philosophy
beginner
10 sample questions
Meta-ethics MCQ Practice Test
Nature of ethical judgments and properties
Q1. What is the central idea behind moral relativism, as proposed by Gilbert Harman?
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A. Moral statements can be objectively true or false, regardless of cultural context.
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B. Moral judgments are relative to the cultural norms of the individual making the judgment. ✓
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C. Moral principles are absolute and unchanging across all cultures.
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D. Moral disagreements arise from a lack of information, rather than fundamentally different values.
Explanation: Gilbert Harman's moral relativism posits that moral judgments are relative to the cultural norms of the individual making the judgment. This perspective suggests that what is considered right or wrong varies across different cultures and individuals, and that there is no universal moral truth.
Q2. Which meta-ethical view holds that moral statements can be reduced to statements about human preferences or tastes?
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A. Moral Realism
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B. Moral Anti-Realism
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C. Moral Subjectivism ✓
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D. Non-Cognitivism
Explanation: Moral subjectivism is a meta-ethical view that moral statements can be reduced to statements about human preferences or tastes. This view holds that moral judgments are based on individual perspectives and that moral principles are relative to personal opinions.
Q3. Which meta-ethical theory suggests that moral statements can be reduced to descriptive statements about human preferences or emotions?
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A. Moral Realism
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B. Error Theory
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C. Moral Relativism
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D. Moral Subjectivism ✓
Explanation: Moral Subjectivism is a meta-ethical theory that suggests moral statements can be reduced to descriptive statements about human preferences or emotions. This means that moral judgments are based on individual feelings or attitudes rather than objective facts.
Q4. In moral philosophy, deontological ethics holds that the moral rightness of an action is determined by ____.
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A. Moral judgments are determined by the moral rule itself, regardless of consequences. ✓
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B. Moral judgments are determined by the consequences of the action, regardless of the moral rule.
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C. Moral judgments are determined by a combination of both the moral rule and the consequences of the action.
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D. Moral judgments are determined by the moral character of the person performing the action.
Explanation: Deontology judges the rightness of actions by their conformity to moral rules or duties (for example, Kant’s categorical imperative), regardless of consequences; consequentialism instead judges actions by their outcomes, and virtue ethics by the agent’s character.
Q5. According to moral relativism, which of the following best describes the relationship between moral judgments and objective facts?
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A. Moral judgments are objective facts.
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B. Moral judgments are independent of objective facts. ✓
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C. Objective facts are necessary for making moral judgments.
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D. Moral judgments are determined by objective facts.
Explanation: Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are relative to cultural or personal perspectives, and therefore do not depend on objective facts. This means that what is considered right or wrong can vary greatly between different cultures or individuals, and there is no one universal standard for moral judgments.
Q6. Which meta-ethical theory holds that moral statements are equivalent to statements about the speaker's personal preferences or attitudes?
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A. Moral Realism
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B. Moral Relativism
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C. Moral Subjectivism ✓
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D. Moral Error Theory
Explanation: Moral Subjectivism is a meta-ethical theory that suggests moral statements are not objective truths, but rather expressions of the speaker's personal preferences or attitudes. This theory is often contrasted with Moral Realism, which posits that moral statements can be objectively true or false.
Q7. Which meta-ethical theory holds that moral judgments are merely expressions of personal preference, lacking any objective basis?
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A. Ethical Subjectivism
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B. Moral Realism
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C. Moral Noncognitivism ✓
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D. Moral Relativism
Explanation: Moral Noncognitivism is a meta-ethical theory that asserts moral judgments are not statements of fact, but rather expressions of personal preference or emotion. This theory is often associated with the idea that moral language is merely a form of emotivism, where moral statements are meant to evoke emotions rather than convey objective truth.
Q8. Which meta-ethical theory posits that moral statements can be true or false, but their truth values are determined by their relation to human desires and preferences?
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A. Moral Realism
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B. Moral Subjectivism ✓
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C. Moral Noncognitivism
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D. Moral Error Theory
Explanation: Moral Subjectivism is a meta-ethical theory that suggests moral statements are true or false based on individual perspectives and desires. This theory is often associated with the idea that moral judgments are subjective and relative.
Q9. Which meta-ethical theory suggests that moral statements are not descriptive claims about objective moral facts, but rather expressing the speaker's personal attitudes or emotions?
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A. Moral Subjectivism
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B. Moral Objectivism
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C. Moral Expressivism ✓
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D. Moral Relativism
Explanation: Moral expressivism is a meta-ethical theory that holds that moral statements are not making claims about objective facts, but rather expressing the speaker's emotions or attitudes. This theory is often contrasted with moral objectivism, which holds that moral statements are making claims about objective facts.
Q10. Which meta-ethical theory suggests that moral judgments can be understood as expressions of personal preferences or tastes, and that moral disagreements are ultimately a matter of individual differences in values?
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A. Moral Realism
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B. Moral Anti-Realism
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C. Moral Subjectivism ✓
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D. Moral Nihilism
Explanation: Moral Subjectivism is a meta-ethical theory that suggests that moral judgments are based on personal preferences or tastes, rather than on any objective moral facts. This means that moral disagreements are ultimately a matter of individual differences in values, rather than a disagreement about objective moral truths.
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