PhD Doctor of Philosophy Philosophy: Morality and The Moral Life 2

Question 1

Which philosopher argued that moral worth depends solely on acting from duty (Pflicht) rather than inclination?

Accepted Answer

Immanuel Kant

Answer

Kant held that an action has moral worth only when performed from duty, not from inclination or self-interest.

Question 2

In virtue ethics, eudaimonia is best translated as:

Accepted Answer

Flourishing or well-being

Answer

Eudaimonia, central to Aristotle's ethics, refers to human flourishing or living well rather than mere pleasure.

Question 3

The trolley problem is primarily used in ethics to illustrate tension between:

Accepted Answer

Consequentialist and deontological intuitions

Answer

The trolley problem highlights the clash between maximizing outcomes (consequentialism) and the prohibition on using people as means (deontology).

Question 4

Peter Singer's utilitarian argument for famine relief concludes that affluent individuals are morally obligated to give until:

Accepted Answer

Giving more would cause comparable moral harm to themselves

Answer

Singer argues we must give until the point where giving further would sacrifice something of comparable moral importance.

Question 5

Moral relativism holds that moral judgments are:

Accepted Answer

True or false relative to cultural or individual standards

Answer

Moral relativism maintains that the truth of moral claims is relative to the norms of a particular culture or individual.

PhD Doctor of Philosophy Practice Test