Question 1

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that each person's moral beliefs determine what is morally right or wrong for that person.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Moral subjectivism entails that moral disagreement is impossible.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Which of the following best explains the idea of reflective equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

A)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when his or her metaethical beliefs no longer contradict his or her normative beliefs. 
B)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when he or she eliminates flawed arguments for moral skepticism from his or her moral reasoning. 
C)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when his or her moral beliefs all fit together, including beliefs about both moral principles and particular cases. 
D)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when he or she gets past the need for moral principles and recognizes the moral truth about specific cases through direct reflection. 
A)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when his or her metaethical beliefs no longer contradict his or her normative beliefs. 
B)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when he or she eliminates flawed arguments for moral skepticism from his or her moral reasoning. 
C)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when his or her moral beliefs all fit together, including beliefs about both moral principles and particular cases. 
D)  A person achieves reflective equilibrium when he or she gets past the need for moral principles and recognizes the moral truth about specific cases through direct reflection.

Question 4

If moral subjectivism is true, then there is no point in trying to achieve reflective equilibrium.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following does Chapter 9 identify as a problem for moral subjectivism?

Accepted Answer

A)  It entails that moral disagreement is impossible. 
B)  It entails that even the most horrific actions would be morally permissible for someone who believes them to be permissible. 
C)  Both (a) and (b). 
D)  Neither (a) nor (b). 
A)  It entails that moral disagreement is impossible. 
B)  It entails that even the most horrific actions would be morally permissible for someone who believes them to be permissible. 
C)  Both (a) and (b). 
D)  Neither (a) nor (b).

Question 6

Moral nihilism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that all moral claims are false.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of the following best captures the central problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism, according to Chapter 9?

Accepted Answer

A)  There's no evidence that people's moral disagreements are really unresolvable. 
B)  People's moral disagreements are only unresolvable for people from different cultures. 
C)  If the argument were correct, there would be no moral reason to be tolerant of others. 
D)  The fact that people disagree about some topic doesn't mean that there's no fact of that matter about that topic. 
A)  There's no evidence that people's moral disagreements are really unresolvable. 
B)  People's moral disagreements are only unresolvable for people from different cultures. 
C)  If the argument were correct, there would be no moral reason to be tolerant of others. 
D)  The fact that people disagree about some topic doesn't mean that there's no fact of that matter about that topic.

Question 8

Define moral nihilism.

Accepted Answer

A)  Moral nihilism is the view that morality is just a means of social control. 
B)  Moral nihilism is the view that the ends justify the means. 
C)  Moral nihilism is the view that all moral claims are false. 
D)  Moral nihilism is the view that everyone ought to pursue his or her own self-interest. 
A)  Moral nihilism is the view that morality is just a means of social control. 
B)  Moral nihilism is the view that the ends justify the means. 
C)  Moral nihilism is the view that all moral claims are false. 
D)  Moral nihilism is the view that everyone ought to pursue his or her own self-interest.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for cultural relativism?

Accepted Answer

A)  It entails that killing is wrong (for you) because your culture disapproves of killing, not because of the harm it does to the victim. 
B)  It imposes no limits on what a culture may approve, including things that seem obviously wrong, like genocide or torture. 
C)  It requires that everyone tolerate others, even people who are not tolerant themselves. 
D)  It creates problems when a culture holds contradictory beliefs or when you belong to multiple cultures that have incompatible beliefs. 
A)  It entails that killing is wrong (for you) because your culture disapproves of killing, not because of the harm it does to the victim. 
B)  It imposes no limits on what a culture may approve, including things that seem obviously wrong, like genocide or torture. 
C)  It requires that everyone tolerate others, even people who are not tolerant themselves. 
D)  It creates problems when a culture holds contradictory beliefs or when you belong to multiple cultures that have incompatible beliefs.

Question 10

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that "everything is permitted."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

What is moral nihilism, according to Chapter 9?

