Exploring Ethics: Teaching Materials
5th Edition
Edited by Steven Cahn
[TeachingandstudymaterialseditedbyChristianGolden]
Teachingmaterialsfor“ExploringEthics,”5thedition.©2019OxfordUniversityPress, StevenCahn.Includedinthispacket:chapter-by-chapteressaysummaries,essayquestions, samplemultiple-choicequestions.
Chapter1:MoralityandMoralPhilosophy
WilliamK.Frankena
DescribingSocratesasthe“patronsaintofmoralphilosophy,”Frankenausesthescenario oftheCritoasaparadigmaticexampleofmoralreasoning.Socratesinsistsonapproaching themoralquestionathand ShouldSocratesescapefromprison? withoutgivingany weighttohis(orCrito’s)feelings,totheopinionsofothers,ortothecostofremaining faithfultomoralprinciple,whichinthepresentcasecouldnotbeanyhigher.Heappealsto ageneralrule,determinesthathissituationfallsunderthatrule,andfinallydrawsa conclusionaboutwhathemustdo namely,refuseCrito’ssuggestionthatheescape. Here,Frankenaexplains,Socratesisengagedinethics,thebranchofphilosophy dealingwithmorality,moralproblems,andmoraljudgments.Morespecifically,heis engagedinnormativereflection,whichattemptstoidentifywhatisright,good,or obligatory.Thisisdistinctfrombothdescriptiveinquiry,whichattemptstodescribeor explainmoralphenomena,andmeta-ethics,whichseekstoanswerquestionsaboutthe meaningoruseofmoraltermssuchas“right”or“good.”OnFrankena’sview,ethicsis concernedprimarilywithnormativeinquiryandsecondarilywithmeta-ethics,butitalso involvesoccasionalforaysintoethicaldescription.
Essay
1.AccordingtotheSocraticviewofmoralitysummarizedbyFrankena,isapersonbrought upbyimmoralparentsinacorruptsocietycapableofmakingcorrectmoraljudgments? Whyorwhynot?Doyouagree?
2.Indefendinghisdecisionaboutwhethertoescape,Socratesoffersthreeargumentsthat demonstrateatypicalpatternofreasoning.Whichoftheseargumentsdoyoufindmost compelling?HowmightyourationallyconvinceSocratestochangehismind?
3.Peoplecommonlychoosetoacttoconformtopopularopinion.Ifpopularopinionledto thesameconclusionsarrivedatthroughmoralreasoning,woulditstillbeimportantto engageinmoralphilosophy?Whyorwhynot?Supportyouranswerwithanexample.
MultipleChoice
1.Asociologistwouldtypicallybemostconcernedwithwhichofthefollowing?*
A.empiricalinquiryintendedtodescribeorexplainmoralphenomena
B.normativeinquiryintowhatisright,good,andobligatoryingeneral
C.normativeinquiryintowhatisright,good,andobligatoryinaparticularcase
D.analyticalorcriticalinquiryintohowethicalvaluesareestablishedorjustified
Ans:A
2.WhichofthefollowingreasonsdoesSocratesNOTgiveforobeyingthelaw?
A.keepyourpromises
B.thelargercommunityusuallyknowsbest
C.obeyone’sparentsandteachers
D.neverharmothers
Ans:B
3.Atypicalpatternofmoralreasoninginvolveswhichofthefollowing?*
A.ageneralmoralruleorprinciple
B.apremisethatinvolvesastatementoffact
C.ameta-ethicalquestion
D.bothAandB
Ans:D
4.Frankenaclaimsthatwehavebeguntoengageinmoralphilosophywhen
A.wehavebeguntobehaveaccordingtotherulesofoursociety.
B.wehavecompletelyinternalizedtherulesofoursociety.
C.wehavelearnedtoactaccordingtoourfeelings.
D.wehavebeguntothinkforourselvesaboutmoralquestions.
