Class 3 Doing Good Better 2022

What does consequentialism focus on?

• The moral character of one’s personality.

• The intrinsic moral status of one’s actions.

• The outcomes of one’s actions.

What is utilitarianism (in ethics)?

• The ethical theory according to which we ought to choose the action that maximizes global welfare.

• The ethical theory according to which we ought to choose the action that is most useful for the goal we have (whatever it is).

• The ethical theory according to which one ought to choose the action that is most useful for our egoistic goals.

• The empirical theory according to which we are all rational and egoist (i.e. we care only about our own interests).

Which one of the following theses is defended by Singer in his 1972 article?

• People in affluent countries have a duty to help those in need as long as it does not go against anything morally significant.

• Only the richest people in affluent countries have a duty to help those in need.

• People in affluent countries have a collective duty to help those in need that can only be achieved via coordination.

According to Singer in his 1972 article, ...

• every action commonly thought to belong to charity (not morally obligatory) should instead be considered as a moral duty.

• there are actions commonly thought to belong to charity (not morally obligatory) that should instead be considered as moral duties.

• every action commonly thought to be a moral duty should instead be considered as charity (not morally obligatory).

• there are actions commonly thought to be moral duties that should instead be considered as charity (not morally obligatory).

According to Singer in his 1972 article, what ethical difference does the existence of many other people who could help as well make to our duty to help those in need?

• It makes no difference: we still have the same duty to help.

• It makes a slight difference: the intensity of our duty is split among all the people who could help.

• It makes a big difference: we have no duty to help as long as those who can help do not seek to coordinate to actually help.

What does Temkin mean by a "pluralistic approach to our relations to the needy"?

• We should help as many people as possible (rather than just a few).

• There are several dimensions of the well-being of those in need that we should pay attention to.

• There is convergence among different ethical perspectives that we ought to help the needy.

What is Williams’ "one thought too many" [une pensée de trop] objection against consequentialism?

• A virtuous person should sometimes refrain from having certain thoughts about how to act.

• Consequentialism, in practice, make individuals spend too much time thinking about the consequences of their actions, which leads to suboptimal decision-making.

• In practice, it is impossible for individuals to work out the consequences of their actions as consequentialism would require.