INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS: KEY
CONCEPTS AND THEORIES FOR PHIL
227 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025/2026
Ethics - ANS The branch of philosophy that studies moral values, right and wrong, and human
decision-making.
Normative Ethics - ANS The study of how people ought to act morally.
Metaethics - ANS The study of the meaning, nature, and justification of moral claims.
Descriptive Judgment - ANS A statement describing what people believe or do.
Normative Judgment - ANS A statement evaluating actions as right or wrong.
Naturalistic Fallacy - ANS The error of deriving moral conclusions solely from factual
statements.
Consequentialism - ANS Ethical theories that judge actions by their outcomes.
Deontology - ANS Ethical theories that judge actions by duties or rules rather than
consequences.
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, Divine Command Theory - ANS The view that moral rightness depends on God's commands.
Ethical Relativism - ANS The belief that moral truths depend on individuals or cultures.
Cultural Relativism - ANS The view that moral standards are determined by cultural norms.
Moral Objectivism - ANS The view that some moral truths are universally valid.
Moral Absolutism - ANS The belief that moral rules admit no exceptions.
Moral Pluralism - ANS The view that multiple moral principles may be valid.
Psychological Egoism - ANS The theory that humans are always motivated by self-interest.
Ethical Egoism - ANS The theory that people morally ought to act in their own self-interest.
Altruism - ANS Acting for the benefit of others, sometimes at personal cost.
Social Contract - ANS The idea that moral and political rules arise from mutual agreement.
Utilitarianism - ANS The theory that actions are right if they promote the greatest happiness.
Jeremy Bentham - ANS Founder of utilitarianism who focused on pleasure and pain.
Hedonic Calculus - ANS Bentham's method for measuring pleasure and pain.
John Stuart Mill - ANS Utilitarian who emphasized quality over quantity of pleasure.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
CONCEPTS AND THEORIES FOR PHIL
227 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+ 2025/2026
Ethics - ANS The branch of philosophy that studies moral values, right and wrong, and human
decision-making.
Normative Ethics - ANS The study of how people ought to act morally.
Metaethics - ANS The study of the meaning, nature, and justification of moral claims.
Descriptive Judgment - ANS A statement describing what people believe or do.
Normative Judgment - ANS A statement evaluating actions as right or wrong.
Naturalistic Fallacy - ANS The error of deriving moral conclusions solely from factual
statements.
Consequentialism - ANS Ethical theories that judge actions by their outcomes.
Deontology - ANS Ethical theories that judge actions by duties or rules rather than
consequences.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Divine Command Theory - ANS The view that moral rightness depends on God's commands.
Ethical Relativism - ANS The belief that moral truths depend on individuals or cultures.
Cultural Relativism - ANS The view that moral standards are determined by cultural norms.
Moral Objectivism - ANS The view that some moral truths are universally valid.
Moral Absolutism - ANS The belief that moral rules admit no exceptions.
Moral Pluralism - ANS The view that multiple moral principles may be valid.
Psychological Egoism - ANS The theory that humans are always motivated by self-interest.
Ethical Egoism - ANS The theory that people morally ought to act in their own self-interest.
Altruism - ANS Acting for the benefit of others, sometimes at personal cost.
Social Contract - ANS The idea that moral and political rules arise from mutual agreement.
Utilitarianism - ANS The theory that actions are right if they promote the greatest happiness.
Jeremy Bentham - ANS Founder of utilitarianism who focused on pleasure and pain.
Hedonic Calculus - ANS Bentham's method for measuring pleasure and pain.
John Stuart Mill - ANS Utilitarian who emphasized quality over quantity of pleasure.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
