Unit 1-3 Flashcards
What is meant by “ethical” or “normative” justification and how is it different from other methods of justification (especially in the descriptive sciences)?
Normative ethics- about intrinsic value, right and wrong, and/or virtues; It means that a specified action in a specified circumstance is, minimally, not immoral.
Different from descriptive because it uses assesment rather than facts. Descripitive uses facts which is more justified.
How does ethics compare or contrast with other regulative systems (such as religion, law, etiquette, and rationality/common sense reasoning)?
Law- sometimes overlap with mortality; lying is deliberate deception (morally wrong) but not against the law; some laws have no ethical reasoning (i.e. not paying parking meter).
Religion-many different religions (not all same beliefs); every religion has ethical reasoning not to kill unauthorized innocent people; many non-religious people do have moral beliefs without having religious beliefs.
Etiquette- based on personal taste; ethics is based on serious moral matters; different cultures have different etiquette
Rationality- individual goal needs to be rational achievable but can be morally wrong; thief stealing car w/keys left in (thief=morally wrong & rationally right, owner=morally right & rationally wrong)
What are the three main forms of contemporary moral theories?
Consequentialism, nonconsequentialism and contractarianism
What are the main forms of utilitarian moral theory, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
-ACT-Applies utility to every action; action becomes morally right when it produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Advantage-
Disadvantage- utalitarianism sacrifice
-RULE- view that principle of utility should be applied to rules of maximum utility; produce more beneficial results by following rules whose results are as beneficial as possible.Advantage- greatest good for greatest amount of people; general rules that benefit all people
Disadvantage- some rules conflict and result in harmful consequences
What are the main forms of contractarian moral theory, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Actual-Act X is right if and only if it’s permitted by agreement or contract; disadvantages are: can’t make a contract with animals, unfair contracts due to political power, gun to head to give up wallet-says its fair.
Hypothetical-Act X is right if it’s permitted by a hypothetical agreement or social contract; disadvantage is stacking the deck (taking out real problems. Would only work where everyone is equal.
What is the difference between a descriptive and a normative study of ethics?
Descriptive- seeks explanation, how things are/facts
Normative- evaluates ethics that one finds. Determines if action is right or wrong
In biomedical ethics what are some alternative ethical methodologies (apart from moral theory)?
- Casuistry- Morality is more art than science; autonomy, benevolence, justice
- Feminist Ethics- Traditional ethics ignores gender; fails to consider social context of women
- Virtue Ethics- being vs doing; ethics can’t be codified; ethics more of matter of patterning oneself after an ideal; ethics more about personal integrity rather than theoretical deduction
What are some of the important similarities and differences between the Hippocratic Oath and more contemporary codes of medical ethics (like the CMA Code)?
Hippocratic- Paternalistic (no autonomy)
Contemporary- Autonomy based
Both- Part of a group, take oath seriously, and establish professional groups and duties
What are some of the main problems facing medical professional codes of ethics? (Explain each of these.)
Codes don’t all have the same rules: Validity of the code
Codes can conflict with other moral commitments: Some people are against refusal in medical field
Codes of ethics are largely codes of professional etiquette: doctors writing own prescription
Codes are often vague and give little detail: accepting and refusing are both forms of respect; situations where code could go either way; can’t look at every possible scenario
Codes have principles that could easily conflict: obligations to family, patients, yourself, etc could conflict.
Explain the main models of physician-patient relations. What are some of the problems or advantages of each model?
- Engineering Model- value free; focus on medical science; values are concern of patient; concerned about facts. Disadvantages: physicians deal with life and death, morality/values are bound to be involved.
- Priestly Model- Paternalistic; benevolence; physician assumes role of moral authority (respected). Disadvantage: many doctors are bad at conversations. Doctors aren’t relatable to priests.
- Collegial Model - Physicians should be patients’ colleges; equality; shares with patient same goal of eliminating disease. Disadvantages: doctors and patients are not equals as they don’t have the same knowledge and education.
- Contractual Model- characterized by… Freedom, dignity, truth telling, promise keeping and justice. Claims to solve other models problems; very open. Disadvantages: power advantage (doctor has more power), one-way need (patient needs help, doctor is not obligated to help), going to a doctor is not a contract.
Explain the main models of nurse-patient relations. What are some of the problems or advantages of each model?
- Military Model- Nurses are non commissioned officers in the battle against disease, nurses obey physicians orders and carry them out. Around for a long period of time. Disadvantage: It’s false that nurses have no valuable input about the patients, Sexism.
- Patient Advocate Model- Person who can advocate for the patient is the nurse. The main goal is to help the patients. The problem is liability, nurses have to coal out physicians mistakes. Doesn’t recognize the nurses obligations.
- Caring Model- Caring for implies providing for someones needs, hands on work, caring about is feelings and personal attachments. Caring for and caring about could cause stress, a good nurse has a good balance of caring about and caring for.
What is the difference between descriptivist and normativist conceptions of health and disease?
Descriptivism: Judgements about health don’t require value judgements. They’re objecting descriptions about disease.
Normativism: All judgements about health include value judgements as part of their meaning
What are some of the standard ways of understanding the concept of autonomy?
Kant: Autonomy is capacity to self-legislate. Placing will under law and not natural necessity. Kant believes that doing whatever one wants and like is not autonomy. Never really free until one acts morally.
Mill: Making choices that are your own, free from coercion and influence is autonomy.
Explain the concept of competence and its relationship to autonomy. How does competence differ from autonomy?
Competence- character strength, ethical awareness, moral judgement skills and willingness to do good
Explain Kant’s conception of autonomy.
Autonomy is capacity to self-legislate. Placing will under law and not natural necessity. Kant believes that doing whatever one wants and like is not autonomy. Never really free until one acts morally.
