DSST Ethics in America 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical theory holds that the morality of an action is determined solely by its consequences?
- Deontology
- Virtue ethics
- Consequentialism (Correct answer)
- Natural law theory
Correct answer: Consequentialism
Consequentialism judges actions as right or wrong based entirely on their outcomes or consequences.
Question 2: The concept of 'moral relativism' holds that:
- Moral truths are universal and objective
- Moral judgments are true or false relative to cultural or individual standards (Correct answer)
- Only religious authorities can determine moral truth
- Natural law provides the basis for all morality
Correct answer: Moral judgments are true or false relative to cultural or individual standards
Moral relativism claims there are no universal moral truths; what is moral depends on cultural or individual perspective.
Question 3: In John Rawls's 'veil of ignorance' thought experiment, decision-makers are asked to:
- Maximize total social utility
- Choose principles of justice without knowing their place in society (Correct answer)
- Follow divine command theory
- Apply Kant's categorical imperative
Correct answer: Choose principles of justice without knowing their place in society
Rawls's veil of ignorance requires choosing principles of justice as if you did not know your own social position, ensuring impartiality.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'ethical egoism'?
- One should always act to maximize the welfare of others
- Moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest (Correct answer)
- Self-interest and altruism must be balanced equally
- Acting for personal gain is always morally wrong
Correct answer: Moral agents ought to do what is in their own self-interest
Ethical egoism prescribes that moral agents ought to act exclusively in their own self-interest.
Question 5: Thomas Hobbes argued that without a social contract, human life would be:
- Peaceful and cooperative by nature
- Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short (Correct answer)
- Guided by natural moral law
- Sustained by communal virtue
Correct answer: Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short
Hobbes described the natural state of humanity without government as a 'war of all against all,' making life solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
Question 6: The 'doctrine of double effect' is most closely associated with which ethical tradition?
- Utilitarianism
- Kantian deontology
- Natural law / Catholic moral theology (Correct answer)
- Virtue ethics
Correct answer: Natural law / Catholic moral theology
The doctrine of double effect, developed in natural law and Catholic moral theology, holds that a harmful side effect of a good action can be permissible under certain conditions.
Question 7: Which scenario best illustrates a conflict between personal ethics and professional ethics?
- A lawyer who personally opposes capital punishment but defends a client facing execution (Correct answer)
- A teacher who grades fairly regardless of personal feelings
- A doctor who follows standard treatment protocols
- An employee who follows workplace safety rules
Correct answer: A lawyer who personally opposes capital punishment but defends a client facing execution
A lawyer defending a capital case despite personal opposition illustrates tension between personal moral beliefs and professional duty.
DSST Ethics in America 2
Which ethical theory holds that the morality of an action is determined solely by its consequences?