PHIL 120: Chapter 4 Reading Guide

Vaughn, Doing Ethics — Chapter 4: The Power of Moral Theories

Instructions

This reading guide is designed to help you understand and answer the Review Questions for Chapter 4. This assessment also verifies your active reading of the chapter. For each question below, please follow these steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the exact page and paragraph indicated. Locate the sentence using the provided beginning words and type the entire sentence verbatim into the first box.
Step 2: Answer the question based on your reading of the chapter (no outside research needed or permitted) in your own words in the second box. (Page hints are provided in the answer boxes to help you locate the core answer).
⚡ Auto-Save Enabled: Your answers are automatically saved to this browser as you type. This guide is not submitted — use it to prepare for your chapter quiz. Use Export Answers to save a backup text copy, or Print to PDF to keep a personal record.

Review Question 1

On p. 71, (the paragraph beginning "A moral theory is an explanation of what makes an action right..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "A moral theory is an explanation of..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is a moral theory, and what is the difference between theories of value and theories of obligation?

Review Question 2

On p. 73, (the paragraph beginning "In general, consequentialist theories say that what makes an action right is its consequences..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "In general, consequentialist theories say that..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What do consequentialist theories claim makes an action right?

Review Question 3

On p. 73, (the paragraph beginning "Nonconsequentialist theories say that the rightness of an action does not depend entirely on its consequences..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Nonconsequentialist theories say that..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What do nonconsequentialist theories claim, and how would a consequentialist and a nonconsequentialist judge lying?

Review Question 4

On p. 74, (the paragraph beginning "Utilitarianism says that the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Utilitarianism says that the morally right action is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is utilitarianism, and how do act-utilitarianism and rule-utilitarianism differ?

Review Question 5

On p. 74, (the paragraph beginning "Ethical egoism says that the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over evil for oneself..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Ethical egoism says that the morally right action is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What does ethical egoism claim, and why does it conflict with commonsense morality?

Review Question 6

On p. 74, (the paragraph beginning "By far the most influential nonconsequentialist theory is that of Immanuel Kant..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "By far the most influential nonconsequentialist theory is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is Kant's categorical imperative, and why are the moral rules derived from it universal and absolutist?

Review Question 7

On p. 75, (the paragraph beginning "For Kant, every action implies a rule or maxim that says, in effect, always do this in these circumstances..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "For Kant, every action implies a rule or maxim that says..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why does universalizing the rule "break promises whenever you want" lead to a contradiction?

Review Question 8

On p. 75, (the paragraph beginning "Another notable nonconsequentialist view is the theory of natural law..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Another notable nonconsequentialist view is..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What does natural law theory claim, and how does it differ from divine command theory?

Review Question 9

On p. 76, (the paragraph beginning "The first step in assessing any theory (before using these criteria) is to ensure that the theory meets the minimum requirement of coherence..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "The first step in assessing any theory..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What is the minimum requirement of coherence a theory must meet before it can be evaluated?

Review Question 10

On p. 77, (the paragraph beginning "Consider Theory 1. It says that right actions are those that enhance the harmonious functioning of a community..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Consider Theory 1. It says that right actions are..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why should we reject Theory 1 (community harmony) given our considered judgment about murdering innocents?

Review Question 11

On pp. 78-79, (the paragraph beginning "Good scientific theories increase our understanding of the world, and greater understanding leads to greater usefulness..."), find the sentence beginning with the words: "Good scientific theories increase our understanding of the world..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Why is usefulness a necessary but not sufficient feature of a good moral theory?