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Chapter 2: Ethics from Antiquity to the Present

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Chapter 2: Ethics from Antiquity to the Present

29 problems · 0 figures

2-1 §2.1 source ↗

Which of the following is not an intellectual virtue according to Aristotle?
  1. a.
    the basic order of life
  2. b.
    knowledge
  3. c.
    wisdom
  4. d.
    prudence

Answer

A. the basic order of life

2-2 §2.1 source ↗

Deliberative prudence does all the following except ________.
  1. a.
    align ends and means
  2. b.
    encourage prodigality
  3. c.
    avoid conflict
  4. d.
    prevent rash behavior

Answer

B. encourage prodigality

2-3 §2.1 source ↗

According to Aristotle, happiness is a virtuous activity of the soul.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-4 §2.1 source ↗

It is possible to act deliberately and shrewdly in a good way or toward a good end.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-5 §2.1 source ↗

How might virtue ethics apply to contemporary business?

Answer

Because virtue ethics emphasizes individual character and conscience, it can have a tremendous influence on organizational culture by encouraging individuals to stand up for sound, ethical, and responsible business practices.

2-6 §2.2 source ↗

Quan means which of the following?
  1. a.
    adherence to the past
  2. b.
    philosophic tradition
  3. c.
    practicality
  4. d.
    insistence on protocol

Answer

C. practicality

2-7 §2.2 source ↗

The Analects of Confucius ________.
  1. a.
    are similar to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
  2. b.
    represent an oral tradition
  3. c.
    reflect Buddhist ideals
  4. d.
    codify a system of virtue ethics

Answer

D. codify a system of virtue ethics

2-8 §2.2 source ↗

Confucian virtue ethics is similar to the Aristotelian version in that both are very practical.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-9 §2.2 source ↗

According to Confucius, the hope for reform of Chinese society was a centralized planning system.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

B. False

2-10 §2.2 source ↗

How can wholeheartedness and sincerity serve as models of risk assessment?

Answer

Having a single ethical standard maximizes ethical behavior no matter who the other party is and supports an internally consistent rule of behavior toward all family, friends, customers, clients, and others with whom we interact.

2-11 §2.3 source ↗

"Control" as used in this section does not refer to which of the following?
  1. a.
    reverence
  2. b.
    phrónēsis
  3. c.
    temperance
  4. d.
    Confucian self-regulation

Answer

A. reverence

2-12 §2.3 source ↗

Managerial ethics is related to which of the following?
  1. a.
    shareholder wealth
  2. b.
    righteousness
  3. c.
    bureaucracy
  4. d.
    honor

Answer

B. righteousness

2-13 §2.3 source ↗

In both East and West, the means used to achieve a certain end are often more important than the end.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-14 §2.3 source ↗

Individualism was the greatest value in Confucian ethics.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

B. False

2-15 §2.4 source ↗

Utilitarianism is a system that ________.
  1. a.
    considers historical conditions
  2. b.
    approaches Aristotelian deliberation
  3. c.
    builds on natural law theory
  4. d.
    attempts to quantify the good

Answer

D. attempts to quantify the good

2-16 §2.4 source ↗

In On Liberty, John Stuart Mill ________.
  1. a.
    proposes a harm principle
  2. b.
    exalts libertarianism
  3. c.
    prescribes a consequentialist answer to ethical crises
  4. d.
    rejects rights

Answer

A. proposes a harm principle

2-17 §2.4 source ↗

John Stuart Mill’s emphasis on human rights distinguishes him from Jeremy Bentham.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-18 §2.4 source ↗

How does utilitarianism affect contemporary business practice?

Answer

Utilitarianism is pervasive in contemporary business practice, management theory, and decision-making through cost-benefit analysis. Decisions are often made based on the "bottom line" of profit, numbers of stakeholders affected, or overall utility to the organization. Utilitarianism is reflected in this abiding emphasis on efficiency, often to the neglect of other factors.

2-19 §2.4 source ↗

Does the value that John Stuart Mill placed on the deliberative process and individual expression as the main ways of arriving at truth have any relevance for political debate today?

Answer

Certainly there exists a need today to engage in political debate that includes all sides of an issue in respectful ways. Mill’s teaching on the role of free speech in society can be a starting point and a reminder of the importance of civil debate and freedom.

2-20 §2.5 source ↗

Immanuel Kant objected to dogmatism in ________.
  1. a.
    religion
  2. b.
    science
  3. c.
    both A and B
  4. d.
    neither A nor B

Answer

C. both A and B

2-21 §2.5 source ↗

Immanuel Kant contended that people often interpret reason subjectively.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-22 §2.5 source ↗

A criticism of Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative is that its refusal ever to permit exceptions in acting ethically is impossible to observe in life.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-23 §2.5 source ↗

What are the essential differences between John Stuart Mill’s version of utilitarianism and Immanuel Kant’s deontology?

Answer

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist philosophy dependent solely on outcomes. Although focused on rights, Mill’s utilitarianism also depends on results. Deontology is concerned with motive, duty, and one’s obligation to act regardless of circumstances or outcomes.

2-24 §2.5 source ↗

How does Kantian ethics work in a business setting?

Answer

Because Kantian ethics is about treating people not as means but as ends, this philosophy can influence nearly every aspect of business, from research and development to production, manufacturing, marketing, and consumption. It may be difficult to implement, however, because many businesses are focused on efficiency and production to the near-exclusion of other factors.

2-25 §2.6 source ↗

John Rawls’s theory of justice is based on which of the following?
  1. a.
    cognitive structures
  2. b.
    moral duty
  3. c.
    social contract theory
  4. d.
    survival of the fittest

Answer

C. social contract theory

2-26 §2.6 source ↗

The "veil of ignorance" ensures which of the following?
  1. a.
    mass delusion
  2. b.
    objectivity
  3. c.
    self-reliance
  4. d.
    Enlightenment reason

Answer

B. objectivity

2-27 §2.6 source ↗

John Rawls’s theory of justice is mainly non-Utilitarian.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-28 §2.6 source ↗

A distinguishing characteristic of justice theory is that it emphasizes method over content.
  1. a.
    True
  2. b.
    False

Answer

A. True

2-29 §2.6 source ↗

What challenges does Rawlsian justice theory present when it comes to the redistribution of goods and services in society?

Answer

Rawls’s theory has been called radical because it redistributes goods and services without regard for extenuating circumstances or historical context. It also has been accused of stifling enterprise, innovation, and investment.

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Problems and answers are adapted from Business Ethics by Stephen M. Byars and Kurt Stanberry, OpenStax, and are used under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/business-ethics/pages/1-introduction. Illustrations: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This adaptation is released under the same licence, is non-commercial, and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by OpenStax or Rice University.