Bioethics exam 1 study guide
bioethics - answer the study of the ethical issues emerging from advances in the
biological sciences and medicine
o Mixture between research ethics, global bioethics, and food bioethics
o Ethical analysis of the practice of clinical medicine and medical research
o Decisions are often made by groups
o Universal, impartial, reasonable, and normatively dominant
ethical decision making 5 step model – answer o 1.) respond to the 'sense' or feeling
that something is wrong
o 2.) gather information/assess
o 3.) identify the ethical problem/ moral diagnosis
o 4.) seek a resolution
o 5.) work with others to determine a course of action
ethical decision making: principles – answer o Ethical monism/ absolutism: there is one
correct ethic that applies to all situations
o Ethical pluralism: the idea that there are several values which may be equally correct
and fundamental, and yet sometimes in conflict with each other
normative ethics - answerThe study of the principles, rules, or theories that guide our
actions and judgments;
attempts to identify or create standards, rules, or principles that help us to determine the
right action
ethical decision making - answerthe process of evaluating and ethical principles and
values
principlism - answera practical approach for ethical decision-making that focuses on the
common ground moral principles
paternalism - answeroverriding of a person's actions or decision-making for their own
good
o Before 1980s, it was unsettled whether or not strong paternalism should be allowed;
in some cases, patients were thought to have no right to decline recommended
treatments (women with dependent children, forced cesarean deliveries, if patients were
not terminally ill)
o Now trend is reversed, respect for autonomy is bedrock principle of biomedical ethics,
even in situations where autonomy is compromised
, weak and strong paternalism - answero Weak paternalism: paternalism directed at
those who cannot act autonomously or have a limited capacity to make decisions
o Strong paternalism: the overriding of a person's choices or actions even though they
are autonomous
autonomy - answerthe freedom and ability to act in a self-determined manner; right of a
rational person to make decisions;
Obtaining informed consent
Supporting patient's treatment option choices (including refusal)
Disclosing information
Maintaining privacy
o Limitations to autonomy can be:
Physical or psychological (such as lying)
Justified (suicide) or unjustified (not giving blood)
o Conflict between autonomy and beneficence
o Autonomy triangle~ truthfulness, confidentiality, and informed consent
beneficence - answertake actions to benefit or promote the wellness of patients; act of
charity, mercy, and kindness with a strong connotation of doing good to others including
moral obligation
Nonmaleficence - answerduty to do no harm
virtue ethics - answerethics (ancient Greece)~ founders are Plato and Aristotle, and
Mencius and Confucius; ethics involves acting virtuously- all choices are a part of your
larger moral life
consequentialist ethics: egoism (hedonism) - answero Egoism~ each person ought to
act to maximize his or her long-term pleasure; pleasure is only intrinsic good
Hedonism~ long term pleasure is a little bigger than short term pleasure
Psychological egoism~ a human being is psychologically incapable of doing anything
that does not promote her or his self-interest; but impossible to scientifically prove
Ethical egoism~ each person ought to act to serve his or her own self-interest; but can't
address conflicting claims
consequentialist ethics: utilitarianism (act and rule) - answero Act utilitarianism: the
belief that an action becomes morally right when it produces the greatest good for the
greatest number of people
o Rule utilitarianism: the belief that the moral correctness of an action depends on the
correctness of the rules that allows it to achieve the greatest good
o Rule utilitarian's believe that we can maximize utility only by setting up a moral code
that contains rules; the correct moral rules are those whose inclusion in our moral code
will produce better results (more well-being) than other possible rules; the principle of
utility, then, is used to evaluate rules and is not applied directly to individual actions
bioethics - answer the study of the ethical issues emerging from advances in the
biological sciences and medicine
o Mixture between research ethics, global bioethics, and food bioethics
o Ethical analysis of the practice of clinical medicine and medical research
o Decisions are often made by groups
o Universal, impartial, reasonable, and normatively dominant
ethical decision making 5 step model – answer o 1.) respond to the 'sense' or feeling
that something is wrong
o 2.) gather information/assess
o 3.) identify the ethical problem/ moral diagnosis
o 4.) seek a resolution
o 5.) work with others to determine a course of action
ethical decision making: principles – answer o Ethical monism/ absolutism: there is one
correct ethic that applies to all situations
o Ethical pluralism: the idea that there are several values which may be equally correct
and fundamental, and yet sometimes in conflict with each other
normative ethics - answerThe study of the principles, rules, or theories that guide our
actions and judgments;
attempts to identify or create standards, rules, or principles that help us to determine the
right action
ethical decision making - answerthe process of evaluating and ethical principles and
values
principlism - answera practical approach for ethical decision-making that focuses on the
common ground moral principles
paternalism - answeroverriding of a person's actions or decision-making for their own
good
o Before 1980s, it was unsettled whether or not strong paternalism should be allowed;
in some cases, patients were thought to have no right to decline recommended
treatments (women with dependent children, forced cesarean deliveries, if patients were
not terminally ill)
o Now trend is reversed, respect for autonomy is bedrock principle of biomedical ethics,
even in situations where autonomy is compromised
, weak and strong paternalism - answero Weak paternalism: paternalism directed at
those who cannot act autonomously or have a limited capacity to make decisions
o Strong paternalism: the overriding of a person's choices or actions even though they
are autonomous
autonomy - answerthe freedom and ability to act in a self-determined manner; right of a
rational person to make decisions;
Obtaining informed consent
Supporting patient's treatment option choices (including refusal)
Disclosing information
Maintaining privacy
o Limitations to autonomy can be:
Physical or psychological (such as lying)
Justified (suicide) or unjustified (not giving blood)
o Conflict between autonomy and beneficence
o Autonomy triangle~ truthfulness, confidentiality, and informed consent
beneficence - answertake actions to benefit or promote the wellness of patients; act of
charity, mercy, and kindness with a strong connotation of doing good to others including
moral obligation
Nonmaleficence - answerduty to do no harm
virtue ethics - answerethics (ancient Greece)~ founders are Plato and Aristotle, and
Mencius and Confucius; ethics involves acting virtuously- all choices are a part of your
larger moral life
consequentialist ethics: egoism (hedonism) - answero Egoism~ each person ought to
act to maximize his or her long-term pleasure; pleasure is only intrinsic good
Hedonism~ long term pleasure is a little bigger than short term pleasure
Psychological egoism~ a human being is psychologically incapable of doing anything
that does not promote her or his self-interest; but impossible to scientifically prove
Ethical egoism~ each person ought to act to serve his or her own self-interest; but can't
address conflicting claims
consequentialist ethics: utilitarianism (act and rule) - answero Act utilitarianism: the
belief that an action becomes morally right when it produces the greatest good for the
greatest number of people
o Rule utilitarianism: the belief that the moral correctness of an action depends on the
correctness of the rules that allows it to achieve the greatest good
o Rule utilitarian's believe that we can maximize utility only by setting up a moral code
that contains rules; the correct moral rules are those whose inclusion in our moral code
will produce better results (more well-being) than other possible rules; the principle of
utility, then, is used to evaluate rules and is not applied directly to individual actions
