Deck 7: Ethical Formalism

Question 1

Kant tells us that doing our duty has no moral value by definition.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

One of the strengths of ethical formalism is that it allows for police discretion.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Situational theories of ethics are absolutist.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Examples of where human beings find out about ethics include

A) the Bible
B) the Koran
C) the Torah
D) all of the above

Question 5

The founder of the school of ethical formalism was John Stuart Mill.

Question 6

Ethical formalism is a/an _________ theory.

A) conditional
B) deontological
C) teleological
D) equivocal

Question 7

All of the world's great organized religions suggest that, rather than being made by humans, ethics are God-given.

Question 8

Ethical theories include

A) ethical formalism
B) utilitarianism
C) a and b
D) none of the above

Question 9

Ethical formalism

A) expects individuals to follow absolute rules about what is good
B) seeks to maximize the societal good
C) was developed by John Stuart Mill
D) is the same as utilitarianism

Question 10

Natural law theorists included all except

A) Cicero
B) St. Francis of Assisi
C) St. Thomas Aquinas
D) Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Question 11

The founder of the ethical formalism school was

A) Khadi Kant
B) John Stuart Kant
C) Immanuel Kant
D) Clark Kant

Question 12

The ethical rules that religion brings to us are absolute pronouncements from an ultimate authority and are not alterable.

Question 13

Discussions about deontological theories are about duty.

Question 14

Duty is a central theme in any discussion about

A) adherence to the law
B) behavioral accountability
C) human responsibility in general
D) all of the above

Question 15

Ethical formalism

A) supports a situational analysis
B) allows choices to vary based on the consequences of one's actions
C) is absolutist
D) give great latitude in deciding what choice to make

Question 16

A Khadi is a lawgiver.

Question 17

The idea that a person's duty is absolute has its roots in ancient history.

Question 18

Kant was an enthusiastic supporter of

A) the American Revolution
B) the Russian Revolution
C) the French Revolution
D) rock and roll music

Question 19

According to Kant, any act, by itself, is right or wrong.

Question 20

All of the world's great organized religions suggest that, rather than being made by humans, ethics

A) were given to man by Abraham
B) were given to man by Isaac
C) are God-given
D) were given to man by Jacob

Question 21

Strengths of absolute rule application include

A) assurance of equal treatment
B) development of a respect for the law
C) limitation of the impact of personal prejudice
D) all of the above

Question 22

A Khadi

A) is a lawgiver
B) blends general direction of the Koran with his own moral principles
C) does not have to make consistent decisions
D) all of the above

Question 23

Under Kant, the consequences of an action

A) are uncontrollable, therefore irrelevant
B) are of the highest priority
C) supersede the intent
D) none of the above

Question 24

Kant's position is that morally defensible points of view

A) are dependant on individual perspective
B) can be situationally selective
C) must be applicable universally
D) none of the above

Question 25

Drawbacks of absolute rule interpretation do not include

A) it can allow majorities to persecute minorities
B) it fails to promote good in people's lives
C) it encourages people to recognize the moral significance of a situation
D) by failing to properly discriminate against people, it can inhibit justice

Question 26

Criticism of Kant's ethical theory includes that it is

A) concerned with the promotion of good over evil
B) focused on the consequences of one's acts
C) not concerned with the promotion of good in the world, but only with intentions
D) meaningless mumbo-jumbo

Question 27

Discuss police-work-related examples of how different duties can conflict. How can the duty to apply the law in an absolute manner conflict with duties toward individuals, with the interests of a community, with the duties that one has to one's fellow officers, etc.?

Question 28

Kant said

A) we must blindly obey rules
B) understanding the intention behind a rule is unnecessary
C) voluntary actions require that we be able to act on a rule we can formulate or explain
D) involuntary actions require that we be able to act on a rule we can formulate or explain

Question 29

Think about the theory of natural law. What might be an example of a "law of nature" that is applicable to human society? Regarding feeding one's family? Sex? Familial responsibilities?

Question 30

Essential to Kantism is

A) the idea of universal law or applicability
B) the freedom to adapt ethical rules
C) that circumstances dictate ethical rules
D) that ethics are G-d given

Question 31

Ethical formalist call their absolute principle the

A) Categorical Initiative
B) Categorical Imperative
C) Categorical Institute
D) Categorical Principle

Question 32

Discuss immoral laws-laws that are supported by a majority of people but which (we might argue) should not be applied by ethical police officers, focusing on higher moral principles. History is filled with examples. What are some?

Question 33

Kant believed

A) that might makes right
B) that right is determined by one's intentions
C) that each of us should focus on society's greater good
D) that resources should be allocated based on individual need

Question 34

The text suggests that Kant's categorical imperative is tantamount to "the Golden Rule" of the Bible. What is this rule? Do you believe that it is, in fact, the same as Kant's rule? Construct a discussion of how and why these two concepts might be analogized, even though Kant's philosophy is given credit for being much more sophisticated than the biblical admonition.

Question 35

One criticism of ethical formalism is that the moral worth of an act

A) must be self-dependant
B) is irrelevant, only its consequences matter
C) should depend, at least in part, on something beyond itself
D) is already linked to its good or evil consequences

Question 36

A major criticism of ethical formalism is that it

A) allows too much discretion
B) focuses on the greater good and maximizes the needs of a society
C) permits an action to be morally right even if it fails to promote good over evil
D) says morality is determined by the consequences of an act

Question 37

Under ethical formalism

A) the focus is on the act
B) the focus is on consequences
C) the focus is on the individual
D) the focus is on the nature of the motivation

Question 38

The rule of law

A) is unaffected by ethical formalism
B) is irrelevant to ethical formalism
C) is frequently in harmony with ethical formalism, which limits discretion
D) allows for no discretion

Question 39

Kant's philosophy reveals several major drawbacks except

A) it does help with conflicting duties
B) it does not allow for reasonable exceptions
C) it does not make clear whether maxims are moral or not
D) minority rights can be sacrificed

Question 40

Discuss the suggested list of "absolute duties" in Box 7-3. Do you agree with this list? Would you add other duties to it? Would you exclude some of those suggestions presented?