Unit 1

1) State 2 points of difference between normative ethics and meta-ethics.

Ans. i) Normative ethics deals with determining what is morally right or wrong in practical
situations, whereas meta-ethics studies the nature, meaning, and origin of moral concepts.
ii) Normative ethics prescribes ethical rules and principles, while meta-ethics is concerned with
analyzing the language and logic of moral judgments.
2) How are rights and duties correlated?
Ans. a)Rights and duties are mutually dependent; the existence of a right in one person implies
a corresponding duty in another. b)They are complementary because the exercise of a right is
meaningless without the fulfillment of a corresponding duty.
3) What are the different classes of virtue?
Ans. i) Moral virtues: Developed through habit and practice, such as honesty and courage.
ii)Intellectual virtues: Developed through instruction and reasoning, such as wisdom and
prudence.
4) How are good and virtue correlated?
Ans. i)Virtue is the means through which one attains the good; a virtuous person naturally
pursues what is morally good.
ii)Good is the ultimate aim, while virtues are the qualities that guide actions toward that aim.
5) What is normative ethics?
Ans. Normative ethics is the branch of ethics that prescribes moral standards and principles,
guiding individuals on how they ought to act in particular situations.
6) What is meta-ethical theory?
Ans.Meta-ethical theory studies the meaning, nature, and justification of ethical concepts,
examining questions like “What does ‘good’ mean?” and “Are moral values objective or
subjective?”
7) "Ethics is a normative science" – is the statement correct? (1 mark)
Ans.Yes, ethics is considered a normative science because it studies principles and standards
of right conduct.
8) From which word is ethics derived? (1 mark)
Ans. Ethics is derived from the Greek word “ethos”, meaning character or custom.
9) "Right is a means to the realization of good" – is the statement true? (1 mark)
Ans. Yes, because right actions are instrumental in achieving the ultimate moral goal, which is
the good.
10) What is the object of moral judgment? (1 mark)
Ans. The object of moral judgment is human conduct or action.
11) What is the earliest branch of ethics? (1 mark)
Ans. Normative ethics is considered the earliest branch of ethics.
12) Name two normative theories.
Ans. i)Deontological ethics (Duty-based)
ii) Utilitarianism (Consequence-based)
13) Is ethics a positive science? (1 mark)
Ans. No, ethics is not a positive science; it is a normative science because it prescribes how
one ought to act.
15) What does ethics deal with? (1 mark)
Ans. Ethics deals with the principles of right and wrong conduct and the moral duties of
individuals.
16) What kind of actions are objects of moral judgment? (1 mark)
Ans. Voluntary actions that are subject to choice and moral evaluation.
17) Define moral judgment. What is the object of moral judgment? (1+1=2)
Ans. Moral judgment is the assessment of actions as right or wrong based on ethical principles.
The object of moral judgment is human conduct or behavior.
18) Define virtue. Are rights and duties correlated?
Ans. Virtue is a quality of character that enables a person to act morally and achieve the good.
Yes, rights and duties are correlated, as explained in (2).
19) What does the term ethics literally mean? (1 mark)
Ans. Ethics literally means the study of character (*ethos* in Greek).
20) What is duty? (1 mark)
Ans. Duty is a moral obligation to perform or refrain from certain actions based on ethical
principles.
21) "The true method of ethics is both empirical and transcendental." Is this statement true? (1
mark)
Ans. Yes, because ethics uses observation of human behavior (empirical) and reasoning about
moral principles (transcendental).
22) What is right? Mention two human rights.
Ans. Right is a moral or legal entitlement to perform or receive something in accordance with
ethical principles.
Two human rights: Right to life, Right to freedom of expression.
23) Is ethics a practical science? Justify your answer.
Ans. Yes, ethics is a practical science because it guides human behavior and provides
principles for moral action.
24) Write the names of two meta-ethical philosophers.
Ans. G.E. Moore and A.J. Ayer.
25) "Rights and duties are correlated to each other." Is it true? Explain briefly.
Ans. Yes, rights and duties are correlated because the right of one person implies a
corresponding duty in another. They are complementary and interdependent.
26) What is voluntary action?
Ans. Voluntary action is an action performed with knowledge and free will.
27) What is non-voluntary action?
Ans . Non-voluntary action is performed without knowledge or consent, often due to ignorance
or compulsion.
28) What are the three stages of voluntary action?
Ans. Choice (deliberation), Intention (decision to act), Execution (carrying out the action).
29) And justify means do you agree? (1 mark)
Ans. Yes, “justify” means to provide reasons or evidence in support of a statement or action.
30) Define ethics and why ethics is called normative science.
Ans. Ethics is the philosophical study of morality, examining principles of right and wrong
conduct.
It is called a normative science because it prescribes standards and rules for morally
right actions.
31)What is good, bad, virtue, right, duties? (2+2+2+2+2=10)
Ans. Good: The ultimate aim of moral actions; that which is desirable and morally valuable.
Bad: That which is morally wrong, harmful, or undesirable.
Virtue: Moral quality that enables a person to act rightly and achieve the good.
Right: Actions that are morally or legally permissible.
Duties: Moral obligations or responsibilities to act or refrain from acting in certain ways.
32) What is the nature of ethics?
Ans. Ethics is a rational, normative, and practical science concerned with human conduct, moral
values, and principles of right and wrong.
33) What is the scope of ethics?
Ans. Ethics studies moral principles, human duties, virtues, rights, and the application of moral
judgment in personal and social life.
34) Right to objects of moral judgment.
Ans. Rights relate to actions that can be morally evaluated, serving as standards for moral
judgment.
35) End justifies the means – explain.
Ans. This principle states that the morality of an action is determined by its outcome; if the end
result is good, the means used are considered acceptable.
36) Major 3 approaches of normative ethics and their definitions. (2+2+2=6)
Ans. i)Consequentialism/Utilitarianism: Morality is determined by the outcomes or
consequences of actions.
ii) Deontology: Morality is determined by duties, rules, or obligations regardless of outcomes.
iii) Virtue Ethics: Morality is based on the development of virtuous character traits.
37) Are moral values objective or subjective? (1 mark)
Ans.Moral values can be objective (universally valid) or subjective (based on individual or
cultural opinion), depending on the ethical theory.
38) Do moral facts exist or are they human constructed? (1 mark)
Ans. Moral facts are often considered human constructs, as they arise from social agreements
and cultural norms.
39) What is the difference between rights and duties?
Ans. i) Rights are entitlements or claims an individual has, while duties are obligations to
respect or fulfill those rights.
ii)Rights focus on what one can claim, duties focus on what one must perform.