Meta-Ethics -MCQs January 8, 2026August 22, 2025 by u930973931_answers 50 Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. Which branch of philosophy does meta-ethics primarily belong to? (A) Aesthetics (B) Logic (C) Ethics (D) Epistemology 2. Meta-ethics mainly deals with questions about: (A) Moral practice (B) Moral judgments (C) Moral theories (D) Moral actions 3. Which of the following best describes meta-ethics? (A) Study of right and wrong actions (B) Study of the nature of moral language and meaning (C) Application of moral principles (D) Study of professional ethics 4. The question “What does ‘good’ mean?” belongs to: (A) Normative ethics (B) Meta-ethics (C) Descriptive ethics (D) Applied ethics 5. Which philosopher is associated with the “naturalistic fallacy”? (A) Aristotle (B) Immanuel Kant (C) G.E. Moore (D) David Hume 6. The “open question argument” was proposed by: (A) Plato (B) G.E. Moore (C) J.L. Mackie (D) Hobbes 7. Which theory claims that moral statements express emotions rather than facts? (A) Intuitionism (B) Emotivism (C) Realism (D) Cognitivism 8. Emotivism is most closely associated with: (A) Hume and Ayer (B) Kant and Mill (C) Aristotle and Plato (D) Rawls and Nozick 9. Which view holds that moral values exist independently of human opinion? (A) Subjectivism (B) Moral realism (C) Relativism (D) Error theory 10. The belief that moral statements can be true or false is called: (A) Non-cognitivism (B) Cognitivism (C) Emotivism (D) Prescriptivism 11. The belief that moral statements cannot be true or false is: (A) Cognitivism (B) Non-cognitivism (C) Realism (D) Absolutism 12. J.L. Mackie is best known for defending: (A) Utilitarianism (B) Error theory (C) Intuitionism (D) Relativism 13. Error theory suggests that moral claims are: (A) True (B) False (C) Subjective (D) Objective 14. Which theory says that moral statements prescribe actions rather than state facts? (A) Intuitionism (B) Prescriptivism (C) Realism (D) Naturalism 15. Prescriptivism was developed by: (A) R.M. Hare (B) J.L. Mackie (C) A.J. Ayer (D) Kant 16. Moral relativism claims that moral truths depend on: (A) Divine law (B) Human emotions (C) Cultural or individual perspectives (D) Logical necessity 17. The theory that moral terms can be reduced to natural properties is called: (A) Intuitionism (B) Naturalism (C) Non-naturalism (D) Relativism 18. G.E. Moore opposed which ethical position? (A) Naturalism (B) Non-naturalism (C) Realism (D) Intuitionism 19. The question “Are moral values objective or subjective?” belongs to: (A) Applied ethics (B) Normative ethics (C) Meta-ethics (D) Descriptive ethics 20. Which theory claims we know moral truths by direct awareness? (A) Naturalism (B) Intuitionism (C) Relativism (D) Non-cognitivism 21. Who is considered a defender of intuitionism? (A) Bentham (B) Moore (C) Ayer (D) Hobbes 22. The is–ought problem was introduced by: (A) Plato (B) Aristotle (C) David Hume (D) Kant 23. Hume’s law suggests that: (A) Morality is objective (B) One cannot derive an “ought” from an “is” (C) Ethics is based on reason (D) Morals are God-given 24. Which term refers to the study of moral language and its truth conditions? (A) Normative ethics (B) Meta-ethics (C) Deontology (D) Consequentialism 25. Non-cognitivists believe moral statements are expressions of: (A) Facts (B) Logic (C) Emotions or attitudes (D) Divine commands 26. Which meta-ethical stance claims there are no moral facts? (A) Moral realism (B) Error theory (C) Intuitionism (D) Prescriptivism 27. Ethical subjectivism states that moral judgments are based on: (A) Society’s consensus (B) Individual opinions (C) Divine will (D) Logical reasoning 28. Who proposed that moral statements are simply commands? (A) Kant (B) Ayer (C) Hare (D) Hobbes 29. According to A.J. Ayer, moral statements are: (A) Factual (B) Verifiable (C) Expressions of feelings (D) Objective truths 30. A key problem for emotivism is: (A) It denies moral disagreement (B) It supports moral realism (C) It relies on divine command (D) It assumes moral facts exist 31. Moral realism is most opposed to: (A) Non-cognitivism (B) Intuitionism (C) Utilitarianism (D) Deontology 32. The verification principle was central to: (A) Intuitionism (B) Logical positivism (C) Realism (D) Relativism 33. Logical positivists argued moral claims are: (A) Objective truths (B) Subjective truths (C) Non-cognitive expressions (D) Rationally provable 34. Which meta-ethical question asks if morality is universal or relative? (A) Ontological question (B) Semantic question (C) Epistemological question (D) Relativist question 35. If moral truths exist independently, this supports: (A) Relativism (B) Realism (C) Emotivism (D) Prescriptivism 36. Which theory aligns most closely with moral skepticism? (A) Emotivism (B) Error theory (C) Intuitionism (D) Naturalism 37. The meta-ethical debate between cognitivism and non-cognitivism concerns: (A) The meaning of “ought” (B) Whether moral statements can be true or false (C) The source of moral law (D) Whether ethics is practical 38. Meta-ethics is primarily concerned with: (A) Practical morality (B) Theories of obligation (C) The nature of moral properties (D) Professional codes 39. Which philosopher argued that “good” is indefinable? (A) Kant (B) Bentham (C) G.E. Moore (D) Aristotle 40. The theory that moral judgments can motivate action directly is called: (A) Internalism (B) Externalism (C) Realism (D) Absolutism 41. The opposing theory, that motivation requires desire, is called: (A) Naturalism (B) Externalism (C) Relativism (D) Cognitivism 42. Non-naturalism in meta-ethics is often linked with: (A) Intuitionism (B) Utilitarianism (C) Deontology (D) Relativism 43. Who argued that morality is based on sentiments, not reason? (A) Kant (B) Hume (C) Moore (D) Mill 44. The debate between moral objectivism and relativism concerns: (A) Practical rules (B) Universal validity of moral truths (C) Personal preferences (D) Legal codes 45. The principle that moral terms cannot be equated with natural terms is called: (A) Naturalistic fallacy (B) Emotivism (C) Realism (D) Absolutism 46. The claim “Stealing is wrong” according to emotivism means: (A) Stealing is against divine law (B) I disapprove of stealing (C) Stealing causes harm (D) Stealing is universally wrong 47. According to prescriptivism, moral statements function as: (A) Commands or prescriptions (B) Descriptions of facts (C) Logical proofs (D) Emotional outbursts 48. Which is a semantic question in meta-ethics? (A) What does “ought” mean? (B) Are moral truths objective? (C) How do we know moral facts? (D) Why should we be moral? 49. Which is an epistemological question in meta-ethics? (A) What does “good” mean? (B) Can we know moral truths? (C) Are values subjective? (D) Is morality universal? 50. Which of the following is the central concern of meta-ethics? (A) How to apply ethical rules (B) The foundations and meaning of moral language (C) Which actions are right or wrong (D) Professional moral conduct