Below is a set of claims followed by several reasons, or justifications, that one might give in support of the claim. For each, determine whether or not the reason given appears to be a moral one. If it does, think about whether that justification is best characterized as appealing to consequences, to character, to duties, or something else:

We really shouldn’t download this album without paying for it

a) we agreed to abide by the terms of use for the website, which prohibit doing that

b) we might get caught and get in trouble

c) honest people don’t do things like that

d) if people download it for free, the artists won’t get paid; which means, they’ll stop producing art, and a society without art would not be a good thing.

It’s okay to download this album without paying for it

a) no one is going to find out

b) if people download it for free, more people get to hear the band, and the record companies have less control—both of these are good things in the long run

c) the terms of the website cover downloading and re-using in commercial contexts; we are downloading it for personal use, so there is no problem here

d) the warning is just a dirty trick the company uses to scare people into paying; we’ve got the courage to ignore it and go ahead

We should all give to charity

 a) it feels so good to do things for others

b) we all have a duty to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves

c) when everyone gives to charity, society as a whole benefits

d) it’s good to be generous

Giving to charity or not is a personal choice

a) if everyone has to give to charity, there won’t be any incentive for people to work hard (the more you make, the more you end up giving; the less you make, the more you end up getting)

b) If you feel like it, that’s fine. If you don’t, that’s fine too.

c) there are any number of other ways to be generous

d) I am required not to harm anyone, but that doesn’t mean I have to help others

Religion should be taught in public schools

a) it is a part of our culture that the well-educated person will understand

b) if we don’t teach it in schools, young people will see it as something entirely separate from everyday life

c) it is our responsibility to teach the public about our history

d) teaching students religion will make them more likely to become religious people

 Religion shouldn’t be taught in public schools

a) we have an obligation to respect the separation of church and state

b) a proper upbringing involves learning about religion at home and in places of worship

c) it is illegal to teach religion in public schools

d) teaching religion in public schools leads to inaccurate views concerning the most important guides to action

 

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