Iowa Western Community College Moral Theory and Practice Questions Philosophy, Moral theory and practice 25 question Why should we modify Nozick’s experi

Iowa Western Community College Moral Theory and Practice Questions Philosophy, Moral theory and practice

25 question

Why should we modify Nozick’s experience machine thought experiment so that you would remain in the experience machine for the rest of your life rather than being brought out every two years?

Group of answer choices
Because it’s unrealistic to expect the scientists to remember to bring you out.

Because the scientists need to interview you again to see whether you’ve changed your mind.

Because when you are brought out of the machine, you will realize that everything you thought was happening to you never really happened, and that all of the pleasure you experienced was based on false beliefs about what was going on. You would experience far more pleasure in life by remaining “plugged in” all of your life and never discovering that nothing you experience is real.

Because you need a break from all of the pleasure and bringing you out would give you a break.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 21 pts

According to Nozick, what are you missing out on if you live a simulated life connected to an experience machine *and* a transformation machine *and* a results machine?

Group of answer choices
Making a difference in the world

Desirable experiences

Being a certain kind of person

Living in contact with reality

Flag this QuestionQuestion 31 pts

What does it mean to say that something is *intrinsically* good?

Group of answer choices
good as an *end*

an innate need

good only as a *means*

instrumentally good

Flag this QuestionQuestion 41 pts

What theory of well-being says that something is intrinsically good for you if and only if you intrinsically *desire* it?

Group of answer choices
Ethical Hedonism

Psychological Hedonism

Objectivism

Desire Satisfaction Theory

Flag this QuestionQuestion 51 pts

According to ethical hedonism, when is something intrinsically good for you?

Group of answer choices
When it is morally right for you to be pleased by it

When it brings pleasure to others

When you intrinsically desire it

When it is a state of pleasure

Flag this QuestionQuestion 61 pts

What is the Objectivism about well-being?

Group of answer choices
Humans seek only pleasure as a goal and nothing else.

Something is intrinsically good for you if and only if you intrinsically desire it.

Something is intrinsically good for you if and only if it is a state of pleasure.

There are things that are intrinsically good for you independently of any desire you may have for them and any pleasure you may get from them.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 71 pts

According to Ethical Hedonism, why would we be better off being plugged into the experience machine?

Group of answer choices
We would be challenged more and grow as a person.

We would experience more pleasure that way than living a real life.

We would have more friends, achieve more things, and learn more facts that way than living a real life.

We would be able to satisfy more of our desires that way than living a real life.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 81 pts

Heathwood says that talk about having a good life involves several aspects. Which aspect is he going to focus on in the essay?

Group of answer choices
Welfare or well-being

Human excellence

Morality and virtue

Meaning of life

Flag this QuestionQuestion 91 pts

What is Heathwood’s view about well-being (also called welfare)?

Group of answer choices
It consists solely in getting what you want

It includes living a meaningful life

It includes being a morally good person

It includes developing human excellences

Flag this QuestionQuestion 101 pts

What are Heathwood’s views about well-being and morality?

Group of answer choices
well-being is objective while morality is subjective

both well-being and morality are objective

both well-being and morality are subjective

well-being is subjective while morality is objective

Flag this QuestionQuestion 111 pts

What point does Heathwood attempt to make with the example involving Charlie and the increased freedom to drive faster?

Group of answer choices
Charlie’s well-being *has* improved because he really intrinsically *wanted* more freedom and he got it

Charlie’s well-being has *not* improved because while he has more freedom, he does not care about it

Charlie’s well-being *has* improved because more freedom is good for you, whether you want it or not

Charlie’s well-being has *not* improved because he does not *have* any more freedom than he had before

Flag this QuestionQuestion 121 pts

What example does Heathwood use to argue that while desiring something makes it *intrinsically* good for you, it may also *instrumentally* bad for you if it frustrates other desires you have?

Group of answer choices
The Ted Bundy example

The cherry pie example

The exiled uncle example

The Charlie example

Flag this QuestionQuestion 131 pts

You intrinsically desire your uncle to have a healthy, happy life. He does. However, you never find this out. Desire Satisfaction Theory seems to say that your well-being improves in this situation. So, Desire Satisfaction Theory seems to give us the wrong verdict. It would seem like your well-being really has not improved at all. What is Heathwood’s preferred solution to this challenge?

Group of answer choices
Modify the theory to say that not only must an intrinsic desire *be* satisfied, but you must be *aware* that it has been satisfied.

Modify the theory to say that it is not getting what we *actually* desire but what we *would* desire were we more fully informed about the object of our desire.

Modify the theory to say that it is only desires pertaining to *your own life* that are relevant to your well-being. Your desire for your uncle’s happiness is a desire that pertain to *his* life.

He acknowledges that the Desire Satisfaction Theory *cannot adequately* respond to this type of challenge.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 141 pts

What conclusion is someone arguing *for* when they claim that the pleasure experienced by a sadistic person while he or she tortures someone *lacks* any intrinsic value?

