Deck 8: Utilitarianism

Question 1

A major drawback of utilitarianism is that

A) it lacks a specific definition of what constitutes good
B) it's not as clean as ethical formalism
C) it focuses on the intent leading to each act
D) only John Stuart Mill's definition of good is used

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Happiness of the community

A) is essential to ethical formalism
B) is the major focal point of utilitarianism
C) is irrelevant to utilitarianism
D) is measured by the happiness of one individual

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The utilitarian doctrine asserts that:

A) we should always act so as to produce the greatest possible ratio of good to evil for ourselves
B) we should always act so as to produce the greatest possible ratio of good to evil for everyone concerned
C) we should always act so as to produce the greatest possible ratio of good to evil for utility companies
D) we should always act so as to produce the lowest possible ratio of good to evil for everyone concerned

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The principle of utility tells us to

A) maximize good over evil
B) distribute good as widely as possible
C) neither a nor b
D) both a and b

Question 5

For Kant, happiness was entirely relevant to ethics.

Question 6

In utilitarianism, the only criterion to be considered is

A) the good or evil (consequences) a choice would bring into the world
B) whether the concept or idea is a good one
C) whether a moral hero would support the proposition
D) whether John Stuart Mill would approve of it

Question 7

In utilitarianism, , in everything we do we are to seek the greatest possible balance of good over evil in the world.

Question 8

While utilitarianism assumes the notion that good exists in the world, the lack of a specific definition of what constitutes the good is a drawback of utilitarianism.

Question 9

Utilitarianism is a theory of obligation that

A) espouses a particular theory of good
B) does not entail any particular theory of the good
C) focuses on the intent behind the act
D) includes a Categorical Imperative

Question 10

The utilitarian school was founded by

A) Immanuel Kant
B) John Stuart Mill
C) Jeremy Bentham
D) Sir Robert Peel

Question 11

John Stuart Mill was a hedonist (pleasure seeker) in his view about what is good.

Question 12

Kant's absolutist approach includes the idea that the consequences of an act do not factor into the evaluation of the morality of the act

A) which makes this the only usable ethical model
B) which means that Kant is focusing on the result, not the intent
C) but this largely ignores the actual impact of behavior on the lives of others
D) and looks to the impact of one's ideas

Question 13

For Kant, happiness was

A) irrelevant to ethics
B) one of several factors in his ethical model
C) essential to ethics
D) illogical

Question 14

There are two kinds of utilitarianism: rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism.

Question 15

If an officer stops a mother speeding her ill but not dangerously sick child to the hospital, utilitarianism says he should

A) give her a ticket for speeding
B) escort her to the hospital with lights and siren going
C) drive her to the hospital with lights and siren going
D) calm her down explaining the child is not in danger and urge her to drive safely to the hospital

Question 16

The founding principle of the utilitarian school is that a person should act in a way that would create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Question 17

Instead of constructing absolute sets of principles that must be acknowledged and followed at all times and under all circumstances, utilitarianism suggests ethics are situational.

Question 18

The utilitarian school was developed by Immanuel Kant.

Question 19

Utilitarianism constructs absolute sets of principles that must be acknowledged and followed at all times and under all circumstances.

Question 20

Utilitarianism permits one to focus on what might be the best course of action for the people involved in an immediate situation.

Question 21

Consider the implications of the ethical problem presented by the utilitarian logic behind deterrence-that it "doesn't matter who you punish," even when you are talking about capital punishment. Whether they are guilty or not, it "only matters that you punish someone." Discuss.

Question 22

.A utilitarian police officer

A) makes individualized, particularized, situationally driven decisions
B) uses his or her own logic
C) pursues his or her own understandings of good
D) all of the above

Question 23

Allowing police officers to solve problems one at a time

A) can include the use of significant discretion
B) can make modern police work exciting
C) can make modern policing a dynamic profession
D) all of the above

Question 24

Utilitarianism

A) requires absolute sets of principles that must be acknowledged and followed at all times
B) requires absolute sets of principles that must be acknowledged and followed under all circumstances
C) both a and b
D) suggests that ethics are situational

Question 25

When encountering two possible courses of action that would produce the same balance of good over evil

A) utilitarianism gives us perfect guidance
B) utilitarianism gives no guidance
C) ethical formalism gives us perfect guidance
D) ethical formalism gives no guidance

Question 26

Utilitarianism

A) allows a focus on either the general good of the community or the good of the individual citizen
B) compels us to focus on the general good of the community to the detriment of the individual citizen
C) compels us to focus on the good of the individual citizen to the detriment of the general good of the community
D) prohibits the use of police discretion

Question 27

Mill's utilitarianism emphasizes

A) taking situations into account
B) calculating what would produce the most good for the most people
C) focusing on consequences
D) all of the above

Question 28

Capital punishment creates

A) specific deterrence
B) major deterrence
C) minor deterrence
D) unspecific deterrence

Question 29

When it comes to deterrence, utilitarian logic

A) is flawed because it does not look at whether those punished are actually guilty
B) is flawed because frequent and severe punishment to a small group satisfies the formula
C) creates a rule of law problem since we should punish only those who deserve it
D) all of the above

Question 30

Why do the authors suggest that utilitarianism is a very democratic and, therefore, American point of view? Do you agree? Why or why not? Even if it is very democratic, why is that troublesome with regard to minority rights?

Question 31

Rule utilitarianism

A) is another name for ethical formalism
B) focuses on the good of the individual
C) makes societal calculations related to long-term rules for similar situations
D) is the same as the Golden Rule

Question 32

In utilitarianism

A) it is permissible to focus on the best course of action for only those people involved in the immediate situation
B) it is impermissible to focus on the best course of action for only those people involved in the immediate situation
C) the best course of action for only those people involved in the immediate situation is irrelevant
D) the best course of action is always the same for those people involved in the immediate situation and the majority of all people

Question 33

Utilitarianism exploits available time of police by allowing them to focus on

A) crime fighting
B) order maintenance
C) service
D) all of the above

Question 34

Utilitarian logic

A) is never used to rationalize deterrence
B) is always used to rationalize deterrence
C) is unrelated to deterrence
D) does not rely on deterrence

Question 35

Act utilitarianism

A) is another name for ethical formalism
B) focuses on the happiness of the individual
C) makes societal calculations related to long-term rules for similar situations
D) ignores good versus evil questions

Question 36

Both in Box 8.1 and at the end of this chapter, the authors discuss examples of how Kant's and Mill's schools of thought conflict with each other. Discuss examples of police details that illustrate how officers using the two perspectives might react differently and take different action in an effort to behave ethically in the performance of their duties.

Question 37

Perhaps the most universally accepted argument against utilitarian thinking has to do with deterrence. As our text suggests, a central tenet on the list of arguments posited against capital punishment is that it does not matter who is punished for a crime, only that punishment is swift, stern, and public. Write an essay about deterrence, how this argument works, and how police officers must take care in this regard; they must avoid any propensity to "punish just anybody" in order to maintain order on their beats.

Question 38

Under utilitarianism, a particular act may be morally right or wrong

A) absolutely
B) with no exceptions
C) due to something other than the amount of good over evil it produces
D) due exclusively to the amount of good over evil it produces

Question 39

Limitations of utilitarianism include

A) it is difficult to calculate amounts of good and evil
B) merely being good for the majority does not necessarily make an act moral
C) there is no basis for choosing between equal amounts of good and evil
D) all of the above