MH Religious Studies and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Max Weber's 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' (1905) argues that Calvinist theology contributed to capitalism by promoting:
- Worldly asceticism and the calling to work diligently (Correct answer)
- Church-sponsored commerce and banking
- The rejection of material possessions
- State control of economic activity
Correct answer: Worldly asceticism and the calling to work diligently
Weber argued that Calvinist ideas of predestination led believers to seek signs of divine favor through disciplined work and reinvestment of profit, fostering capitalist values.
Question 2: In virtue ethics, as developed by Aristotle, 'eudaimonia' is best translated as:
- Flourishing or well-being (Correct answer)
- Pleasure
- Duty
- Salvation
Correct answer: Flourishing or well-being
Aristotle defined eudaimonia as the highest human good — a state of flourishing achieved through the exercise of virtue and reason over a lifetime.
Question 3: The concept of 'dharma' in Hinduism most broadly refers to:
- Cosmic order, duty, and righteous conduct (Correct answer)
- Liberation from the cycle of rebirth
- The body of sacred scriptures
- The priestly class in the caste system
Correct answer: Cosmic order, duty, and righteous conduct
Dharma encompasses the cosmic order sustaining the universe and the individual duties and ethical conduct appropriate to one's station in life.
Question 4: In John Rawls' 'A Theory of Justice' (1971), the 'veil of ignorance' is a thought experiment that asks individuals to:
- Design society without knowing their own place in it (Correct answer)
- Ignore historical injustices when making laws
- Remove religious values from political decisions
- Prioritize the majority's preferences over minorities
Correct answer: Design society without knowing their own place in it
Behind the 'veil of ignorance,' individuals do not know their social position, class, or natural abilities, ensuring they choose principles of justice impartially.
Question 5: The distinction between 'emic' and 'etic' perspectives in religious studies refers to:
- Insider versus outsider viewpoints on a religious tradition (Correct answer)
- Ancient versus modern interpretations of doctrine
- Eastern versus Western religious frameworks
- Sacred versus secular analyses of religion
Correct answer: Insider versus outsider viewpoints on a religious tradition
An emic perspective describes religion from the insider's viewpoint using the tradition's own categories, while an etic perspective uses external, analytical frameworks.
Question 6: Which ethical framework, associated with Carol Gilligan, emphasizes relationships, care, and context over abstract universal principles?
- Care ethics (Correct answer)
- Deontological ethics
- Natural law theory
- Contractarianism
Correct answer: Care ethics
Gilligan's ethics of care, developed as a critique of Kohlberg, centers moral reasoning on empathy, relationships, and responsiveness to particular needs.
MH Religious Studies and Ethics 2
Max Weber's 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' (1905) argues that Calvinist theology contributed to capitalism by promoting: