This question is a question that we call a principle type question.

The question stem reads, the actions of which one of the following individuals

described by the ethicist.

There is a principle of what the most advanced kind of moral motivation is

and we are, given that this is what the principle is, we're trying to find

a set of facts that matches the principle.

So very similar to what law is. Here's a law

and which one of these facts meet what the law says.

The most advanced kind of moral motivation is based solely on abstract

principles. Now,

okay, that's what it is. It's based solely on abstract principles. What motivates you to do a

thing?

Name all, start, for the good of yourself, for the good of your family, for the good of

your friends, your

neighbors, your country. Nope. For, based solely on abstract principle, whatever the

abstract principle is

and it's supposed to be, in contrast, to calculate a self-interest.

Why do I act? What's my motivation? Because acting in this way

is good for my own self-interest or the desire to adhere to societal norms,

convention, because that's just what

society demands of me. This is what society says is the right thing to do.

So that's to contrast with that. The most advanced kind of moral motivation is

not this and it's not this,

but rather it's just based solely on abstract principles. So remembering that, let's see

which one of the answer choices

Why?

See, because, we can finish this off, we can anticipate what it should say to be the

right answer choice. They should say that

whatever it is, some right, because, you know, donating local charities is the right

thing to do or something, because you worry not doing so will make him look stingy.

Hey, that's a societal norm. Look stingy? Look stingy to whom?

To his friends, to his colleagues, other people who are there. So he's doing this,

what motivates his decision is adherence to social conventions.

So A is wrong. Wes contributed money to local charity during a charity drive because he

improving your employer's opinion of him, that's self, where's that, self calculated

self-interest.

Again, not abstract principles, so not right. Donna's employer engaged in legal but

profitable practice that caused serious damage to the environment. So, say Donna works for a

manufacturing plant. The manufacturing plant

dumps all of its industrial waste into the river,

so it's illegal and it caused serious damage. And what does Donna do? Donna does not

report the practice. Why?

Out of fear that her employers would retaliate against her,

out of fear for retaliation. But that's also calculated self-interest.

I have an interest to not get retaliated against. I don't want my boss to

fire me or whatever else, destroy my career or whatever.

That's why I didn't do it. I suppose I could have said Donna did not report

the practice and

authorities because Donna believes that the environment

is something that ought to be destroyed, even though she has no self-interest to

destroy it or

even though society doesn't want it to be destroyed. I mean that's an

abstract principle of sorts. I think it's a terrible principle but it

seems abstract enough. But of course that's not what C says. D says

So, exactly the same thing.

The same way it starts. But what is Jaden? Jaden does report

the practice of authorities. Why? Out of a belief that protecting the environment is

always more important than monetary profit. Yeah, that seems like an abstract

principle.

Protecting the environment is always more important than monetary profit. Not really self-interest.

What does she get out of this? Just a lot of trouble. She's going to be

having to file a police report or I don't know if it's a police report.

Probably some EPA report and then probably has to go to

trial and testify and all that stuff. So it's not

adhering to social norms, not self-interest, but rather abstract principles.

That's very good. That's what makes D the correct answer choice. E says

So, the exact same thing. Lee reported, okay, only because several colleagues pressuring her to do so.

But if your colleagues are pressuring you to do so,

that is a social norm or social convention to which or maybe even self-interest.

You don't want to disappoint your colleagues.

So, again, not abstract principle. So, the general lesson to be drawn from this

question

really is this idea of stating out a

broad thing. Stating out a broad principle. I hate to use the word principle because it's used

in the sentence, but really that's what it is. Principle of moral motivation.

A law of sorts. What is the most advanced kind of moral

motivation? Well, it's the one that's based on abstract principles and then see which one of these

is in accordance with this quote-unquote law or principle.

Thank you.