DSST Ethics in America 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical theory argues that moral rules derive their authority from God's commands?
- Natural law theory
- Divine command theory (Correct answer)
- Virtue ethics
- Social contract theory
Correct answer: Divine command theory
Divine command theory holds that an action is morally right if and only if God commands it.
Question 2: 'Whistle-blowing' in a corporate or government context raises the ethical conflict between:
- Loyalty to one's organization and the duty to disclose wrongdoing to protect the public (Correct answer)
- Personal ambition and professional development
- Efficiency and effectiveness in organizational management
- Religious obligations and secular employment
Correct answer: Loyalty to one's organization and the duty to disclose wrongdoing to protect the public
Whistle-blowing involves tension between loyalty to one's employer and a broader duty to prevent harm or expose wrongdoing to the public.
Question 3: The concept of 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR) suggests that businesses should:
- Maximize profit with no other obligations
- Consider their impact on society and act in ways that benefit stakeholders beyond shareholders (Correct answer)
- Follow government regulations and nothing more
- Pursue shareholder value as their only moral obligation
Correct answer: Consider their impact on society and act in ways that benefit stakeholders beyond shareholders
CSR holds that corporations have ethical obligations to act in ways that benefit society, the environment, and all stakeholders, beyond mere profit maximization.
Question 4: Which philosopher argued that humans are ends in themselves and should never be treated merely as means?
- John Stuart Mill
- Jeremy Bentham
- Immanuel Kant (Correct answer)
- John Locke
Correct answer: Immanuel Kant
Kant's Formula of Humanity states that we must always treat people as ends in themselves and never merely as means to our own ends.
Question 5: In American legal ethics, attorney-client privilege primarily serves to protect:
- Attorneys from criminal liability
- The confidentiality of communications to encourage honest disclosure to legal counsel (Correct answer)
- Judges from public criticism
- The government's interest in fair trials
Correct answer: The confidentiality of communications to encourage honest disclosure to legal counsel
Attorney-client privilege protects communications between attorney and client to promote open and honest communication necessary for effective legal representation.
Question 6: Which of the following is the best example of 'moral courage'?
- Following established social norms without question
- Reporting a superior's unethical behavior despite risk of personal retaliation (Correct answer)
- Avoiding moral dilemmas by staying neutral
- Maximizing personal advantage in ambiguous situations
Correct answer: Reporting a superior's unethical behavior despite risk of personal retaliation
Moral courage involves acting on one's ethical convictions in the face of personal risk or social pressure, such as reporting wrongdoing by a superior.
Question 7: The 'is-ought problem,' formulated by David Hume, warns that:
- Moral knowledge comes only from sensory experience
- One cannot logically derive moral prescriptions ('ought') from factual descriptions ('is') alone (Correct answer)
- Ethics should be grounded in human emotions rather than reason
- Scientific facts determine moral values
Correct answer: One cannot logically derive moral prescriptions ('ought') from factual descriptions ('is') alone
Hume's is-ought problem (also called Hume's guillotine) identifies a logical gap between descriptive factual statements and prescriptive moral conclusions.
DSST Ethics in America 5
Which ethical theory argues that moral rules derive their authority from God's commands?