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CONCEPT MAP
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A theory of morality that makes virtue the central concern is known as:
a. virtue consequentialism. c. virtue ethics.
b. virtue command theory. d. teleological ethics.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 136 TOP: I. The Ethics of Virtue
MSC: Factual
6. A virtue is:
a. a stable disposition to act and feel according to the moral law.
b. a stable disposition to act and feel according to some ideal or model of excellence.
c. habitual acts that result in eternal excellence.
d. an act of charity.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 136 TOP: I.B. Virtues
MSC: Factual
9. If virtues were eliminated entirely from morality, leaving only principles or rules of justice, the moral
life would appear:
a. barren. c. complete.
b. richer. d. complicated.
ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 137
TOP: I.D.1. Virtue in the Moral Life MSC: Applied
10. By the lights of virtue ethics, if you rescue someone from disaster solely out of a sense of duty, then
your action is:
a. a morally deficient response. c. a morally appropriate response.
b. wrong. d. selfless.
ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 138 TOP: I.C. Virtue in Action
MSC: Conceptual
12. Virtue ethics puts primary emphasis on being a good person and living a good life, whereas duty-based
moral systems:
a. emphasize a life of happiness and flourishing.
b. emphasize happiness through correct living.
c. pay much less attention to following rules of conduct.
d. pay much less attention to virtuous character and living a good life.
ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 138 TOP: I.C. Virtue in Action
MSC: Conceptual
13. Suppose you are seriously ill and laid up in the hospital. If a friend came to visit you only because it
was her duty to do so (duty was her only motivation), you would likely view her action as:
a. welcome. c. emotional.
b. virtuous. d. insensitive.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 138
TOP: I.D.1. Virtue in the Moral Life MSC: Applied
14. Critics have taken virtue ethics to task for alleged problems in:
a. its focus on character and motivation. c. adapting the views of Aristotle.
b. applying the theory. d. the requirement of coherence.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Factual
15. Virtue ethics claims that the right action is the one performed by the virtuous person and that the
virtuous person is the one who performs the right action. But some philosophers say that this way of
framing the matter amounts to:
a. arguing with no premises.
b. arguing from the obvious to the less than obvious.
c. arguing in a circle.
d. arguing too strongly.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Factual
16. It seems that a person can be benevolent, honest, and loyal but still treat a stranger unjustly. This
shows that:
a. the rightness of actions necessarily (or invariably) depend on the content of one’s
character.
b. the rightness of actions does not necessarily (or invariably) depend on the content of one’s
character.
c. most people are without virtues.
d. having the right virtues can prevent moral error.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Applied
17. A physician may be virtuous (kind, just, and honest) and still not know:
a. which actions are morally permissible. c. whether virtue is good.
b. how to be virtuous. d. whether virtues are worth cultivating.
ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Applied
18. Many duty-based theorists believe that motivation for moral action cannot be derived entirely from
considerations of duty, just as appropriate motivation cannot be based solely on:
a. Aristotle. c. virtuous character.
b. motivational factors. d. considerations of duty.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Factual
19. It’s possible that someone might have to choose between performing or not performing an action that
could lead to serious harm to a friend—yet each choice could involve the same two virtues (for
example, the virtues of honesty and loyalty). Such a case suggests that virtue ethics may have a
problem with:
a. Criterion 1 (consistency with commonsense moral judgments).
b. Criterion 2 (consistency with moral experience).
c. Criterion 3 (usefulness).
d. both Criterion 1 and 2.
ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 139 TOP: I.D. Evaluating Virtue Ethics
MSC: Applied
20. Our considered moral judgments seem to suggest that moral disagreements among people with
identical virtues are:
a. impossible. c. rare.
b. possible. d. uncompromising.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 140
TOP: I.D.1. Virtue in the Moral Life MSC: Applied
21. Annette C. Baier argues that in moral theory there is a place for:
a. both care and justice. c. both virtue and egoism.
b. both justice and consequences. d. Gilligan and Kant.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 141 TOP: II. The Ethics of Care
MSC: Factual
22. According to ______, men and women think in radically different ways when making moral decisions.
a. Annette Beacon c. Louis Pojman
b. Carol Gilligan d. Carol Baier
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 141 TOP: II. The Ethics of Care
MSC: Factual
24. The perspective on moral issues that emphasizes close personal relationships and moral virtues such as
compassion, love, and sympathy is known as:
a. compassionate care. c. virtue ethics.
b. love theory. d. the ethics of care.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: 141 TOP: II. The Ethics of Care
MSC: Factual
25. The fact that we regularly judge the moral permissibility of actions as well as assess the goodness of
character suggests that:
a. moral principles and virtuous behavior are in conflict.
b. principle-based moral theories should be discarded.
c. virtue ethics is false.
d. virtue and character are important elements of the moral life.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 142
TOP: I.D.1. Virtue in the Moral Life MSC: Applied