The Ethical Spectrum

Quiz!

Question 1:

Your best friend tells you a secret about another friend that could damage their relationship, but could also cause harm if not told. You think to yourself…

a. “I better tell the other person this secret, because being Honest is the right thing to do.”

b. “Which will do the most damage, keeping the secret or telling it? Which ever causes the least problems for all of us is the one I will choose.”

c. “If I tell the secret, my friend will be mad at me, but keeping it won’t hurt me at all. I’ll do that.”

d. “I’m going to go with the flow as if I know nothing; my friend told me a secret and its not my responsibility to worry about it.”

Question 2:

You are out shopping and realize that the clerk forgot to charge you for something. You:

a. avoid Greed and Theft, be Honest with the clerk, and rightfully pay the money owed.

b. tell the clerk and pay for it, because it would not be good for society if everyone was stealing – no money in the economy = no money in government = poverty for everyone.

c. don’t say anything, as a free item and extra money in your pocket, of course, brings you happiness!

d. don’t worry about it – the clerk messed up, it’s his/her responsibility.

Question 3:

There was a situation just recently in which a father shot his daughter, because she was a suicide bomber. There are many ethical ways to look at the situation, which one most matches your own ideas?

a. He shouldn’t have killed her because Murder is always wrong regardless of the situation – there could’ve been another way to save everyone, including her.

b. He did the right thing, because had she gone and completed her suicide mission, she would’ve killed countless others, and he saved them by killing her first.

c. It is far away from me, and while reading it makes me sad, I’m not unhappy about the situation either way.

d. In the long run, we’re all going to inevitably die – the when and how don’t really matter. He prolonged the life of a few by ending one early, but they’re all going to end up in the same way at some point.

Question 4:

You see the world as:

a. Black and white – there is always a wrong, there is always a right and it is the same for everyone in the same situations.

b. What works best for the most people – majority rules.

c. Each day is special, and I should live it to the fullest – party, have fun, and be happy, regardless of what that does for other people. I take care of myself, make sure I get what I want, and don’t really worry about anyone else or the consequences.

d. What works for me works for me, and what works for you works for you.

Question 5:

Pick the one that you value the most (the one that you think is most important to you).

a. Justice

b. Fairness

c. Happiness

d. Freedom

Question 6:

You really absolutely hate doing homework (yes, I know some of you feel this way – I’m sorry). So you choose:

a. to do the homework anyway because it has been assigned, and it’s the right thing to do to learn to be a good, disciplined, and focused person.

b. to do it because in the end, society need informed people.

c. try to get someone else to do it for you, since it’s painful for you, and it would be more fun to be talking on the internet or playing video games.

d. don’t do it, because it’s not really all that important in the grand scheme of life anyway.

Question 7:

When you go to vote on prop 19: Legalization of Marijuana, your answer would be:

a. Vote no, because marijuana is a drug, inhibits ability, and is morally wrong.

b. Vote yes, because it would create great amounts of profit for the state, increasing spending for special programs, and helping the entire economy.

c. Vote yes, because it will allow people to do what they find to be an enjoyable experience, and personal pleasure is what matters in this debate.

d. Nothing – you wouldn’t vote because the issue has nothing to do with you and who really cares what other people do?

Question 8:

You love your best friend because:

a. he/she is a Good person, does the right thing, and isn’t afraid to stand up for their personal beliefs.

b. Having the right kind of friends can get you somewhere in society – as they say, it’s not what you know but who you know.

c. They take you to places, go with you to parties, and are good for a laugh on occasion.

d. Best friend? Don’t really need those – there are people in my life who are around a lot, but I try not to get too close to people, since you can’t really trust people very often.

Question 9:

Which of the following strikes the most true to you?

a. character is defined by both actions and intentions – what you say and what you do (and DOING what you say)

b. The greatest good for the greatest number of people

c. Make the most out of every day, and enjoy it

d. Make your own choices, be responsible for your own consequences – worry only about yourself

Results

Tally your scores (how many As, Bs, C, and Ds). Which ever letter has the most responses corresponds to your personal moral system, and tells you what kinds of things you value (are most important to you).

A. Objectivism

B. Utilitarianism

C. Hedonism

D. Existentialism

Objectivism

An objectivist is someone who believes there is a real concrete idea of right and wrong, which applies to everyone in every situation, despite what others may believe. He/She sees the world as fairly black and white – murder is always wrong; we shouldn’t steal, cheat or lie; and we should always treat others as we would like to be treated. While not always true, objectivists tend to base their systems on the teachings of some religion. On another hand, objectivists may just believe that we should do the right thing so that we are all fairly being treated in the world.

Utilitarianism

The big slogan of utilitarianism is the idea of doing things for “the greatest good for the greatest number.” A Utilitarian bases his/her decisions on the consequences of his/her actions, deciding if what he/she says or does will hurt or help people. This is typically a political value system. Utilitarians typically look at which option helps the most people, or which is the lesser of two evils. It’s not a selfish position, though often Utility can become Hedonism.

Hedonism

A Hedonist is a very individualistic person, and typically makes judgments based on his/her own feelings. It is a subjective position in the sense that what you liked/feel may be different from someone else. The typical position is “avoidance of pain” or “seeking of pleasure.” Actions are not deemed good or bad by anyone but the person acting; a decision is good if the action produces a happy/pleasurable result, and the decision is bad if the action produces pain (immediate or in the future). The pain/pleasure is judged only by the individual, and doesn’t account for anyone else.

Existentialism

Existentialists tend to be fairly withdrawn, individualistic, and a lot of times pessimistic in the societal view (though not always founded). They tend to be realists in the sense that they seek out knowledge of experience, and try to be aware of what exactly their place in the world is. Most are often atheistic (do not believe in any god), and so they don’t put faith in the escaping of the inevitable (specifically, death). They live life on their own terms, and take responsibility for their own choices.