PhD Doctor of Philosophy Philosophy: Morality and The Moral Life 3

Question 1

W.D. Ross's concept of 'prima facie duties' means that moral duties are:

Accepted Answer

Binding unless overridden by a stronger duty in a given situation

Answer

Ross argued that prima facie duties (e.g., fidelity, non-maleficence) are real moral obligations that can be outweighed by more pressing duties in specific circumstances.

Question 2

The 'is-ought gap' (Hume's guillotine) refers to:

Accepted Answer

The logical gap between descriptive facts and normative conclusions

Answer

Hume observed that one cannot validly derive normative 'ought' statements from purely descriptive 'is' statements without additional normative premises.

Question 3

Carol Gilligan's ethics of care challenged Kohlberg's moral development theory primarily on the grounds that it:

Accepted Answer

Privileged a justice-oriented, typically male moral voice over a care-oriented one

Answer

Gilligan argued Kohlberg's model was gender-biased, neglecting the relational, care-focused moral reasoning more common among women.

Question 4

According to social contract theory in the tradition of Locke, political authority is legitimate only if:

Accepted Answer

It is based on the consent of the governed

Answer

Locke held that governmental authority derives from the consent of individuals who agree to form a civil society to protect natural rights.

Question 5

Moral luck refers to the phenomenon where:

Accepted Answer

Moral judgments are influenced by factors beyond an agent's control

Answer

Thomas Nagel and Bernard Williams identified moral luck as the troubling way in which factors outside our control affect how we are morally judged.

PhD Doctor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhD Doctor of Philosophy Practice Test

PhD Doctor of Philosophy Philosophy: Morality and The Moral Life 3