Question 1

The following argument is sometimes confused with ethical subjectivism: "Whatever a person believes is true for himself or herself is what that person believes is right for him or her." Which fallacy is committed in this argument?
A) hasty generalization
B) ignorance
C) accident
D) begging the question

Accepted Answer

The argument commits the fallacy of begging the question because it assumes the truth of what it is trying to prove, namely that personal belief determines what is right for an individual.

Question 2

Identify the fallacy in the following argument: "You shouldn't take Wollstonecraft's criticism of Rousseau too seriously. After all, she was abused by her father and no doubt had a grudge against all men."
A) appeal to force
B) begging the question
C) abusive
D) ignorance

Accepted Answer

This argument commits the abusive fallacy, also known as ad hominem, by attacking Wollstonecraft's character and personal history instead of addressing the substance of her criticism of Rousseau.

Question 3

Identify the fallacy in the following argument: "I hear that the philosopher Jeremy Bentham donated his estate to the University of London on the condition that his body be present at all the board meetings. He must have been a real fruitcake. As far as I'm concerned his moral philosophy can't have any validity."
A) appeal to inappropriate authority
B) abusive
C) appeal to tradition
D) equivocation

Accepted Answer

The argument attacks Jeremy Bentham's character by calling him a "fruitcake" and dismisses his moral philosophy based on this personal attack, rather than addressing the philosophy itself. This is an example of an abusive ad hominem fallacy.

Question 4

Identify the fallacy in the following argument: "According to Kant, we ought to do our duty. As a member of a fraternity, I have a sworn duty to stand by my brothers. Therefore, it would be unethical for me to testify against my brothers in the upcoming rape trial."
A) equivocation
B) irrelevant conclusion
C) popular appeal
D) begging the question

Accepted Answer

The fallacy is equivocation, as the term "duty" is used in two different senses: Kant's moral duty and the fraternity's duty, which are not necessarily the same.

Question 5

Identify the person who said each of the following.
-On the concept of doublethink, _____ said "Even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of doublethink."
A) George Orwell
B) Aristotle
C) A. J. Ayer
D) Buddha

Accepted Answer

George Orwell coined the term "doublethink" in his novel "1984," where he describes it as the ability to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously.

Question 6

Identify the person who said each of the following.
-On the concept of liberation, _____ said "One of the gravest obstacles to the achievement of liberation is that oppressive reality [worldview] absorbs those within it.... To no longer be prey to its force, one must emerge from it and turn on it. This can be done only by means of praxis..."
A) Thomas Jefferson
B) Stanley Milgram
C) Paulo Freire
D) George Orwell

Accepted Answer

Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and philosopher, is known for his work on critical pedagogy and the concept of praxis, which involves reflection and action to achieve liberation from oppressive systems.

Quiz 2: Moral Reasoning

The following argument is sometimes confused with ethical subjectivism: "Whatever a person believes is true for himself or herself is what that person believes is right for him or her." Which fallacy is committed in this argument?

Identify the fallacy in the following argument: "You shouldn't take Wollstonecraft's criticism of Rousseau too seriously. After all, she was abused by her father and no doubt had a grudge against all men."

Identify the fallacy in the following argument: "According to Kant, we ought to do our duty. As a member of a fraternity, I have a sworn duty to stand by my brothers. Therefore, it would be unethical for me to testify against my brothers in the upcoming rape trial."

Identify the person who said each of the following. -On the concept of doublethink, _____ said "Even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of doublethink."