessons from morally good people, but not from morally flawed people. (F) 18 . If one is opposed to war, one can find no moral lessons in war stories. (F) 19 . The Western Unforgiven with Clint Eastwood provides a strong pro - violence statement. (F) 20 . The story of the Golem figure teaches a lesson of keeping a moral perspective in our undertakings. (T) 21 . The Pygmalion story type is a warning against unscrupulous creativity: You may be creatuing a monster. (F) 22 . In the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, young Werther kills his beloved Lotte because she has broken up with him. (F) Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 2 23 . Plato claimed that art is harmful because it fans violent emotions. (T) 24. Aristotle’s idea of catharsis meant that we should purge all sex and violence from art. (F) 25 . Aristotle viewed art as dangerous because it fans violent emotions. (F) 26 . Greek drama began as religious festivals for the god Dionysus. (T) 27 . As a young adult, Oedipus is told that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. (T) 28 . As a young adult, Oedipus was in love with his mother and dreamed of killing his father. (F) 29 . Aristotle believed that a good tragedy doesn’t have to rely on what we today would call special effects. (T) 30 . The FBI profiler John Douglas believes that seeing violence on TV and on film has no cumulative effect on children. (F) 31 . Socrates was the student of Plato, who was himself the student of Aristotle. (F) 32 . Rosenstand suggests that children need to be taught by their parents to process stories so that they will know the difference between fact and fiction. (T) 33 . Rosenstand suggests that stories are to be seen as moral laboratories where we can explore the consequences of actions. (T) 34 . Aristotle claims that “Dramatic poetry had a most formidable power of corrupting even men of high character. . . .” (F) 35 . Plato warns against the dangers of letting one’s emotions run free when watching a tragedy, but he also warns against laughing when watching a comedy. (T) 36 . Umberto Eco, in The Name of the Rose , creates a pastiche of Aristotle’s lost work on comedy. (T) 37 . Raymond Chandler’s description of the fictional detective suggests that the detective should be a perfect human being. (F) 38 . In Pulp Fiction , Jules and Vincent have retrieved a briefcase full of jewelry from the gangster Wallace. (F) 39 . Werther shoots himself while he is sitting at the piano, playing for his lost love Lotte. (F) 40 . Medea kills her own children to get back at her husband Jason for having left her. (T) 41. Mingo might well be compared to Frankenstein. (T) Multiple - Choice Questions 42. Medical students in many parts of the USA are exposed to stories of fiction in medical school in order to a. learn to diagnos e difficult medical problems. b. learn about themselves. Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 3 c. learn about what things are like from the point of view of the patient. d. learn about what it will be like to be a doctor. Answer: C 43. The immediate evolu tionary benefit of a good story is a. social bonding b. relaxation c. immediate moral knowledge d. happiness Answer: A 44. There are four common viewpoints to the issue of Hollywood and violent films mentioned in t he text. Find the one that shouldn’t be on the list. a. Hollywood should impose strict family values on its productions. b. Hollywood is supplying a valuable social service, because we all need to watch violent films now and again. c. Hollywood should create more films in nonviolent categories, such as family movies. d. Hollywood is just responding to viewer demands. Answer: B 45 . The Trobriand people distinguish between three different kinds of stories. Which one does not belong on the list? a. sacred stories about the beginning of the world b. fairy tales told as entertainment c. semihistorical accounts of heroes d. profane stories exaggerating one’s personal achievements Answer: D 46. The moral message of gruesome fairy tales may be the following: a. Evil is a continuous presence to which we sooner or later fall victim. b. Only evil people have evil things happen to them. c. Nothing is so bad that something good doesn’t result from it. d. Evil can be dealt with if we have fortitude. Answer: D 47. What is a parable? a. the same as a fairy tale b. an allegorical story for adults c. a concept from mathematics, describing a curve d. a story with two parallel endings Answer: B 48. Why did the father of the prodigal son celebrate his homecoming? a. He had been away for thirty years. b. He brought his new wife with him. c. The father had given him up for lost. Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 4 d. The father was hoping that the son would help around the farm. Answer: C 49 . There are many ways to use narratives to explore ethics. Chapter 2 mentions several ways. Which one shouldn’t be on the list? a. Many psychologists are using bibliotherapy to help children cope with difficult experiences. b. Many medical students are exposed to literature and film about persons with illnesses in order to have a better understanding of their patients. c. Many philosophy students are now reading stories about persons seeking the meaning of life in order to facilitate their own search for meaning. d. Some judges are sentencing offenders to reading books and watching films in order to make them understand moral responsibility. Answer: C 50 . Medea kills her two children. Why? a. Because she wants to remarry, and the children are in the way. b. Because she kills herself afterwards, and she believes a good mother does not leave the world without her children. c. T here is no reason — it was a terrible mistake for which she is subsequently executed. d. Because she wants to get back at her husband Jason for leaving her. Answer: D 51 . Who, in Chapter 2, speaks these words? “And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers…” a. Jules, in Pulp Fiction b. Vincent, in Pulp Fiction c. Medea, in the play Medea d. Werther, in The Sorrows of Young Werther Answer: A 52 . On which issue would Plato and Aristotle most likely agree? a. art b. sex c. violence d. moderation Answer: D 53 . Which TV show would Plato and Aristotle most disagree about? a. The View b. Saturday Night Live c. The Sopranos d. American Idol Answer: C 54 . Based on The Republic excerpt, we can extrapolate that Plato would almost certainly condemn which contemporary phenomenon? Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 5 a. computers b. gangsta rap music c. fast food d . warning labels on video games Answer: B 55 . Chandler’s description of the detective hero most embodies which narrative archetype? a. the Bargain b. the Quest c. the Key d. the View Answer: B Essay/Study Questions 56 . Relate the Trobriand myth of the grandmother who shed her skin, and analyze its moral message. 57 . Relate the story of Abraham and Isaac, and analyze its meaning. 58 . Compare Plato’s and Aristotle’s views on whether art has a positive or a negative influence, and discuss the topic of violence in films and on television with reference to Plato’s and Aristotle’s theories. 59 . Discuss the following statement with examples from film and literature: “Literature can be used to raise one’s awareness of potential future moral problems.” 60 . Can you name even more movies which seem to embody the story - archetypes of The Bargain, the Good Twin and the Bad Twin, and the Quest? 61 . Do you agree with Plato that one ought always to be able to control one’s emotions? Why or why not? 62 . Evaluate the question of good and evil as it is presented in Pulp Fiction. What might Plato’s reaction to this film be? Aristotle’s? 63 . Name three didactic stories, describe their plots, and explain their moral lessons. Do you agree with these lessons? Why or why not? 64 . Discuss the phenomenon of Goethe’s novel about Werther, a young man who commits suicide because of unrequited love: What were the effects of the publication? Why did this phenomenon happen? Do you think something similar could happen today, due to the inspiration of a film, a novel, or some other medium of fiction? If yes, what should be done to prevent it, if anything? If no, why not? 65 . Compare and contrast Plato’s and Aristotle’s views on whether watching a dramatic play, or in today’s world, a film, has a positive or a negative influence. Compare their viewpoints to the Chapter 2: Learning Moral Lessons from Stories TB - 2 | 6 current discussion on the subject of violence in films and on television. In your opinion, is one of the two viewpoints more correct than the other? Why or why not? 66 . Evaluate Werther’s reaction from your own point of view: Is suicide as a result of rejection a realistic scenario? Is it emotionally understandable? Is it morally defensible? Explain your viewpoint. 67 . Can we defend Medea’s actions in any way? Is Jason free of blame? What do you think Euripides intended as his moral of the story? 68 . If so, is Aristotle right that we feel pity and fear because we understand what he is going through — that we might react the same way? Chapter 3: Ethical Relativism TB - 3 | 1 Chapter 3: Ethical Relativism True/False Questions 1. Some cultures feel that it is their moral duty to dispose of their seniors when they become unproductive. (T) 2. There is no difference between what is moral and what is legal. (F) 3 . Hard universalism is the theory that we are each entitled to our own moral opinion and that there is no universal moral code. (F) 4 . The moral nihilist believes that deep down all people have some values in common. (F) 5 . A good way to test a moral theory is to examine its capacity for solving problems. (T) 6 . King Darius foun d that the Callatians refused t o give up eating their dead. (T) 7 . Cultural relativism is a normative theory. (F) 8 . Cultural relativism describes how customs differ from culture to culture. (T) 9 . Ethical relativism is a normative theory. (T) 10 . A normative ethical theory involves a moral judgment, evaluation, or justification. (T) 11 . Benedict tells of the Northwest Coast Indians that when the chief’s sister died the tribe set out to find the culprits who killed her and kill them. (F) 12 . Benedict’s conclusion is that a certain behavior may be normal for a culture, but that doesn’t mean it is morally right. (F) 13 . Benedict is saying that morality is culturally defined. (T) 14 . Ethical relativism cannot logically make a claim to tolerance being universally good if they accept that all values are culture - relative. (T) 15. One of the arguments against ethical relativism says that the theory does not distinguish between the actual morality and the professed morality of a culture. (T) 16. Because we can verify that the earth is round, we can also verify which moral viewpoints are better than others. (F) 17. The problem of induction is that induction induces people to think for themselves. (F) 18. One of the universal cultural values suggested by James Rachels is a rule against incest. (F) 19. Inclusive multiculturalism is also sometimes known as multicultural pluralism. (T) 20. Soft universalism claims there are some und erlying values all cultures share. (T) 21. In the primary readings, Benedict refers to a Melanesian culture that has developed paranoia into being the culturally accepted norm. (T) 22. In the primary reading Rachels argues that there are no culture - neutral moral standards. (F) Chapter 3: Ethical Relativism TB - 3 | 2 23. In Walker’s narrative Possessing the Secret of Joy, the tribal practice of female circumcision is strongly condemned. (T) 24. Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible strongly defends the hard universalism of Nathan Price, and as such it can be viewed as a criticism of ethical relativism, because it is critical of tribal customs. (F) 25 . I can’t find the answer to this in the reading: Eliminate. If Ruth Benedict were here today, she would most likely oppose gay marriage because it’s “abnormal.” (F) Multiple - Choice Questions 26 . Naturalism is the view that a. there is no ultimate moral foundation for our laws. Laws are based on mere consensus. b. laws reflects or ought to reflect a set of universal moral standards, standards that apply to all people. c. some laws are contextual and relative and others reflect universal moral standards. d. laws reflect or ought to reflect values found throughout all of nature and the animal kingdom. Answer: B 27 . One of these answers is not on the list of the four major approaches to the phenomenon of moral differences: a. hard universalism. b. ethical relativism. c. ethical egoism. d. soft universalism. Answer: C 28 . What do the three theories of moral nihilism, moral skepticism, and moral subjectivism have in common, aside from their rejection of universal moral values? a. They have poor problem - solving capacities. b. They are typically selfish theories. c. They are sexist. d. They have nothing else in common. Answer: A 29 . What do moral subjectivism and ethical relativism have in common? a. The view that moral values are relative. b. Their excellent problem - solving capacities. c. They both imply majority rule. d. They have nothing in common. Answer: A Chapter 3: Ethical Relativism TB - 3 | 3 30 . Why is the problem of induction a problem for ethical relativism? a. because it induces people to think for themselves instead of following cultural norms. b. because we can never know for certain when we have accumulated enough material to conclude that there are no universal moral values. c. because we should be using the method of deduction, since it is irrational to use induction d. because very few people understand the problem of induction Answer: B 31. What is a major issue for Benedict? a. Normality is culturally defined. b. The concept of the normal is a variant of the concept of the good. c. The majority of any group conform to the values of the group; the deviants are few. d. all of the above Answer: D 32 . Which one of these four arguments is not one of the main arguments against ethical relativism? a. Ethical relativism forces us to bow to majority rule. b. If Ethical Relativism is correct then it follows that we have no basis for condemn ing or praising other cultures. c. It is hard to determine what might constitute a morally autonomous culture. d. Ethical relativism permits people to do anything they want, since there are no universal moral rules . Answer: D 33. Suppose a mother is a part of a community that generally supports the idea that both parents should work and contribute to a middle class standard of living. Suppose that she is also a part of a religious community that believes that mothers should remain at home and raise children, even though it means having a lower standard of living. According to ethical relativism what should she do? a. She should work since that would be following the moral conventions of the larger, more inclusive culture. b. She should stay at home since that would be following the moral conventions of her religion, which trumps all other groups. c. According to ethical relativism she will be moral no matter which she does since there is some group she is a member of that has moral conventions she would be following. d. Ethical relativism fails to say what she should since she is a member of two different cultures with conflicting moral values. This illustrates one of the shortcomings of ethical relativism. 34. According to Rachels, there are at least three universal moral standards, disproving ethical relativism. Which one of these is not on his list? a. a prohibition against lying Chapter 3: Ethical Relativism TB - 3 | 4 b. care of enough infants to keep society going c. a prohibition against incest d. a prohibition against murder Answer: C 35 . Who expresses the following claim? “Mankind has al ways preferred to say, ‘It is morally good,’ rather than ‘It is habitual’… But historically the two phrases are synonymous.” a. James Rachels b. Ruth Benedict c. Alice Walker d. Bhikhu Parekh Answer: B 36. Who said, “ The culture - neutral standard is whether the social practice in question is harmful or beneficial to the people who are affected by it.” a. James Rachels b. Ruth Benedict c. Alice Walker d. Bhikhu Parekh Answer: A 37 . Steinbeck sees American character and values as most illustrated by… a. stars and stripes b. idealism and realism c. paradox and turmoil d. absolutism and relativism Answer: C 38. What is the culturally sensitive topic of Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy ? a. female infanticide b. male circumcision c. female circumcision d. euthanasia Answer: C 39. In Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible (excerpt), Price’s daughter Leah… a. is the only one of the daughters who, throughout the years, stands by her father, through thick and thin. b. abandons her father’s ways, learns to see the African point of view, and chooses a life in Africa with the teacher Anatole. c. dies as a result of her father’s stubbornness d. is sold into slavery by her father and is purchased by Tata Ndu, the chief. Answer: B 40 . Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible can be viewed as (choose the most likely answer): a. an argument against ethical relativism