2.4.1 The Is-Ought Problem:

• What is the core idea of the Is-Ought Problem?

  Deriving prescriptive from descriptive statements
• What example is given for a descriptive statement in the table?

  "Stealing is illegal."
• Who formulated the Is-Ought Problem?

  David Hume
• Ordering the categories of the "is" and "ought" table based on their role in the Is-Ought Problem.

  1️⃣ Is (Descriptive)

  2️⃣ Ought (Prescriptive)
• David Hume formulated the Is-Ought Problem, highlighting that one cannot logically derive prescriptive statements from descriptive statements, requiring moral premises
• What type of statement is "People suffer when homeless"?

  Descriptive
• Compassion or fairness can serve as moral premises to justify providing housing for the homeless.

  True
• Factual observations cannot alone justify moral obligations; additional moral premises
• Match the ethical theory with its approach to the Is-Ought Problem:

  Utilitarianism ↔️ Maximizes happiness and minimizes suffering

  Deontology ↔️ Grounds moral obligations in rational principles

  Virtue Ethics ↔️ Focuses on cultivating moral character
• Who formulated the Is-Ought Problem?

  David Hume
• What does moral sentimentalism posit about moral judgments?

  Emotional responses
• Naturalistic ethics asserts that moral values can be derived from natural facts
• Moral obligations in moral sentimentalism arise from empathy and disapproval.


  True
• Justifying why stealing is wrong requires moral arguments beyond legal facts.

  True
• Descriptive statements logically imply prescriptive statements.

  False
• What additional factor did Hume argue is necessary for moral judgments?

  Moral premises
• Descriptive statements about facts do not imply prescriptive statements about what should be done.


  True
• Hume argued that ethical conclusions require moral premises in addition to factual observations
• What is a weakness of Rational Intuitionism?

  Relies on subjective intuition
• Moral obligations stem from feelings of empathy and disapproval towards certain behaviors
• The Is-Ought Problem highlights the difficulty of deriving prescriptive statements from descriptive statements
• Naturalistic ethics attempts to derive moral values from natural facts
• Moral sentimentalism posits that moral judgments arise from emotional responses to actions and events.


  True
• The Is-Ought Problem highlights the difficulty of deriving prescriptive statements from descriptive statements.


  True
• How does rational intuitionism propose to bridge the is-ought gap?

  Self-evident truths
• Order the three approaches to addressing the Is-Ought Problem based on their foundational principles.

  1️⃣ Naturalistic Ethics

  2️⃣ Rational Intuitionism

  3️⃣ Moral Sentimentalism
• Moral sentimentalism is vulnerable to emotional biases
• Statements about facts or states of affairs are called descriptive statements.
• Moral principles such as compassion are needed to justify prescriptive statements.compassion
• What type of statement is "We ought to provide housing for the homeless"?

  Prescriptive
• What is the key issue with deducing 'ought' from 'is'?

  Moral premises are required
• Naturalistic Ethics can be overly deterministic and subject to different interpretations of natural facts.


  True
• What is the core idea of Rational Intuitionism?

  Moral principles are self-evident
• Deontology avoids the Is-Ought gap by grounding moral obligations in rational principles.


  True
• What is the Is-Ought Problem concerned with?

  Prescriptive vs. descriptive statements
• The Is-Ought Problem argues that moral obligations can be derived directly from factual observations.

  False
• What does rational intuitionism propose about moral principles?

  Self-evident truths
• What is a weakness of naturalistic ethics in addressing the Is-Ought Problem?

  Overly deterministic
• What is one implication of resolving the Is-Ought Problem?

  Stronger foundation for ethics
• Accepting the Is-Ought Problem may lead to moral skepticism