Ethical Inventory Interpretation

Relativism, Absolutism and Pluralism

1. What is right depends on the culture you are in –
2. No one has the right to judge what is right or wrong for another person.
Strong agreement on 1 and 2 indicate Ethical Relativism or
Pluralism
3. No one has the right to intervene when he or she thinks someone else has
done something morally wrong.
Strong agreement reflects Subjectivism
4. It is hopeless to try to arrive at a final answer to ethical questions.
Strong agreement reflects Skepticism
5. Ultimately, there is one and only one right standard of moral evaluation.
Strong agreement reflects Absolutism

Religion and Ethics

6. What is right depends on what God says is right.

7. There is only one true religion.
8. What my religion says (in the Bible, the Qur’an, or whatever its sacred text
is) is literally true.
9. All major religions have something important to tell us about what is right
and what is wrong.
10. We do not need to depend on religion in order to have a solid foundation
for our moral values.

Strong agreement on any of these reflect Monotheism or belief in a

Divine Command theory
Strong disagreement on any of these reflect Pluralism

Psychological and Ethical Egosim

11. Everyone is just out for himself or herself.

12. Some people think they are genuinely concerned about the welfare of
other, but are just deceiving themselves.
13. People are not really free. They are just products of their environment,
upbringing, and other factors.
14. All persons should watch out just for themselves.

Strong agreement on 11 and 12 indicate a belief we are all selfish or

Psychological Egoism
Strong agreement on 13 reflects Determinism
Strong agreement on 14 reflects Ethical Egoism

These positions can be said to encourage personal responsibility but are

not particularly helpful for public policy.
Utilitarianism

15. I do not care what motivates other people; I judge them solely on
the basis of what they do.

16. When I am trying to decide what the right thing to do is, I look at the
consequences of the various alternatives open to me.

17. The right thing to do is whatever is best for everyone.

18. We should look at the overall consequences of our actions in each

and every case.

19. If people try to do the right thing, but it works out badly, they still
deserve moral credit for trying.

20. Pleasure is the most important thing in life.

21. Happiness is the most important thing in life.

Strong agreement on 15 and 16 reflect Consequentialism

Strong agreement on 17 reflects a Utility of public policy
Strong agreement on 18 reflects Act Utility
Strong agreement on 19 reflects a Kantian influence
Strong agreement on 20 and 21 reflect Hedonism

Kant, Duty and Respect

22. If people try to do the right thing, but is work out badly, they still
deserve moral credit for trying.
23. It is important to do the right thing for the right reason.
24. Morality is primarily a matter of doing your duty.
25. What is fair for one is fair for all.
26. People should always be treated with respect.
27. We should never use other people merely as a means to our own
goals.

Strong agreement on 22 and 23 reflects Kantian inclination

Strong agreement on 24 and 25 reflect your view on the importance of
intentions
 Strong agreement on 26 and 27 reflect your belief in these Kantian
principles

Rights Theories

28. Morality is basically a matter of respecting people’s rights.

29. Some rights are absolute.
30. I have a right to do whatever I want as long as it does not impinge on
other people’s rights.
31. People have a right to health care, even if they can’t afford to pay for it.
32. Animals have rights.
33. In personal relationships, rights usually are very important.
Strong agreement on 28 indicates a Rights inclination
Strong agreement on 29 reflects whether you think some rights can never
be legitimately violated
Strong agreement on reflects a Libertarian inclination
Strong agreement on 31 – 33 reflect you position on rights in
Relationships

Theories Against Theories

34. We should always strive to do what is best, not just the moral minimum.
35. Morality applies to your friends in just the same way as it applies to
strangers.

Strong agreement on 34 and 35 indicate you reject theories as practical and

do not apply to personal relationships

Virtue Ethics

36. Morality is mainly a matter of what kind of person you are.

37. Sometimes courage seems to go too far.
38. Compassion for the suffering of others is an important character trait.
39. It is important to care about yourself.

Strong agreement on 36 reflects a belief morality is about character. 37 – 39

reflect your stand on courage, compassion and self love.

Gender and Ethics

40. Men and women often view morality differently.

41. Emotions have no place in morality.
42. Morality is primarily a matter of following the rules.

Strong agreement on 40 reflects a belief in gender differences related to

morality.
 Strong agreement 41 and 42 deny the role of emotion in morality.

Race, Ethnicity and Ethics

43. Morality should reflect an individual’s ethnic and cultural background.

44. Moral disagreement is a good thing in society.
45. Compromise is bad.
46. Minorities have special rights by virtue of their status as minorities.

Strong agreement on 43 indicates you value diversity.

Strong agreement on 44 and 45 reflect your comfort with disagreements and
how they should be resolved.
Strong agreement on 46 reflects protection of cultural identity