Chapter 10 Self Quiz

. A top-down model of ethical reasoning:

Holds that we reach justified moral judgments through a structure of normative precepts that cover the judgments

Is inspired by disciplines such as mathematics, in which a claim follows logically from a credible set of premises

Involves applying a general norm to a clear case falling under the norms

All of the above

. What is the form of reasoning used in "bottom-up" ethical thinking?

Deductive

Inductive

Both A and B

Neither A nor B

. What is one problem with reliance on casuistry as a system of moral judgment, according to Beauchamp and Childress?

Paradigm cases can evolve in the wrong moral direction if they are initially improperly handled, leading to wrong moral judgments about analogous cases in the future.

Casuistic thinkers do not consider any general rules, principles, or maxims when discussing cases that require ethical judgment.

Reasoning by analogy is not an ethically appropriate way of thinking about cases.

Casuistic thinkers do not describe ethical cases properly.

. What is the main thesis of thinkers who embrace reflective equilibrium as their method for moral thinking?

Principles need to be applied and balanced when confronted with an ethical case.

Moral maxims arise from description of and ethical reflection upon particular cases.

Justification in ethics and political philosophy occurs through a reflective testing of moral beliefs, moral principles, judgments, and theoretical postulates with the goal of making them coherent.

Principles should be informed by on-the-ground ethical judgments.

. Which of the following is NOT a reason that Beauchamp and Childress argue for drawing initial moral norms from the common morality when beginning ethical reasoning in medical ethics?

A code of ethics may be coherent without being morally acceptable, and drawing norms from the common morality addresses this problem.

Some moral judgments need to be accepted as justified without dependence on other judgments in order to reason about ethical issues.

The testing of norms, beliefs, and practices through the search for reflective equilibrium can help modify immoral social practices.

Cultures worldwide have been able to achieve the most proper set of moral beliefs possible because of their long traditions of ethical thinking.

. At what point can a moral judge claim to have reached a considered judgment, according to Beauchamp and Childress?

The judgment has been framed from an impartial perspective that reins in conflicts of interest and other temptations of self-interest.

The evaluator exhibits attitudes of sympathy and compassion for the welfare of others.

The evaluator possesses pertinent information about the relevant matters.

All of the above

. A problem noted by Beauchamp and Childress with the method of reflective equilibrium is:

Nonexperts cannot practice this method of moral reasoning.

There is too much contradiction in the ethics literature when different thinkers who have explicitly used this method seem to come up with different claims.

The objectives of even a weak wide reflective equilibrium may be unattainable ideals of comprehensiveness and coherence.

Reflective equilibrium is not an appropriate method for reasoning about particular policies.

. What is a feature of all common-morality theories, according to Beauchamp and Childress?

Common-morality theories rely on ordinary, shared moral beliefs for their starting content.

Common-morality theories hold that an ethical theory that cannot be made consistent with pretheoretical moral values falls under suspicion.

Common-morality theories are pluralistic, containing two or more nonabsolute moral principles.

All of the above

. Which of the following do Beauchamp and Childress argue about moral change?

Particular moralities, customary practices, and so-called consensus moralities may change through a complete reversal of position on some issues.

Particular moralities may change, but considered judgments will never change.

The norms of the common morality do not change because these basic moral rules are essential and timeless.

Historically, basic norms of morality have often undergone change.

. What are the three types of justification of claims about a universal common morality, as described by Beauchamp and Childress?

Empirical, moral, and legal

Empirical, normative theoretical, and conceptual

Moral, theoretical, and legal

Communal, moral, and normative theoretical

. Casuists focus on description and comparison of particular cases, but they think moral judgments must still be made based on an appeal to principles.

True

False

. Proponents of casuistry point out that ethicists often agree on what is morally right to do in a given case, even if they don't agree on the reason or reasons why.

True

False

. Beauchamp and Childress reject the use of the casuistical method and of analogy in moral reasoning.

True

False

. Proponents of reflective equilibrium in ethical thinking argue that a theory or set of moral beliefs is justified if it maximizes the coherence of the overall set of beliefs that are accepted upon reflective examination.

True

False

. One unresolved problem with the method of reflective equilibrium is that it is not always clear how to know when the effort to achieve reflective equilibrium is going well or when it has succeeded.

True

False

. Common-morality theories and customary moralities are two expressions of the same thing.

True

False

. We can have the most confidence in principles and considered judgments if we can justify them on the basis of a comprehensive ethical theory.

True

False

. ___________ is the use of case comparison and analogy to reach moral conclusions.

. _________ ________, as a form of ethical reasoning, is a way of bringing principles, judgments, and background theories into a state of equilibrium or harmony.

. According to John Rawls, as quoted by Beauchamp and Childress, the moral convictions in which we have the highest confidence and believe to have the least bias are _________ _________.

. A moral belief that is used initially and without argumentative support needs to be tested for _______, or its consistency with other beliefs, norms, and experiences and the facts of given cases, before it can serve as an anchor of moral reflection.

. The common morality anchors moral theory by capturing the _________ moral point of view, or the judgments and norms that make up moral thinking prior to systematization in a general ethical theory.

. Even when abstract moral norms do not change, often the ________ of their application can change, meaning that moral principles are deemed to apply to more or different groups than previously.

. __________ justification of common-morality theory would need to involve rigorous study of the moral beliefs of different cultures to show whether those cultures accept, ignore, abandon, or reject the standards of the common morality.

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