Applied Ethics Flashcards
What are Mary Anne Warren’s criteria for personhood?
- Consciousness
- Reasoning
- Self-motivation
- Communication
- Self-awareness
What is the definition of an embryo?
The product of conception after implantation into the wall of the womb, usually 2-8 weeks after fertilization
What does HFEA stand for?
Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority/Act
When was the first IVF treatment performed?
1969
Why was embryo research legalized?
To research treatment of serious disease
How many days does the HFEA allow an embryo to be used for research?
Up to 14
What does the HFEA prevent?
A research embryo being implanted in the womb
What is human cloning?
The creation of a genetically identical copy of a human
What is therapeutic cloning?
Production of an embryo which can generate stem cells for medical purposes
What is reproductive cloning?
The implantation of a cloned embryo into a real or artificial uterus, that develops and is carried to full term
What is a ‘designer baby’?
A baby whose genetic makeup has been selected or altered, often to include or remove a specific gene
What is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis?
A type of embryo testing used by people with serious inherited conditions, where embryos without the condition are implanted
What is pre-implantation tissue typing?
A type of embryo testing used to find a perfect tissue match for another person, usually in the case of children with life-limiting blood conditions
What is ‘the quickening’ and when is it in a pregnancy?
The stage at which a parent can feel the fetus’ movements, week 14
what is viability and when does it develop in a pregnancy?
The ability of the fetus to breathe by itself, week 24
At what week in a pregnancy does a fetus feel pain?
Week 20
What is the definition of abortion?
The deliberate ending of life after the fertilization of human ovum and before birth
What is the ‘pro-choice’ approach to abortion?
An approach that favors bodily autonomy
What is ‘pro-life’ approach to abortion?
An approach that prioritizes the fetus over the parent
When was abortion made legal in the UK?
1967
Up to what week can pregnancies be terminated in the UK?
24
When can a pregnancy be terminated past 24 week?
In cases of emergency or severe disability
What is the most common reason given for abortion?
‘The continuation of the pregnancy would involve the risk, grater than that of being terminated, to the physical or mental health of the parent’
When did Aquinas believe that an embryo receives a soul?
40 days (male) or 80 days (female)
What are the 3 types of soul in Aristotle’s hierarchy?
- Vegetative soul
- Sensitive soul
- Rational soul
What are the main moral issues of euthanasia?
Quality of Life
- Personhood
- Consent
- Right to die
What did Aristotle say about euthanasia?
” To die to escape from poverty or love or anything painful is not the mark of a brave man, but rather of a coward”
What did Aquinas say about euthanasia?
“The passage of this life to another and happier one is subject not to man’s free will but to the power of God. Hence it is not lawful for a man to take his own life that he may pass to a happier life”
What did Joseph Fletcher say about euthanasia?
“To prolong life uselessly, while personal qualities of freedom, knowledge, self-possession, control and responsibility are sacrificed is to attack the moral status of a person”
What are the main purposes of capital punishment?
- Rehabilitation
- Retribution
- Deterrence
- Protection
What is rehabilitation?
The act of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction or illness
What is retribution?
Punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act
What is deterrence?
The action of discouraging an action or event through installing doubt or fear of the consequences
What is protection?
Shielding (the public or criminal) from injury or harm
Since what year has the number of executions in the US been reducing?
2000
What percentage of victims are white in murder cases that lead to the death penalty compared to what percentage of homicide victims are black? What does this show?
- 75% of death penalty cases have white victims despite half of homicide victims in the US being black
- this shows that the use of capital punishment in the US is influenced by it’s racist judicial system
What are the key moral issues with capital punishment?
- Value of human life
- Retribution and deterrence
- Removal of rights
- Justice and mercy
What are the key moral issues with medical testing on animals?
- Conscience/sentience
- Pain and suffering caused
- Number of animals used
- Practical limitations
What are the key moral issues of using animals for organ transplants?
- Risk of diseases
- Long term impact
- Killing of animals
What are the key moral issues
