Houston PHIL2306 EXAM 2 Latest 2019 October

PHIL2306 Introduction to Ethics

Exam #2

Question 1

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Who is the author of Brave New World?

 

 

  Alduous Huxley

  James Hughes

  Ramez Naam

  Charles Darwin

  Peter Singer

 

Question 2

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Orlanda Bell is an astral projection: half ___, half ____.

 

  horse; man

 

  human; machine

  zebra; lion

  amoeba; paramecium

  hardware; software

 

Question 3

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Erick Ramsey is locked in—which means that he is ____.

 

 

 

  dead

  kicked out of his parents’ house forever

  always getting himself locked in various rooms

  an expert locksmith

 

  totally aware of his surroundings, but not able to communicate with the outside world

 

Question 4

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Erick’s professional ambition is to become a ___.

 

  lawyer

  doctor

  mathematician

 

  Disney artist

  astronomer

 

Question 5

 

According to Ramez Naam, the term ___ (as used in science fiction) refers to a person who has technology implanted inside his body; one who is part human and part machine.

 

  zombie

  alien

 

  cyborg

  demon

  robot

 

Question 6

 

PBS 22nd Century:  According to Ramez Naam, as long as humanity has existed we have always looked for ways to ___.

 

  make ourselves smarter

  live longer

You Answered

  improve who we are and our environment

Correct Answer

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 7

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Michael Chorost (who considered himself an early cyborg) received a ___.

 

 

  cochlear implant

  liver transplant

  heart transplant

  leg amputation

  vascetomy

 

Question 8

 

PBS 22nd Century:  Bill McKibben, a transhumanist critic, mentions which of the following as making us human?

 

  Our commitment to one another.

  Love of art, music, and literature.

  Our interest in the spiritual and philosophical.

  Our ability to fall in love.

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 9

 

According to the Harvard psychologist, Howard Gardner, once we “[h]ave reached our adult years, and attained a certain level of competence in our chosen pursuits, ___.”

  we can safely assume that life’s lessons will automatically dawn upon us with no further reflection

  we should strive to move up, to go up, to achieve, to conquer

  we should question what the meaning of life is

 

  we cannot assume that lessons from experience will automatically dawn on us

  we should not be bogged down by a mid-life crisis

 

Question 10

 

As described by Albert Camus, the main character in the Myth of Sisyphus is ___.

  hospitalized for contracting syphilis

  praised by the gods for his unadulterated devotion to them

 

  condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up and down a hill

  paid a lot of money for working as a forklift driver

  delivering a UPS parcel from one place to another for eternity

 

Question 11

 

What is the main point of the Sisyphus myth?

 

  Sometimes we can lead monotonous, repetitious lives that’s similar to Sisyphus’s.

  UPS employees get paid a lot of money

  Rolling boulders up steep hills is a great form of cardiovascular exercise.

  Wise individuals should take protective measures to prevent the contraction of syphilis, which is an STD.

  You shouldn’t begin construction of a temple unless you’ve secured a building permit.

 

Question 12

 

According to the nihilist (a proponent of the second theory of life’s meaning) human life and all that humans produce ___.

  are sufficiently significant and enduring to constitute everlasting meaning

 

  are too insignificant and fleeting to be a source of enduring meaning

  must only be directed towards the glorification of God

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 13

 

What lesson(s) did the author of Ecclesiastes want to impart to his readers?

  Earthly goals, as ends in themselves, will lead to much satisfaction and fulfillment in life.

 

  Humans, left to their own machinations, will find life empty, frustrating, and mysterious.

  The meaning of life is to disavow God and do what one wants.

  Life can have no meaning whatsoever.

  All of the above.

 

Question 14

 

With which of the following statements would a secular humanist most likely agree?

  The humanist’s defense of individual self-determination means that he condones any and all kinds of human conduct.

  The secular humanist’s toleration of diverse lifestyle necessarily implies approval.

 

  A humanist would value liberty of thought and conscience as well as the freedom of mind and inquiry.

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 15

 

According to Owen Flanagan, we live our lives in the sense that we spend time not ____.  And by and large people try to go on, to survive.

 

  dead

  dreaming

  intoxicated

  injured

  sleeping

 

Question 16

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger:  “The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to ____.”

  run for the U.S. presidency

  protect yourself from being terminated

 

  move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer

  garner as much accomplishments as one can

  live each day as if it were your last

 

Question 17

 

Ecclesiastes contains the philosophical and theological reflections of an old man, most of whose life was meaningless because ____.

  he did not resist the tempting forces of Satan

  he believed that life is what you make of it

 

  he had not himself relied on God

  he engaged in numerous illegal activities

  he failed to provide for his family

 

Question 18

 

With which of the following statements would a secular humanist most likely agree?

  We ought not to treat other human beings as mere objects for our own gratification.

  The only answer to the meaning of life is to fear God and enjoy one’s lot in life.

  We have responsibilities and duties to others.

  All of the above.

 

  A and C only.

 

Question 19

 

According to the scientific view, which of the following statements is true?

  The universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old.

  The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old.

  Our sun will turn into a Red Giant five billion years into the future.

 

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 20

 

With which statement would Thomas Nagel agree?

  The time after your death is exactly like the time before you were born.

  Biological life begins in this world and ends in this world.

  We should make the best of life while we’re here.

 

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 21

 

“For all our conceits about being the center of the universe, we live in a routine planet of a humdrum star stuck away in an obscure corner … on an unexceptional galaxy which is one of about 100 billion galaxies. … That is the fundamental fact of the universe we inhabit, and it is very good for us to understand that.”

