Bioethics Flashcards
(13 cards)
Bioethical issues of biotechnology
• The use of artificial intelligence in biology, including disease–tracking software and facial recognition
• The use of bioengineering in biology, such as the creation of synthetic vaccines, or replacement organs
• The potential applications of stem cell research, including disease management and human enhancement
Healthcare
• The use of human embryos to research new therapies for diseases
• The implications of prenatal testing for genetic defects during pregnancy
• Whether or not organ donation ought to be voluntary, or if it should be state–imposed
• How best to care for individuals at the end of their life, including the availability of euthanasia
• The correct allocation of medical resources, including the dedication of physician time to hospital patients
• The privacy of medical data, including the extent to which personal health data is shared with governments and insurers
Environmental conservation
• The potential of ‘de–extinction’ processes to bring back extinct species like mammoths
• The potential for ecosystem management, and the best way to maintain the health of endangered species
• How best to tackle climate change, including funding for research and changes to the way energy companies operate
• How to balance the impact of industry and agriculture on natural environments, including laws that aim to control deforestation and habitat removal
Approaches to bioethics
Duty/rule-based, consequences-based, virtues-based.
Consequences-based approach
An approach to bioethics that aims to maximise positive outcomes while minimising negative outcomes.
Duty/rule-based approach
An approach to bioethics that promotes the responsibility of the agent above all else, and places importance on the duty of each individual.
Virtues-based approach
An approach to bioethics that emphasises the individual goodness of the agent, and promotes acting in accordance with the values of a ‘moral’ person, such as honesty and compassion.
Ethical concepts
Integrity, respect, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence.
Integrity
an ethical concept that encourages a full commitment to knowledge and understanding as well as the honest reporting of all sources of information and results
Justice
an ethical concept that encourages fair consideration of competing claims, and ensures that there is no unfair burden on a particular group from an action.
Beneficence
an ethical concept that seeks to maximise benefits when taking a particular position or course of action
Non-maleficence
an ethical concept that discourages causing harm – or when harm is unavoidable, ensuring that the harm is not disproportionate to the benefits from any position or course of action.
Respect
an ethical concept that encourages the acknowledgment of the intrinsic value of living things, and considers the welfare, beliefs, customs, and cultural heritage of both the individual and the collective.