Ans:D
5.Tosaythatitisalwayswrongtoharmsomeoneistomakewhichofthefollowing*kinds ofclaims?
A.normative
B.meta-ethical
C.empirical
D.descriptive
Ans:A
6.Someonewhoreflectsonwhetherourmoraljudgmentshaveanyultimatejustificationis engagedinwhattypeofinquiry?
A.normative
B.meta-ethical
C.religious
D.descriptive
Ans:B
7.Descriptiveclaimsarerelevanttoethicsbecause*
A.factsaboutwhathumansdesiredeterminewhatmakesanactright.
B.factsaboutpsychologicalandanthropologicaltheoriesbearonsomenormativeand meta-ethicalquestions
C.factsaboutthepastmayfalsifysomenormativetheories.
D.Noneoftheabove
Ans:B
TrueorFalse
1.Socratesbelievesthatitisappropriatetoactimmorallyifbydoingsowecansave* ourselvesfromseriousharm.
A.True
B.False
Ans:B
2.Normativeethicshastodowithwhatpeoplegenerallythinkaboutmoralissues.
A.True
B.False
Ans:B
3.AccordingtoFrankena,moralphilosophyariseswhenwenolongerrelyupontradition todirectourbehavior.*
A.True
B.False Ans:A
4.Thequestion“Whatdoesitmeantosaythatsomethingismorally‘right’orgood?”is meta-ethical.
A.True
B.False Ans:A
5.AccordingtoSocrates,moralquestionscanandshouldbesettledbyreason.*
A.True
B.False
Ans:A
6.Socratesbelievesthatdoingtherightthingmeansdoingthethingthatismostlikelyto maximizepleasureandminimizepaininanygivensituation.
A.True
B.False Ans:B
7.Socratesgivesathreefoldargumenttoshowthatheoughttobreakthelawsby escaping.*
A.True
B.False Ans:B
Chapter2:Crito Plato
Socrateshasjustbeenconvictedontrumped-upchargesandsentencedtodeathbythe Athenianpopulace.Outragedattheverdict,Socrates’sfriendCritotriestoconvincehimto accepthishelpinescapingfromprison.Socrates,however,disregardinghisphysicalsafety andhispublicreputation,insistsonremainingtruetohismoralprinciplesuntilthevery end.Attemptingtoidentifythoseprinciplesandtospecifywhattheydictateinthepresent circumstances,SocratesfirstpersuadesCritotoagreethatoneshouldnevermistreat another,eveninreturnforbeingmistreatedoneself.Second,hearguesthatbyconsenting toliveundertheprotectionoftheAthenianstate,hehastacitlypromisedtorespectitas hisvirtualparentandteacherevenwhenhedisagreeswithitsjudgments.Escapingwould bemistreatingthestateandalsobreakinghissolemnpromise,andSocratesisunwillingto commiteitherinjustice.
Essay
1.IntheCrito ,whatargumentsdoesCritomaketopersuadeSocratestotrytoescapefrom prison?HowdoesSocratesrespondtothesearguments?Whodoyouthinkhasthe strongercaseandwhy?
2.Thenationisatwar,andyournumberintherecentlyreinstatedmilitarydrafthasjust comeup.Theproblemisthatafterseriousreflection,youhaveconcludedthatthewaris unjust.WhatadvicemightSocratesgiveyou?Wouldyouagree?Whatmightyoudecideto do?
3.ItisclearinthedialoguethatSocratesisnotguiltyofthecrimeforwhichheistobe punished.Why,nonetheless,doesSocratesthinkhemustacceptthepunishment?Is Socratesmakingamistakehere?Whatmightcompelyoutoacceptpunishmentforacrime youdidnotcommit?
MultipleChoice
1.SocratestellsCritothatheshouldattempttobreakoutofprisonifandonlyifdoingso wouldbe*
A.tohisadvantage.
