Consider Again the Civilization Described in the Previous Question

question 103

Multiple Choice

Consider again the civilization described in the previous question. (They live on a planet orbiting 10 AU from a close binary star system that consists of a 15 MSun red giant star and a 10 MSun black hole surrounded by an accretion disk.) Through a bizarre (and scientifically unexplainable) fluctuation in the space- time continuum, a copy of a book from that civilization arrives on your desk; it is entitled Iguoonos: How We Evolved. In the first chapter, you learn that these beings evolved from organisms that lived 5 billion years ago. Which of the following statements should you expect to find as you continue to read this book?

• A)Their immediate ancestors were chimpanzees.
• B)They evolved on a different planet in a different star system, and moved to their current location.
• C)They evolved from primitive wormlike creatures that had 13 legs, 4 eyes, and bald heads, thus explaining why such critters are now considered a spectacular delicacy.
• D)As a result of traumatic experiences to their evolutionary ancestors, they dislike television.
• E)They believe that the presence of two stars in their system was critical to their evolution.

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Definitions:

Utilitarianism

A moral theory that suggests the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering.

Cognitive Moral Development

A theory by Lawrence Kohlberg that suggests individuals progress through a series of moral reasoning stages.

Ethical Concern

Issues or situations that require individuals or organizations to choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right or wrong, based on ethical principles.

Kohlberg

Lawrence Kohlberg was an American psychologist best known for his theory of stages of moral development.