Lecture 3

Question 1

What are Moral Principles?

Answer 1

Social constructs based on fundamental moral values

Focus on the ‘doing ‘ part of ethics - actions & omissions

Question 2

Moral principles are held to be examples of ?

Answer 2

Moral obligations or duties

Question 3

What are the “ Four Principles” approach to Bioethics - Principlism?

Answer 3

• Respect for autonomy
• Beneficence
• Non-Maleficence
• Justice

Question 4

What are the Benefits of ‘ Principlism’ ?

Answer 4

• Accessible and usable approach, providing coherent way of addressing problems.
• ‘Culturally neutral’ and could be accepted worldwide as not based on a particular faith or cultural norm.
• Ensures a degree of consistency
• Strongly counters moral relativism
• Approach flexible enough for ethicists to use

Question 5

What are also important?

Answer 5

• Moral life and moral rules
• Moral character and moral motives
• Moral excellence

Question 6

What is the Respect for Autonomy?

Answer 6

• “Respect for autonomy’ (RFA) is the moral principle because the term ‘respect’ provides us with some action-guidance
• RFA is the moral obligation to respect the wishes of other people

Question 7

A fundamental obligation exists that patients have a right to choose, as well as the right to accept or to decline information or treatment

True or false?

Answer 7

True

Question 8

Forced information and forced choice are usually inconsistent with the obligation that patients have a right to choose, as well as the right to accept or to decline information or treatment

True or false?

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What is. E evidence?

Answer 9

Being charitable or doing good, mercy, kindness, charity

Eg. the procedure/treatment be provided with the intent of doing good to the patient

Question 10

What is Non-Maleficence?

Answer 10

Doing no harm

Eg ensuring the procedure/
treatment does
the patient no harm

Question 11

Benefits should always outweigh the Burdens/Harm

True or false?

Answer 11

True

Question 12

What is Beneficence in clinical practice?

Answer 12

• You have the moral obligation to help your patient
• Promote the welfare of the patient
• Protect the rights of others, defending these
  rights, rescue persons in danger
• Possess the skills and knowledge to enable you to help others

Question 13

What are the differences between Beneficence and Non Maleficence ?

Answer 13

Beneficence” is a positive moral obligation
E.g. acting beneficently requires one to take action to bring about benefits & goods

Non Maleficence is a negative moral obligation:
e.g. acting non- maleficently may mean doing nothing

Question 14

What is the relationship between Acts and omissions in clinical practice?

Answer 14

We tend to concentrate more on ‘doing no harm’ = an act
than

Doing no harm by actually not doing anything = an omission

Question 15

What is the dilemma in beneficence and non-maleficence?

Answer 15

Benefits NEED to outweigh Burdens/Harm

Question 16

What are the 2 types of Justice?

Answer 16

Distributive justice

Retributive Justice

Question 17

What is Distributive Justice?

Answer 17

Distributive justice involves:

• fairness
• desert
• entitlement
• being a ‘just’ person

Question 18

What is Retributive Justice?

Answer 18

• Retributive justice centres on the notion of retribution and just desert.
• Concerns such important ideas as blameworthiness & punishment
• Retributive justice is directly connected to professional accountability

Question 19

What are criticisms of the 4 principle approach?

Answer 19

 Simplistic understanding and application of the 4 principles can lead to unsophisticated lines of thought.

 The principles are open to a wide variety of meanings.

 There is a lack of a clearer way of balancing the principles when they do clash

 Principalism may fail to capture other moral values people might wish to consider

 Principalism ignores the moral character