  Olaf Stapledon

  Neil deGrasse Tyson

  Stephen Jay Gould

  Michael Shermer

 

  Carl Sagan

 

Question 22

 

According to Susan Wolf, if the assumption that we will all die makes life seem meaningless, how would ____ make the situation any better?

  knowing God.

  achieving interstellar travel

 

  the opposite assumption (that we will live forever)

  live to one hundred years of age

  The knowledge of one’s death.

 

Question 23

 

According to Michael Shermer, which of the following are roads to purpose?

  Love and family commitment

  Meaningful work and career

  Political and social activism

  Transcendence and spirituality

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 24

 

Which of the following is a step towards a creative mind-set?

  Wonderment

  Relaxation

  Intellectual courage

  Motivation

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 25

 

Spike Milligan:  “All I ask is the chance to prove ____.”

  that I am nothing without you

  that life is meaningless if it doesn’t last forever

  whether God exists or not

  that I exist

 

  that money can’t make me happy

 

Question 26

 

Cultural relativism holds that different cultures ____, and that what one culture believes is wrong, another culture may believe is right.

 

  have different moralities

  are really not that different

  have moral codes that are strikingly similar

  will always clash

  will always wage war with one another

 

Question 27

 

Which of the following would a cultural relativist DISAGREE?

  Different societies have different moral codes.

  There is no objective standard that can be used to judge one societal code better than another.

 

  There is a “universal truth” in ethics—that is, there are moral truths that hold for all people at all times.

  The moral code of our own society has no special status; it is merely one among many.

  The moral code of a society determines what is right within that society.

 

Question 28

 

How did the Callatian Indians dispose of the flesh of their dead fathers?

  They cremated it.

 

  They ate it.

  They mummified it.

  They froze it.

  They threw it out in the ocean.

 

Question 29

 

Which of the following is a lesson that the cultural relativists want us to learn?

  Many of our cultural practices are merely peculiar to our society.

  Some of our ethical sentiments may be a result of our cultural conditioning.

  We should show respect and tolerance for different moral views and that our own moral views as well as those of our society may be mistaken.

 

  All of the above.

  A and C only.

 

Question 30

 

According to the critics of cultural relativism, it is difficult to determine what the beliefs of a society are.  That is, how large a majority must ____?

  challenge a prevailing belief before it is overthrown

  engage in civil disobedience to undermine those beliefs

  approve of a belief before teaching it in public schools

  disapprove of a belief before it is rejected

 

  hold a belief before it counts as a belief of that society

 

Question 31

 

According to the critics, if cultural relativism were true, then it would make no sense to say that the moral standards of one’s society are mistaken since____.

  no one knows what those standards are

  morality is in the eye of the beholder

 

  by definition, they would define morality

  morality only exists in people’s minds

  every society has their own unique moral codes

 

Question 32

 

According to the critics of cultural relativism, the fact that beliefs about morality differ from one society to another does not imply that ____.

 

  all such beliefs are equally valid

  people will behave immorally if given the chance

  moral absolutes do not exist

  lawlessness will reign

  all actions are equally permissible

 

Question 33

 

According to the critics of cultural relativism, moral progress within a society wouldn’t make sense.  It implies a ____ to measure the progress.

  holy scriptural text

 

  yardstick

  supernatural being

  night light

  popularity poll

 

Question 34

 

According to the critics of cultural relativism, deeper examinations sometimes reveal that societies share the same underlying moral values, even though their different circumstances ____.

  might force them to engage in warfare with one another

  requires them to cooperate with one another

 

  lead them to express these values in moral standards that differ on the surface

  would belie the fundamental moral fabric that ties the societies together

  sometimes force their people to engage in animalistic behaviors

 

Question 35

 

____ study the ramifications, promises and potential dangers of the use of science and technology to overcome fundamental human limitations.

 

  Transhumanists

  Divine Command Theorists

  Virtue Ethicists

  Utilitarians

  Kantians

 

Question 36

 

Transhumanism has its roots in ____.

  Utilitarianism

  Kantianism

 

  Secular humanism

  Divine command theory

  Cyclops

 

Question 37

 

Which of the following organizations support Transhumanism?

  Humanity Plus (World Transhumanist Association)

  Future of Humanity Institute

  Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technology

  Betterhumans

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 38

 

Transhumanists range across the entire spectrum of political views, although they tend toward ____.

  communism

  elistism

 

  civil libertarianism

  fascism

  socialism

 

Question 39

 

Transhumanists foresee the feasibility of redesigning the human condition, including such parameters as ____.

  the inevitability of aging

  unchosen psychology

  limitations on human and artificial intellects

  confinement to Earth

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 40

 

“Evolution need no longer be a destiny imposed from without; it may conceivably be controlled by man, in accordance with his wisdom and values.”

 

  Theodosius Dobzhansky

  Nick Bostrom

  Paul Kurtz

  Peter Singer

  Susan Wolf

 

Question 41

 

Transhumanists foresee future advances in ____.

  Genetics

  Robotics

  Information technology

  Nanotechnology

 

  All of the above.

 

Question 42

 

“The eternal search for meaning and spiritual fulfillment often leaves us susceptible to extraordinary claims and unsubstantiated ideas, particularly in the realms of superstition and the supernatural.”

 

  Theodosius Dobzhansky

  Peter Singer

  Michael Shermer

  Paul Kurtz

  Nick Bostrom

 

Question 43

 

With which statements would Michael Shermer agree?

  Proper diet and sufficient exercise are tried-and-true methods of increasing the length of your life.

  Modern medical technologies and sanitation practices have nearly doubled the average lifetime over the past century.

 

  Both A and B.

  Neither A nor b.