Iris Murdoch — Questions and answers
Read the full story
What important idea did Iris Murdoch teach about true morality?
Choices
- It's about 'seeing' reality clearly, not just choosing. ✓
- It's about always getting what you want.
- It's about being the strongest person in every situation.
- It's about only thinking about yourself and your feelings.
Answer: It's about 'seeing' reality clearly, not just choosing.
From page 1
What does Iris Murdoch's idea of 'unselfing' mean?
Choices
- Inventing your own rules for morality.
- Moving beyond your own ego to truly see and understand things. ✓
- Only thinking about what you want for yourself.
- Creating new values every day.
Answer: Moving beyond your own ego to truly see and understand things.
From page 2
How did Iris Murdoch describe the 'Good'?
Choices
- Something you invent with your feelings.
- A transcendent, objective reality that we try to understand. ✓
- A game you win by being selfish.
- Something that only exists inside your own head.
Answer: A transcendent, objective reality that we try to understand.
From page 3
What does 'attention' mean in Iris Murdoch's philosophy?
Choices
- Ignoring what other people think or feel.
- A loving effort to understand things and people as they truly are, not just what we want. ✓
- Only paying attention to yourself and your own desires.
- Looking at things very quickly without much thought.
Answer: A loving effort to understand things and people as they truly are, not just what we want.
From page 4
What did Iris Murdoch believe would happen if morality was only based on individual choice or emotion?
Choices
- Everyone would always agree on what is right.
- We would lose any objective way to decide if our actions are good or bad. ✓
- It would make all decisions much easier.
- It would make people happier and less confused.
Answer: We would lose any objective way to decide if our actions are good or bad.
From page 6
According to Dr. Thorne, what can our 'subjective will' do when facing an ethical problem?
Choices
- Make the problem disappear.
- Always help us find the best solution immediately.
- Easily hide the real nature of the problem. ✓
- Make everyone agree on what to do.
Answer: Easily hide the real nature of the problem.
From page 7
Why is Iris Murdoch's work still important today?
Choices
- It tells us to only care about ourselves.
- It helps us learn how to avoid difficult choices.
- It encourages us to develop a moral sensitivity that goes beyond just what we want for ourselves. ✓
- It teaches us that all ideas are equally true.
Answer: It encourages us to develop a moral sensitivity that goes beyond just what we want for ourselves.
From page 9
What did Dr. Petrova say Iris Murdoch's work reminds us about true freedom?
Choices
- Freedom is about choosing whatever you want, whenever you want.
- Freedom means never having to think about others.
- Freedom is about having a clear moral vision so you can choose wisely. ✓
- Freedom is about being the most powerful person.
Answer: Freedom is about having a clear moral vision so you can choose wisely.
From page 10