The following text is from a philosophical treatise on ethics.
Moral intuitions, while psychologically compelling, require critical examination. The trolley problem reveals inconsistencies in our ethical reasoning: most people would divert a trolley to kill one person instead of five, yet few would push a bystander onto the tracks to achieve the same result. This divergence between apparently equivalent scenarios suggests that our moral psychology may be shaped by evolutionarily contingent factors rather than rational principles.
What is the primary purpose of the text?
To provide definitive answers to ethical dilemmas
To illustrate a limitation in moral intuition using a philosophical example
To argue that all moral decisions should be based on mathematics
To compare Eastern and Western ethical frameworks
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The text uses the trolley problem to illustrate inconsistencies (limitations) in moral intuition, suggesting psychology shapes ethics more than rational principles.
- Evidence: The text introduces the problem: "trolley problem reveals inconsistencies." It contrasts scenarios: "divert a trolley... yet few would push." It concludes: "divergence... suggests that our moral psychology may be shaped by evolutionarily contingent factors."
- Reasoning: The author uses a famous philosophical puzzle to demonstrate a specific flaw in human reasoning.
- Conclusion: The purpose is to illustrate a limitation using an example.
💡 Strategy: Identify the specific example (Trolley) and what general point it supports (Inconsistencies).
Choice A is incorrect because the text raises questions, not definitive answers. Choice C is incorrect because mathematics isn't proposed. Choice D is incorrect because cultures aren't compared.