What Is the Purpose of James Rachels's Thought Experiment About

question 70

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of James Rachels's thought experiment about Smith, Jones, and their drowning nephews?

• A) To support the principle that killing someone is worse than merely letting him or her die.
• B) To test the principle that killing someone is worse than merely letting him or her die.
• C) To test the principle that we have a special obligation to protect children, even when they are far away.
• D) To provide a counterexample to the principle that we have a special obligation to protect children, even when they are far away.

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Definitions:

Machine-Hours

The total hours that machinery is operated during the production process.

Predetermined Overhead Rate

A rate used to allocate manufacturing overhead to individual products or jobs, based on a predetermined formula, prior to actual production.

Customizing Department

A division within a company that modifies products to meet specific requirements or preferences of customers.

Direct Labor-Hours

A measure of the time directly spent by workers on producing a product or delivering a service, often used to allocate manufacturing overhead.