Consequentialists believe that the central part of moral action is the

1.

Question :

Consequentialists believe that the central part of moral action is the ____________.

Student Answer:

self (Only ethical egoism believes this.)

virtues (Consequentialists do not look to virtues to determine moral action.)

other (Only altruism believes this.)

consequences (Correct!)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 2.

Question :

If you are a psychological egoist, you believe ____________________.

Student Answer:

that people should help others (Psychological egoism does not attempt to explain how people should act, just why they do act.)

that people ought to help animals (Psychological egoism does not attempt to explain how people should act, just why they do act.)

that people always or often do help themselves (Correct!)

that people should or ought to help themselves (Psychological egoism does not attempt to explain how people should act, just why they do act.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 3.

Question :

One of the main difficulties of consequentialist theories is that ____________________.

Student Answer:

they are based solely on our duties at the time (This is a difficulty with duty ethics.)

it is very difficult to discover and determine all possible consequences (Correct!)

they emphasize the person or character at the expense of action (Consequentialist theories focus on the outcome of the action, not motives of the one acting.)

they are based exclusively on our selfish interests (This is a criticism of just one type of consequentialist theory called ethical egoism.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 4.

Question :

What is an important difference between utilitarianism and ethical egoism?

Student Answer:

There is none because utilitarianism and ethical egoism are different names for the same theory. (These are two different theories.)

Utilitarianism says we should consider everyone’s interests, whereas ethical egoism says people should act in their own self-interest. (Correct!)

Utilitarianism concerns how people should act, while ethical egoism concerns how people do act. (Both are concerned with how people should act.)

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory; ethical egoism is not. (Both theories are consequentialist theories.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 5.

Question :

Which of the following is a well-known ethical egoist?

Student Answer:

Jeremy Bentham (Bentham is a well-known utilitarian.)

Ayn Rand (Correct!)

Brian Medlin (Medlin is known for his criticism of ethical egoism.)

John Stuart Mill (Mill is a well-known utilitarian.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 6.

Question :

Who believes that reasoning in moral matters is usually used to confirm our more direct sense of right and wrong?

Student Answer:

Deontologists (Not all deontologists believe this.)

Care theorists (Care theorists do not assume a sense of right and wrong.)

Intuitionists (Correct!)

Psychologists (Psychologists do not assume reasoning confirms our sense of right and wrong.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 7.

Question :

Which of the following are examples of non-consequentialist ethical theories?

Student Answer:

Intuitionism (This is a non-consequentialist theory, but there are others.)

Divine command (This is a non-consequentialist theory, but there are others.)

Deontological ethics (This is a non-consequentialist theory, but there are others.)

Prima facie ethics (This is a non-consequentialist theory, but there are others.)

All of the above (Correct!)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 8.

Question :

What is a presumed strength of divine command theory?

Student Answer:

There is a standard above human reasoning. (Correct!)

There is no rational foundation. (This would be a weakness.)

Even if the rules are morally valid, there is no justification procedure for them. (This would be a weakness.)

There is far too much divergence among religious people to make a determination of the rules with any confidence. (This would be a weakness.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 9.

Question :

According to Kant, the only thing that is good without qualification is ________.

Student Answer:

good results (Kant did not look to results to determine morality.)

good rules upon which to act (Kant believed that rules should be qualified.)

good will (Correct!)

good consequences (Kant did not look to consequences to determine morality.)

Points Received:

1 of 1

Comments:

Question 10.

Question :

Which of the following is a strength of nonconsequentialist approaches?

Student Answer:

Rules are grounded in something other than consequences and/or cost-benefit analysis (Correct!)

Ignores consequences (This would be considered a weakness.)

There is division over which rules have precedence over others (This would be considered a weakness.)

Apparently shuts down moral discussion (This would be considered a weakness.)

The correct answer and explanation is:

Here are the correct answers along with a 300-word explanation for each:

1. Consequentialists believe that the central part of moral action is the consequences.
   Explanation: Consequentialism is a moral theory that determines right and wrong based on the outcomes of actions. If an action leads to good consequences, it is deemed morally right; if it leads to bad consequences, it is wrong. Utilitarianism, a key form of consequentialism, focuses on maximizing overall happiness or utility.
2. If you are a psychological egoist, you believe that people always or often do help themselves.
   Explanation: Psychological egoism is a descriptive theory stating that people are inherently self-interested. It does not prescribe how people should act but rather claims that all human actions are motivated by self-interest, even when they appear altruistic.
3. One of the main difficulties of consequentialist theories is that it is very difficult to discover and determine all possible consequences.
   Explanation: Predicting all possible consequences of an action is challenging because the future is uncertain. Additionally, different people may be affected in different ways, making moral decision-making complex.
4. An important difference between utilitarianism and ethical egoism is: Utilitarianism says we should consider everyone’s interests, whereas ethical egoism says people should act in their own self-interest.
   Explanation: Utilitarianism seeks the greatest good for the greatest number, while ethical egoism states that individuals should act in ways that maximize their own self-interest, without necessarily considering the well-being of others.
5. A well-known ethical egoist is Ayn Rand.
   Explanation: Ayn Rand advocated for rational self-interest, arguing that individuals should pursue their own happiness as their highest moral purpose, as seen in her philosophy of Objectivism.
6. Who believes that reasoning in moral matters is usually used to confirm our more direct sense of right and wrong? Intuitionists.
   Explanation: Intuitionists argue that moral knowledge comes from direct intuition rather than reasoned argumentation. Moral truths are self-evident.
7. Examples of non-consequentialist ethical theories include: All of the above (Intuitionism, Divine Command, Deontological ethics, Prima Facie ethics).
   Explanation: Non-consequentialist theories judge morality based on principles, duties, or rules rather than outcomes. Kantian ethics, divine command theory, and intuitionism are all examples.
8. A presumed strength of divine command theory is: There is a standard above human reasoning.
   Explanation: Divine command theory asserts that morality is based on God’s commands, which provide an objective moral standard beyond human subjectivity.
9. According to Kant, the only thing that is good without qualification is good will.
   Explanation: Kant argued that good will, or the intention to do one’s duty for its own sake, is the only thing that is intrinsically good, regardless of consequences.
10. A strength of non-consequentialist approaches is: Rules are grounded in something other than consequences and/or cost-benefit analysis.
    Explanation: Non-consequentialist ethics, such as deontology, provide moral guidance independent of changing circumstances, focusing instead on duty, rights, or divine commands.

Now, I’ll generate an image related to ethical theories.

Here is an image representing ethical theories, showing the balance between consequentialism and deontology, with Kant and utilitarian symbols in the background. Let me know if you’d like any modifications!