Group of answer choices
Hedonism is *false* because *not only* pleasure is intrinsically good.

Hedonism is *true* because *only* pleasure is intrinsically good.

Hedonism is *false* because *not all* pleasure is intrinsically good.

Hedonism is *true* because *all* pleasure is intrinsically good.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 151 pts

Suppose someone claims that a life lived in the experience machine would *not* be as good as a life lived in the real world as we know it. What is an implication of this claim?

Group of answer choices
Pleasure is intrinsically worthless

Only pleasure is intrinsically good

There are things *other than* pleasure that are intrinsically good, such as knowledge, achievement, and friendship

Our technological abilities aren’t far enough along: in the future, an experience device would successfully produce enough pleasure to make such a life better than real life

Flag this QuestionQuestion 161 pts

To which theory of well-being is the following an objection: It doesn’t seem to leave much room for individuality and self-expression

Group of answer choices
Psychological hedonism

Desire satisfaction theory

Ethical hedonism

Objectivism

Flag this QuestionQuestion 171 pts

To which objection would Objectivists make the following reply:

We’ve reached “rock bottom.” That is, we’ve reached the point beyond which there’s no further explanation that could be given.

Group of answer choices
There doesn’t seem to be any explanation of what *makes* these supposedly objectively good things good.

Just because you desire something doesn’t mean it’s intrinsically good for you.

It seems odd to say that things that we don’t desire and don’t find pleasurable could be good for us.

It doesn’t leave room for freedom and individuality. It seems to present us with only one right way to live.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 181 pts

Infants *lack* desires, but it makes sense to talk about what is intrinsically *good and bad* for them. If that is correct, then what must we conclude about the desire satisfaction theory?

Group of answer choices
It is *false* because then intrinsically desiring something would *not be necessary* to make it intrinsically good for you.

It is *true* because then intrinsically desiring something *would be* sufficient to make it intrinsically good for you.

It is *false* because then intrinsically desiring something would *not be sufficient* to make it intrinsically good for you.

It is *true* because then intrinsically desiring something *would be* necessary to make it intrinsically good for you.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 191 pts

Suppose Betsy wants to do nothing but counts blades of grass every waking hour. This is her deepest, most intense desire. There is nothing else she wants to do more than this. Suppose she can spend almost all her time for the remaining 80 years of her life doing nothing but this.

Many people do *not* think Betsy’s life goes any better even if she gets this desire satisfied. The satisfaction of *this* desire does *not* improve Jennifer’s well-being at all. What are they claiming?

Group of answer choices
Intrinsically desiring something *is* necessary to make it intriniscally good

Intrinsically desiring something is *not sufficient* to make it intrinsically good

Intrinsically desiring something is *not necessary* to make it intrinsically good

Intrinsically desiring something *is* sufficient to make it intrinsically good

Flag this QuestionQuestion 201 pts

Of which theory of well-being is Richard Kraut’s human flourishing account a version?

Group of answer choices
Desire Satisfaction Theory (Ideal Desires)

Objectivism

Desire Satisfaction Theory (Actual Desires)

Ethical Hedonism

Flag this QuestionQuestion 211 pts

According to Kraut, what is the connection between human well-being and human flourishing?

Group of answer choices
Human flourishing encompasses *all* of well-being. There is *no* aspect of our well-being that is not included in what makes us flourish

Human flourishing is part—but *not all* of—human well-being

Human flourishing is an account of the things that are *instrumentally* helpful in leading to our well-being

Well-being is a subjective notion; human flourishing has *very little* to do with that

Flag this QuestionQuestion 221 pts

Kraut suggests that flourishing consists in the possession, development, and enjoyed exercise of various human powers. What are those powers?

Group of answer choices
Cognitive, selfishness, physical, sensory, social

Cognitive, affective, patriotism, sensory, social

Cognitive, affective, physical, sensory, loyalty

Cognitive, affective, physical, sensory, social

Flag this QuestionQuestion 231 pts

Which of the three approaches to meaningful activity says that the activity must have *objective* worth?

Group of answer choices
Just the purely objective approach

Just the purely subjective approach

Both the subjective approach and the objective approach

Both the purely objective approach and the combined approach

Flag this QuestionQuestion 241 pts

What is the focus of the categories of work offered by Gregory Pence?

Group of answer choices
How the work is experienced by the worker.

Whether the work is beneficial for society.

How much education is required for the job.

How much the work pays.

Flag this QuestionQuestion 251 pts

According to Russell Muirhead, which type of jobs would be meaningful?

Group of answer choices
Jobs that have personal fit: they’re worthwhile and fit us in that they develop our powers and involve working toward ends we endorse.

Jobs that benefit society, regardless of how they align with our own values and life plan.

Jobs that we find enjoyable and fun.

Jobs that have social fit: they’re worthwhile and we’re competent in the tasks involved in doing them.