Accepted Answer

A)  The view that only the pursuit of power ultimately matters. 
B)  The view that all moral claims are false. 
C)  The view that morality is something we choose for ourselves. 
D)  The view that no one is genuinely motivated by moral concerns. 
A)  The view that only the pursuit of power ultimately matters. 
B)  The view that all moral claims are false. 
C)  The view that morality is something we choose for ourselves. 
D)  The view that no one is genuinely motivated by moral concerns.

Question 12

In your own words, explain Frederick Douglass's AGAINST SLAVERY argument. How does this argument create a problem for cultural relativism?

Accepted Answer

Frederick Douglass's argument against sl

Question 13

Unlike moral subjectivism, cultural relativism entails that everyone ought to respect other cultures' differences.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which of the following best captures the main problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism?

Accepted Answer

A)  The argument wrongly assumes that people's moral disagreement is genuinely unresolvable. 
B)  The argument incorrectly assumes that disagreements about morality are like disagreements about nonmoral facts, such as facts about the shape of the Earth. 
C)  The argument illegitimately infers something about the way the world is from a fact about how people think the world is. 
D)  The argument overlooks the possibility that morality could be relative to culture, rather than objective. 
A)  The argument wrongly assumes that people's moral disagreement is genuinely unresolvable. 
B)  The argument incorrectly assumes that disagreements about morality are like disagreements about nonmoral facts, such as facts about the shape of the Earth. 
C)  The argument illegitimately infers something about the way the world is from a fact about how people think the world is. 
D)  The argument overlooks the possibility that morality could be relative to culture, rather than objective.

Question 15

Which of the following is identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for moral nihilism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because it entails that the only way to think about moral issues is in terms of the good or bad consequences of different actions, it assumes without argument that most moral philosophers throughout history have been completely mistaken. 
B)  Because it entails that nothing is morally wrong, it entails that there is no moral reason to be tolerant of people with different moral beliefs. 
C)  Because it entails that nothing is fair or unfair, it makes it impossible to claim that other people have acted unfairly when they do not accept your demands. 
D)  Because it entails that nothing is morally wrong, even torture or recreational killing, it conflicts with most people's deeply held beliefs. 
A)  Because it entails that the only way to think about moral issues is in terms of the good or bad consequences of different actions, it assumes without argument that most moral philosophers throughout history have been completely mistaken. 
B)  Because it entails that nothing is morally wrong, it entails that there is no moral reason to be tolerant of people with different moral beliefs. 
C)  Because it entails that nothing is fair or unfair, it makes it impossible to claim that other people have acted unfairly when they do not accept your demands. 
D)  Because it entails that nothing is morally wrong, even torture or recreational killing, it conflicts with most people's deeply held beliefs.

Question 16

How does the moral code of the Italian American mafia create a problem for cultural relativism?

Accepted Answer

The moral code of the Italian American m

Question 17

Whereas the moral nihilist thinks that everyone's moral beliefs are correct, the moral subjectivist thinks that everyone's beliefs are false.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

According to Chapter 9, how would the truth of moral subjectivism affect moral reasoning?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would have relatively little effect because we could still use moral reasoning to figure out what we should and to convince others about what they could do. 
B)  It would completely undermine moral reasoning because it would mean that reasoning about morality is equivalent to reasoning about which people are witches. 
C)  It would mean that moral disagreements could only be resolved by force, rather than by moral reasoning. 
D)  It would create significant obstacles to moral reasoning because any moral argument presented by one person could not genuinely be understood by anyone else. 
A)  It would have relatively little effect because we could still use moral reasoning to figure out what we should and to convince others about what they could do. 
B)  It would completely undermine moral reasoning because it would mean that reasoning about morality is equivalent to reasoning about which people are witches. 
C)  It would mean that moral disagreements could only be resolved by force, rather than by moral reasoning. 
D)  It would create significant obstacles to moral reasoning because any moral argument presented by one person could not genuinely be understood by anyone else.