B.harmfultohisenemiesandadvantageoustohisfriends
C.pleasingtothegods.
D.just.
And:D
2.Whenfacedwithamoraldilemma,whichofthefollowing,accordingtoSocrates,should betakenintoconsideration?
A.thelikelyconsequencesofeachpossiblecourseofaction
B.themoralrightnessorwrongnessofeachalternative
C.whatotherswoulddoinsimilarcircumstances
D.alloftheabove
Ans:B
3.SocratesandCritoareengagedprimarilyinwhattypeofinquiry?*
A.normative
B.descriptive
C.meta-ethical
D.psychological
Ans:A
4.WhichofthefollowingisNOToneofSocrates’sreasonsforrefusingtoescape?*
A.Todisobeyalegaljudgmentrenderedbytheproperauthoritiesistounderminethecity asawhole.
B.Heisguiltyofthechargesraisedagainsthim.
C.Anunjustlifeisnotworthliving.
D.Citizensoweevenmorerespectanddeferencetothestatethatnurturesthemthanthey dototheirownparents.
Ans:B
5.SocratessayshewantstodebateescapingprisonwithCritobecause
A.Socrateslikesagoodargument
B.Critoisstilllearningphilosophy
C.SocrateswantstopersuadeCritoratherthanactagainsthiswill
D.Critoiswrongandmustbeshownthetruth
Ans:C
6.WhichofthefollowingwouldSocratesidentifyasthegreatestevil?*
A.one’sowndeath
B.thedeathsoflovedones
C.sufferinginjustice
D.committinginjustice
Ans:D
7.Socratesbelievesthatthrough“popularopinion,”thepublicatlarge
A.usuallyprovidestherightmoralguidance
B.neverprovidestherightmoralguidance
C.ispowerlesstomorallyhelporharmtheindividual
D.sometimesprovidesmoralbenefitstotheindividual
Ans:C
8.SocratessaysthatthelawsofAthenshavefunctionedinhislifelike
A.aballandchain
B.parents.
C.music.
D.thegods
Ans:B
9.Socratesclaimsthatbreakingoutofprisonwouldbewrongbecause*
A.itwouldamounttobreakinghisagreements
B.itwouldputhisfriendsindanger.
C.itwouldputhisfamilyindanger.
D.peoplewouldloserespectforhim.
Ans:A
10.WhichofthefollowingadjectivesbestcharacterizesSocrates’sattitudetowardhisown imminentdeath?
A.fearful
B.indifferent
C.eager
D.angry
Ans:B
TrueorFalse
1.SocratesbelievesthatallowingtheAthenianstocarryouthisunjustsentencewoulddo seriousharmtosociety.*
A.True
B.False
Ans:B
2.Socratesthinksoneshoulddisregardwhatmostpeoplebelieveaboutmoralquestions.
A.True
B.False
Ans:A
3.IntheCrito ,Socratesclaimsthatitispermissibletocommitinjusticeinreturnfor injustice.*
A.True
B.False
Ans:B
4.AccordingtoSocrates,justiceconsistsoftreatingothersastheyhavetreatedyou.
A.True
B.False
Ans:B
5.SocratestellsCritothatbychoosingtoliveinacity,oneagreestolivebyitslaws.*
A.True
B.False
Ans:A
6.DespiteCrito’sinitialarguments,Socratesbelieveshewouldbedoingharmtohisfriends
andrelativesbyescaping.
A.True
B.False
Ans:A
7.Socrateswouldratherhavebeensentencedtoexilethantodeath.*
A:True
B.False
Ans:B
8.CritoputsevenlessstockinpopularopinionthandoesSocrateshimself
A.True
B.False Ans:B
9.Bytheendofthedialogue,SocratesseemstohavepersuadedCritothatescapingwould beunjust.*
A.True
B.False
Ans:A
10.Socratesarguesthatbreakingthelawthreatenstheexistenceofsociety
A.True
B.False
Ans:A