Deck 18: Equality and Affirmative Action

Question 1

Which of the following points supports the use of race preferences in hiring?

A)Providing role models is essential for demonstrating to young people that significant achievement is possible.
B)Society has given people expectations that if they attain certain levels of excellence they will be awarded appropriately.
C)Treating people according to their merits respects them as persons,as ends in themselves,rather than as means to social ends.
D)Filling the most important positions with the best qualified is the best way to ensure efficiency in job-related areas and in society in general.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Widespread advertisement to groups not previously represented in certain privileged positions is an example of:

A)discrimination.
B)reverse discrimination.
C)weak affirmative action.
D)strong affirmative action.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Failing to hire a qualified person just because she is a woman is an example of:

A)racism.
B)sexism.
C)reverse discrimination.
D)affirmative action.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The point of a quota is to ensure that:

A)only the most competent applicants are hired.
B)a sufficient number of minorities or women apply.
C)an organization has a predetermined percentage of minority members or women.
D)reparations are given to those who have suffered the most.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a reason for a utilitarian to support preferential programs:

A)Preferential programs increase racial and cultural diversity.
B)Preferential programs create role models for minorities and women.
C)Preferential programs make amends for historical injustices.
D)Preferential programs may be able to help eradicate racism.

Question 6

According to Carl Cohen,"No matter who the beneficiaries may be or who the victims,preference on the basis of race is morally wrong.It was wrong in the distant past and in the recent past;it is wrong now;and it will always be wrong." Cohen's position ________ strong affirmative action policies on ________ grounds.

A)supports;consequentialist
B)supports;nonconsequentialist
C)rejects;consequentialist
D)rejects;nonconsequentialist

Question 7

Suppose there are two equally qualified candidates for a single position.The only difference between them is that one is a woman and the other a man.The best decision according to weak affirmative action is to:

A)award the position to the female candidate to fill a quota.
B)award the position to the female candidate to make amends for generations of sexism.
C)use a random process to determine which candidate is awarded the position.
D)use gender as a tie-breaker and award the position to the female candidate.

Question 8

Some argue that preferential programs create role models for minorities and women.These role models are essential for demonstrating to young people that significant achievement is possible.Opponents reply that:

A)preferential programs do not actually create role models for minorities and women.
B)there are already enough role models for minorities and women.
C)role models are not needed for young people to know that achievement is possible.
D)the best role models are people who are the most competent,regardless of race or gender.

Question 9

The majority opinion in the Bakke case states,"The atmosphere of 'speculation,experiment and creation'-so essential to the quality of higher education-is widely believed to be promoted by a diverse student body." This view supports which of the following policies:

A)scholarships for low-income students.
B)scholarships reserved for ethnic minorities.
C)scholarships reserved for women.
D)scholarships reserved for athletes.

Question 10

A key argument for strong affirmative action is based on:

A)policies of reverse discrimination.
B)feelings of guilt on the part of white males.
C)a history of injustices against minorities.
D)scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of diversity.

Question 11

Weak affirmative action policies include:

A)scholarships for women.
B)scholarships for athletes.
C)scholarships for the poor.
D)scholarships for Native Americans.

Question 12

Louis Pojman argues,"There is no more moral requirement to guarantee that 12% of professors are Black than to guarantee that 85% of the players in the National Basketball Association are White." He is here expressing the view that supports:

A)weak affirmative action.
B)strong affirmative action.
C)reverse racism.
D)the quota system.

Question 13

Refusing to give a good worker a raise in pay just because he is black or Hispanic is an example of:

A)sexism.
B)discrimination.
C)reverse discrimination.
D)affirmative action.

Question 14

Which of the following does NOT violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

A)Failing to hire a qualified person just because she is a woman.
B)Denying an applicant admission to law school just because he is Asian.
C)Refusing to rent an apartment to a person just because she is a lesbian.
D)Refusing service to a man at a restaurant just because he is black.

Question 15

In 1978,the Supreme Court ruled that:

A)using quota systems in college admissions is constitutional.
B)using quota systems in college admissions is unconstitutional.
C)any consideration of race or minority status in admissions is unconstitutional.
D)any consideration of race or minority status in admissions is constitutional.

Question 16

Almost everyone agrees that:

A)efforts should be made to end discrimination against minorities and women.
B)a proportion of available positions should be reserved for minorities and women.
C)preferential treatment on the basis of race,gender,or minority status is always wrong.
D)strong affirmative action is reverse discrimination against white males.

Question 17

According to Carl Cohen,"Preference creates that burden;it makes a stigma of the race of those who are preferred by race.An ethnic group given special favor by the community is marked as needing special favor-and the mark is borne prominently by every one of its members." In this passage,Cohen is rejecting which argument used to support strong affirmative action?

A)Race preferences make amends for generations of injustices toward minorities and women.
B)Preferential programs can increase racial and cultural diversity.
C)Strong affirmative action may be able to eradicate racism and transform our race-conscious society.
D)Race preferences create role models for minorities and women whose self-esteem and hopes for success have been dimmed by generations of discrimination.

Question 18

Suppose someone argues that strong affirmative action is too costly to implement in a democratic society.A plausible nonconsequentialist reply is that:

A)affirmative action is indeed too costly and should be abolished.
B)if affirmative action is just,then the costs involved don't matter.
C)justice doesn't matter;only cost does.
D)more net happiness is created by getting rid of affirmative action.

Question 19

The use of quota systems in college admissions is:

A)constitutional.
B)controversial.
C)an example of weak affirmative action.
D)intended to provide equal opportunity.

Question 20

________ is essentially an expression of the fundamental moral principle that equals should be treated equally.

A)Affirmative action
B)Racial preference
C)Reverse racism
D)The quota system

Question 21

Judith Jarvis Thomson argues that ________ are the best and most suitable form of compensation for the past ill treatment of minorities.

A)civil rights laws
B)reparation payments
C)scholarships
D)jobs

Question 22

According to one argument,when blacks get preferential treatment in employment some white males end up losing out-even though these whites had no part in past racism and may have never discriminated against anyone.Supporters of preferential hiring practices reply:

A)These policies will actually benefit white males and minorities equally.
B)All white males are actually racist,even if they don't mean to be.
C)The injustice to white males makes amends for past injustices to minorities.
D)White males benefit from a history of policies that discriminate against minorities.

Question 23

Some argue that affirmative action policies are needed to make amends for past wrongs.This argument appeals to the concept of:

A)compensatory justice.
B)distributive justice.
C)punitive justice.
D)retributive justice.

Question 24

"An ethnic group given special favor by the community is marked as needing special favor-and the mark is borne prominently by every one of its members.Nasty racial stereotypes are reinforced,and the malicious imputation of inferiority is inescapable because it is tied to the color of the skin."
This passage ________ strong affirmative action policies because they ________ .

A)supports;can help eliminate racism and promote a color-blind society
B)supports;promote racism and prevent society from progressing
C)rejects;can help eliminate racism and promote a color-blind society
D)rejects;promote racism and prevent society from progressing

Question 25

Opponents of preferential hiring practices argue that the only standard for awarding jobs is:

A)competence.
B)diversity.
C)equal opportunity.
D)justice.