Moral Theory and Principle of Ethics Flashcards
What is medical ethics?
The application of ethical reasoning to medical decision making
What tools are used to make good medical decisions?
Legal framework
Professional guidelines and codes of practice
Ethical analysis
What does ethical analysis do?
Separate out facts from values
Reason using principles and theory
Who devised the trolley problem?
Philippa Foot
Adapted by Judith Jarvis Thomson
What are the 7 major moral theories?
Consequentialism
Deontology
Virtue Ethics
Communitarianism
Feminist ethics
Narrative ethics
Rights theory
What is consequentialism also known as?
Utilitarianism
When is an action right in regards to consequentialism?
It promotes best consequences for the greatest number
What problems arise with consequentialism?
Sometimes best outcomes seem wrong in themselves (prisoner and organ recipients)
Some individuals may be treated unjustly
When is an action right in regards to deontology?
It is in accord with a moral rule or principle
God
Veganism
What problems arise with deontology?
Consequences matter
How do we decide on duties?
How do you decide duty hierarchy?
When is an action right in regards to virtue ethics?
If the action is what a virtuous agent would do in the circumstances
What problems arise with virtue ethics?
How do you decide on virtues?
May be very culturally specific
What are the four principles of medical ethics?
Autonomy
Beneficence
Non-maleficence
Justice
What does autonomy allow?
Allows that a competent informed adult can make their own decisions
Informed consent
What happened in the Montgomery vs Lanarkshire Health Board case?
Mont gave birth to a child with cerebral palsy because the Doctor did not fully disclose all the risks
He did this because Mont would be more likely to have a caesarean birth, and the Doctor did not believe in such
What is beneficence?
This is the obligation to act in a way to benefit the patient
What is the problem with Jehovah’s witnesses?
Blood transfusions
What is legal age of medical decisions?
16
What is non-maleficence?
Do no harm
What is the doctrine of double effect?
It is permissible to cause harm through a beneficial effect
End of life for instance
What are the four criteria of the doctrine of double effect?
The action must be good, independent of its consequences
Although the bad effect can be foreseen, the agent must intend only the good effect
The bad effect must not be a means to the good effect
The good effect must outweigh, or compensate for, the bad effect
Describe the Charlie Gard case
Charlie born with MDDS, no cure
Doctors wanted to “alleviate suffering” by killing the baby
Parents wanted to try experimental treatment
What is justice?
Fairness
Time and treatments
Everyone getting access to NHS fairly
