Ethics

Deontological ethics judges the morality of an action primarily based on?

A Whether the action itself conforms to a moral rule or duty, regardless of its consequences
B Its outcomes alone
C Personal preference alone
D Social convention alone —

Which philosopher is most closely associated with deontological ethics and the "categorical imperative"?

A Immanuel Kant
B Jeremy Bentham
C John Stuart Mill
D Aristotle —

Kant's "Categorical Imperative" states one should act only according to a maxim by which one can also will that it become?

A A universal law
B A personal preference only
C A temporary rule
D An exception for oneself only —

According to Kant, human beings should always be treated as?

A Ends in themselves, never merely as means to an end
B Means to an end only
C Objects to be used for personal gain
D Irrelevant to moral consideration —

Deontological ethics holds that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of?

A Their consequences
B Their intentions
C Their legality
D Their popularity —

A common criticism of deontological ethics is that rigid rule adherence can sometimes lead to outcomes that seem?

A Morally problematic in specific situations (e.g., telling the truth even if it causes serious harm)
B Always beneficial in every situation
C Perfectly aligned with utilitarian outcomes
D Impossible to criticize —

Virtue ethics primarily focuses on which aspect of morality?

A The character and virtues of the moral agent, rather than specific rules or consequences
B Only the consequences of actions
C Only strict adherence to duty
D Only legal compliance —

Which ancient Greek philosopher is most closely associated with founding virtue ethics?

A Aristotle
B Immanuel Kant
C Jeremy Bentham
D John Stuart Mill —

Aristotle's concept of "eudaimonia" is often translated as?

A Flourishing or living well/happiness in the fullest sense
B Mere pleasure
C Wealth accumulation
D Political power —

Aristotle proposed that virtue lies at the mean between two extremes, a concept known as the?

A Golden mean
B Categorical imperative
C Utility principle
D Social contract —

According to Aristotle, courage is the virtuous mean between which two extremes?

A Cowardice (deficiency) and recklessness (excess)
B Honesty and dishonesty
C Wealth and poverty
D Knowledge and ignorance —

Virtue ethics asks the central question, "What kind of person should I be?" rather than?

A "What should I do in this specific situation?" (emphasized by deontology/consequentialism)
B "What is the meaning of life?"
C "What is the nature of the universe?"
D "What is beauty?" —

Which is generally considered a "cardinal virtue" in classical Western philosophy?

A Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance
B Greed, cowardice, and dishonesty
C Only physical strength
D Only intelligence —

Deontological ethics is often seen as providing a strong foundation for the concept of?

A Human rights and duties that must be respected regardless of consequences
B Pure cost-benefit calculation
C Situational flexibility without any fixed rules
D Complete moral relativism —

A major strength of virtue ethics is its emphasis on?

A Developing good character and moral habits over time, rather than just following isolated rules
B Strict rule-following without context
C Pure outcome calculation
D Ignoring personal character entirely —

Which theory would most likely support the idea that lying is always wrong, regardless of potential positive outcome?

A Deontological ethics (in its strict form)
B Utilitarianism
C Virtue ethics (which may allow more nuance)
D Ethical relativism —

In public administration, deontological ethics would emphasize that civil servants must?

A Follow established rules, laws, and duties, even if a different action might produce a better outcome in a specific case
B Ignore all rules if outcomes seem better
C Always prioritize personal judgment over established law
D Follow no fixed principles at all —

Which contemporary virtue ethics resurgence is closely associated with philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre?

A A revival of Aristotelian virtue ethics in modern moral philosophy
B A rejection of all ethical theory
C Pure utilitarian calculation
D Strict legal positivism —

"Practical wisdom" (phronesis), a key concept in virtue ethics, refers to?

A The ability to discern the right course of action in particular circumstances
B Abstract theoretical knowledge alone
C Blind rule-following
D Ignorance of context —

W.D. Ross's theory of "prima facie duties" attempts to address deontology's rigidity by suggesting that duties can be?

A Weighed against each other in cases of conflict, rather than being absolute
B Completely absolute with no exceptions
C Irrelevant to moral decision-making
D Ignored entirely —

Which best illustrates a deontological perspective in civil service ethics?

A A civil servant refuses to falsify records even if doing so might help a needy applicant, because honesty is a non-negotiable duty
B A civil servant falsifies records whenever it seems to produce good outcomes
C A civil servant acts solely based on personal habits without regard to duty
D A civil servant ignores all rules and duties —

Which best illustrates a virtue ethics perspective in civil service ethics?

A A civil servant asks, "What would a person of good character (honest, compassionate, and fair) do in this situation?"
B A civil servant only calculates the numerical outcome of each option
C A civil servant only follows rigid rules without considering character
D A civil servant ignores personal character entirely —

Which criticism is often raised against virtue ethics?

A It can be vague in guiding specific actions, since it doesn't provide precise rules
B It focuses too much on rigid rules
C It ignores character entirely
D It focuses only on consequences —

The concept of "moral duty" in deontological ethics is often linked to the idea of acting out of a sense of?

A Obligation, rather than for personal benefit or emotional inclination
B Personal pleasure alone
C Fear of punishment alone
D Social pressure alone —

Which ethical theory is generally considered most helpful in cultivating an ethical disposition and character over a civil servant's career, rather than just providing rules for isolated decisions?

A Virtue ethics
B Strict rule-based deontology alone
C Pure consequentialism alone
D Legal positivism alone —