Question 19

Define moral nihilism. Why does moral nihilism conflict with most people's moral convictions?

Accepted Answer

Moral nihilism is the belief that there

Question 20

Descriptive cultural relativism is the view that different cultures have different moral beliefs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that each person's moral beliefs determine what is morally right or wrong for that person.

Moral subjectivism entails that moral disagreement is impossible.

Which of the following best explains the idea of reflective equilibrium?

If moral subjectivism is true, then there is no point in trying to achieve reflective equilibrium.

Which of the following does Chapter 9 identify as a problem for moral subjectivism?

Moral nihilism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that all moral claims are false.

Which of the following best captures the central problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism, according to Chapter 9?

Define moral nihilism.

Which of the following is NOT identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for cultural relativism?

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that "everything is permitted."

What is moral nihilism, according to Chapter 9?

In your own words, explain Frederick Douglass's AGAINST SLAVERY argument. How does this argument create a problem for cultural relativism?

Unlike moral subjectivism, cultural relativism entails that everyone ought to respect other cultures' differences.

Which of the following best captures the main problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism?

Which of the following is identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for moral nihilism?

How does the moral code of the Italian American mafia create a problem for cultural relativism?

Whereas the moral nihilist thinks that everyone's moral beliefs are correct, the moral subjectivist thinks that everyone's beliefs are false.

According to Chapter 9, how would the truth of moral subjectivism affect moral reasoning?

Define moral nihilism. Why does moral nihilism conflict with most people's moral convictions?

Descriptive cultural relativism is the view that different cultures have different moral beliefs.

An Introduction to Arguments

Moral Arguments

Reasoning With Obligations

Reasoning About Consequences

Reasoning With Virtues and Vices

Reasoning With Principles and Counterexamples

Reasoning With Analogies

Answering Moral Questions

Religion and Moral Reasoning

Normative Theories, Part 1

Normative Theories, Part 2

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

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Exam 9: Skepticism, Subjectivism, and Relativism

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that each person's moral beliefs determine what is morally right or wrong for that person.

Moral subjectivism entails that moral disagreement is impossible.

Which of the following best explains the idea of reflective equilibrium?

If moral subjectivism is true, then there is no point in trying to achieve reflective equilibrium.

Which of the following does Chapter 9 identify as a problem for moral subjectivism?

Moral nihilism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that all moral claims are false.

Which of the following best captures the central problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism, according to Chapter 9?

Define moral nihilism.

Which of the following is NOT identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for cultural relativism?

Moral subjectivism, as defined in Chapter 9, is the view that "everything is permitted."

What is moral nihilism, according to Chapter 9?

In your own words, explain Frederick Douglass's AGAINST SLAVERY argument. How does this argument create a problem for cultural relativism?

Unlike moral subjectivism, cultural relativism entails that everyone ought to respect other cultures' differences.

Which of the following best captures the main problem with the MORAL DISAGREEMENT argument for moral skepticism?

Which of the following is identified in Chapter 9 as a problem for moral nihilism?

How does the moral code of the Italian American mafia create a problem for cultural relativism?

Whereas the moral nihilist thinks that everyone's moral beliefs are correct, the moral subjectivist thinks that everyone's beliefs are false.

According to Chapter 9, how would the truth of moral subjectivism affect moral reasoning?

Define moral nihilism. Why does moral nihilism conflict with most people's moral convictions?

Descriptive cultural relativism is the view that different cultures have different moral beliefs.

An Introduction to Arguments

Moral Arguments

Reasoning With Obligations

Reasoning About Consequences

Reasoning With Virtues and Vices

Reasoning With Principles and Counterexamples

Reasoning With Analogies

Answering Moral Questions

Religion and Moral Reasoning

Normative Theories, Part 1

Normative Theories, Part 2

Aristotle's Ethics: Exploring Virtue and Justice

Filters