2023 VJC GP Prelim P2 Answer Scheme

1 2023 GP Prelim Paper 2 Answer Scheme 1. Why are people today shocked by the ‘beliefs and practices of our ancestors’ (line 1)? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the text Suggested answer When we look back at the beliefs and practices of our ancestors, we are often shocked at what they found morally acceptable: the public torture of criminals, the trading of slaves, and the subjugation of women. People today are deeply surprised because: (Reason – inferred) a. the beliefs and practices of our ancestors seem unconscionable/ unethical (to us today) OR b. (we feel) the actions of the past were fundamentally/extremely wrong. (Context) c. because of the way they treated certain members of society / fellow human beings, was inhumane/ cruel, degrading and lacking in respect. Item a or b – 1 mark Item c – 1 mark Note: Paraphrasing “the public torture of criminals… of women” acceptable as item c. 2. Explain the phrase ‘greater scepticism’ (line 4) and what it suggests about our current morals and beliefs. [2] From the text Suggested answer The history of moral change – change in what is, and is not, considered morally acceptable – encourages greater scepticism about our current moral beliefs and practices. We might like to think we have arrived at a state of great moral enlightenment, but there is reason to believe that further moral revolutions await. (Explain the phrase) a. as we are more inclined to raise questions about / doubt / distrust / view with suspicion our current moral beliefs and practices. [1] (Context) b. The phrase suggests that moral standards are not fixed / open to change / in a state of flux / evolving (over time). [1]

2 3. How does the example of the Greek city-states show that morality is ‘much less certain’ (line 14)? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the text Suggested answer Denizens of the seafaring, trade- dependent Greek city-states which were culturally diverse were much less certain about moral concepts and ideas and had to reshape their moral practices to accommodate new social realities. (context – inferred) a. The Greeks had a more open society or interacted with more people/ people from different backgrounds [1] (evidence) b. resulting in morality changing with the changing environment OR resulting in them having to adapt to current practices and experiences of a society OR resulting in the change of moral values to suit the current situation. [1] 4. How does technology change ‘moral beliefs and practices’ (line 20)? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the text Suggested paraphrase Technologies give us new powers and choices, altering the weighing of costs and benefits as we make decisions. Technology gives us… a. novel capacities / abilities and b. options. These have changed the way we c. consider/compare/evaluate the trade- offs/ price we have to pay against the advantages / gains d. before we come to a conclusion. 1 – 2 points – 1 mark 3 – 4 points – 2 marks 5. Suggest two reasons for the author’s use of the series of questions in paragraph 4. [2] From the text Suggested answer With this technology, it became possible to keep someone ’s body alive after their brain had ceased to function. This led to a new definition of what it meant to die and required the resolution of a new set of moral questions. Is it permissible to switch off the ventilation machine after brain death? Would this be equivalent to killing someone? Can we keep people artificially alive to harvest (purpose/function + context) a. With this series of questions, the writer intends to make the readers think more deeply about/ contemplate how technology has raised difficult moral questions. b. The author intends to emphasise difficult moral questions raised as a result of new technology.

3 organs for the purposes of donation? c. These moral questions show the range of moral dilemmas that can arise because of new technologies that give us power to decide on life and death issues. Any 2 for 2 marks. Note: for a and b, ‘difficult’ is not necessary 6. From lines 36-37, explain two ways in which the author indicates that there is uncertainty surrounding moral revolutions. [2] From the Text Suggested Paraphrase There are no formal estimates of the rate at which society undergoes moral revolutions. Indeed, the term “revolution” can be slightly misleading. a. The author ’s use of the phrase “no formal estimates” shows that there is no proof/evidence about how quickly or slowly moral revolutions occur. [1] b. Using the word “misleading” suggests that even the concept of the revolution as it is used in the phrase “moral revolutions” may be wrong/inaccurate. [1] 7. What two contrasts does the author make between revolutions and evolutions in paragraph 5? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the text Suggested paraphrase Some revolutions may be more akin to evolutions, occurring slowly and gradually and only becoming apparent in retrospect. Others may be sudden and stark. (slow v. sudden – speed) a. One contrast made by the author is that evolutions take place at an unhurried / barely perceptible pace / bit by bit while revolutions occur quickly. [1] Note: don’t accept without warning / notice / unexpectedly as the comparison is based on speed of change. (apparent in retrospect v. stark – obviousness) b. The second contrast is that evolutions only become noticeable/visible in hindsight while revolutions are obvious/clearly visible [at that point]. [1]

4 Comparison of correct concepts must be made for marks to be given. Note: do not accept references to “moral disruptions” 8. Using material from paragraphs 7 to 9 (lines 50-73), summarise what the autho r has to say about the morally progressive and conservative approaches to the future and which actions to take now. [8] The progressive approach to the future… From the text Suggested paraphrase 1 assume that future generations will inhabit believes that our descendants will live in 2 a better moral world than our own a moral world that is superior to the one now. 3 They will be more enlightened They will be more informed/educated/wise 4 tolerant understanding/open-minded 5 and egalitarian and believe more strongly in fairness and equality. 6 Our job, in the present, is to accelerate the transition Our task now is to hasten the move/passage 7 to this more progressive future to this more advanced/liberal future. 8 A typical progressivist argument might focus on the need to expand the moral circle Progressivists emphasise the necessity/ importance of widening the moral circle – 9 the set of individuals or animals to which we owe moral duties to living things to which we have moral obligations/responsibilities 10 and whose existence we treat as a matter of moral concern and whose life/survival we take to be of moral importance 11 of continual outward expansions of the circle of moral concern, from family to nation and, eventually, to all of humanity (inferred) progressive expansion also includes kin, country and mankind 12 Some progressivists argue that we should continue this outward expansion Progressivists argue that we should carry on extending our reach 13 including sentient machines to include machines that are capable of feeling/perceiving/thinking. 14 a conservative approach, to assume that future morality is likely to be worse than present morality Conservatists believe that future morality is probably going to be poorer than it is now. 15 justify their caution by They rationalise / support their carefulness/ conservativeness 16 pointing to historical examples in which societies using instances of past events where societies 17 in the