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According to the Efficiency Model, the natural purpose of human beings is to


A) promote survival and reproduction.
B) do what we're best able to accomplish.
C) pursue our goals.
D) all of the above

E) None of the above
F) B) and D)

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Case Study Allison is a 12-year-old girl. She is popular at her school and highly socially savvy for her age. She has a keen sense of the power dynamics around her and is constantly maneuvering herself socially to secure a high place on the social hierarchy at her middle school. Unfortunately, Allison has found it most effective to maintain her social standing by bullying other girls at her school. She spreads gossip, excludes girls she does not deem cool enough to hang out with her, and demands that her small circle of friends do the same if they don't wish to be treated similarly. Allison was raised by kind, considerate, attentive parents. Her parents are devastated to learn about Allison's bullying behavior. They seek out a developmental psychologist who assures them that Allison's behavior is natural and normal. Many girls at this age engage in similar socially exclusive behavior in as a natural part of growing up and discovering who they are and how the world works. -Should Allison's parents intervene to encourage kinder behavior toward her classmates, or should they stay out of it because her behavior is natural?

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Allison's parents should absolutely inte...

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Explain the three conceptions of human nature discussed in the text. Which of these conceptions, if any, do you think is the correct one? What implications does this conception of human nature have for the plausibility of natural law theory? Defend your answers.

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The three conceptions of human nature di...

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The two models of natural purposes discussed in the text are the __________ Model and the __________ Model.


A) Efficiency; Fitness
B) Pleasure; Desire Satisfaction
C) Natural Law; Positive Law
D) Empirical; Conceptual

E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

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Explain the Natural Law Argument. What are some possible interpretations of the first premise, and why is each problematic? Do you think that there is any way to modify premise one to avoid these concerns? What general lessons about natural law theory do you think that we can draw from these considerations?

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The Natural Law Argument is a philosophi...

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According to natural law theory, discovering the essence of human nature is


A) a conceptual exercise.
B) a scientific enterprise.
C) a religious enterprise.
D) both a and b

E) B) and D)
F) A) and C)

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How do moral laws differ from natural laws?


A) Moral laws can be broken.
B) Moral laws do not describe how we actually behave.
C) Moral laws are not used to predict future behavior.
D) all of the above

E) A) and D)
F) All of the above

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What is the Doctrine of Double Effect? Describe a case in which the doctrine could be used as a source of moral guidance. Do you think the Doctrine of Double Effect gives good advice in this case? What about in general?

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The Doctrine of Double Effect is a principle in ethics that states that an action that has both a good and bad effect may be permissible if the bad effect is not the means by which the good effect is achieved, the intention is to bring about the good effect, and the good effect outweighs the bad effect. One case in which the Doctrine of Double Effect could be used as a source of moral guidance is in the context of medical treatment. For example, consider a situation in which a pregnant woman has a life-threatening condition that requires treatment that may harm the fetus. In this case, the doctrine could be used to argue that it is morally permissible to proceed with the treatment, even if it may result in harm to the fetus, as long as the intention is to save the mother's life and the harm to the fetus is not the means by which the mother's life is saved. Whether the Doctrine of Double Effect gives good advice in this case and in general is a matter of debate. Some argue that it provides a useful framework for making difficult moral decisions in situations where there are conflicting moral principles at play. Others argue that it can be misused to justify actions that are morally questionable, or that it does not adequately account for the complexities of moral decision-making. Ultimately, the application of the Doctrine of Double Effect requires careful consideration of the specific circumstances and the moral principles at stake. It is important to weigh the potential consequences of actions and consider alternative courses of action before relying on the doctrine as a source of moral guidance.

Which of the following is not one of the three conceptions of human nature discussed in the text?


A) Human nature is just animal nature.
B) Human nature is the set of traits that we have innately.
C) Human nature is rational autonomy.
D) Human nature is the set of traits that we all share.

E) A) and C)
F) None of the above

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According to the text, what false premise does the Natural Law Argument rely on?


A) If an act is natural, then it makes our lives better.
B) If an act is unnatural, then it is immoral.
C) If an act is immoral, then it is unnatural.
D) Suicide, contraception, and homosexual activity are unnatural.

E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

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Rousseau believed that people are inherently ___________, whereas Hobbes believed they are inherently ___________.


A) selfish; cooperative
B) selfish; neither good nor bad
C) neither good nor bad; selfish
D) cooperative; selfish

E) All of the above
F) None of the above

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What is the difference between the Efficiency Model and the Fitness Model of natural purposes? Does either model provide a plausible basis for natural law theory? Why or why not?

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The Efficiency Model and the Fitness Mod...

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Aquinas thought that we are morally required to fulfill our nature because


A) it maximizes utility.
B) it makes our lives go best.
C) God endowed us with it.
D) none of the above (Aquinas did not think this.)

E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

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To say that something enhances fitness is to say that it


A) makes one stronger.
B) makes one faster.
C) increases one's success at survival and reproduction.
D) both a and b

E) None of the above
F) B) and C)

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C

If a trait is innate, it is


A) one we have from birth.
B) given to us by God.
C) acquired from parents or society.
D) part of natural law.

E) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

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A moral agent is an individual who


A) consistently does the morally right thing.
B) is morally responsible for his or her actions.
C) represents another person in a legal context.
D) both a and b

E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

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The two most common secular ways of understanding the purposes of things are the __________ model and the __________ model.


A) efficiency; fitness
B) empirical; conceptual
C) sufficiency; necessity
D) none of the above

E) A) and B)
F) B) and C)

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A

According to natural law theory, an action is right if and only if it


A) is permitted by the laws of the government.
B) is in accordance with human nature.
C) maximizes happiness.
D) is in accordance with God's commands.

E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

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Which of the following is not a problem natural law theory promises to solve?


A) how morality could be objective
B) why morality is especially suited for human beings
C) why moral laws are eternal and unchanging
D) how to gain moral knowledge

E) B) and D)
F) None of the above

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What makes someone a good person, according to the natural law theory?


A) obeying the laws of the land
B) obeying God's commands
C) fulfilling his or her true nature
D) doing whatever maximizes happiness

E) All of the above
F) B) and D)

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