Bioethics Midterm 1 Study Cards
When did bioethics emerge? - answer Modern bioethics arose in the 1950s due to the
development of new technologies: human heart transplants, ventilators, and feeding
tubes. It also emerged from civil rights movements.
What did the patient-physician relationship look like before the emergence of bioethics?
- answer Before the emergence of bioethics the relationship was physician dominated
with the physician, doing what "he" felt was best. With no concern of the patient's
opinion.
What disciplines are involved in bioethics? - answer Medicine, Science, Law, Religion,
Economics, Public Health, and Philosophical disciplines were concerned.
What are some technologies that led to new bioethics questions? - answer Human heart
transplants, ventilators, dialysis machines, and feeding tubes led to bioethics questions.
What is the relationship of bioethics to medical ethics? - answer Bioethics essentially is
the modern medical ethics and instead of keeping the scope of it's thought on doctor-
patient it extends beyond and analyzes the ethics critically and reflects enterprise.
Define bioethics.
Define medical ethics. - answerBioethics: The study of the ethical issues that arise in
medical research and practice especially those raised with new technologies.
Medical ethics: Focused on the doctor-patient relationship and the ethics involved, as
well as the virtues of the doctor.
What principles does the Oath of Hippocrates establish? Briefly, what do they mean? -
answerThe Oath of Hippocrates establishes the principles of beneficence and non-
maleficience. Essentially to do the very best to help and heal a patient as well as putting
the patient in minimal harm, never causing intentional or more than necessary pain.
What is an ethics of care characterized by? - answerAn ethics of care focuses on the
patients and their needs versus the rules followed to serve them. Focus on caring for
them more than the actual rules.
What is the 10/90 gap? - answerLess than 10 percent of the work of bioethicists was
focused on bioethical issues raised by 90 percent of the global burden of disease.
Three main constituents of utilitarian theory are? - answerThe three main constituents of
utilitarian theory are: consequentialism, welfarism, and aggregations.
, What are major contributions of Nuremberg Code to Bioethics? - answerInformed
consent, social benefit, doctors must respect patients, and animal testing before human
testing.
What are major contributions of Tuskegee syphilis study to bioethics? - answerAll
research receiving federal funding must be reviewed by the IRB, Institutional Review
Board and created as well a NEED for informed consent in research.
What is the difference between normative and descriptive claims? - answerDescriptive
statements describe the world and they come empirically verified.
Meanwhile, normative statements are evaluations or judgments or prescriptions; should,
ought, good, bad.
Example:
DS: Some Hindus think eating cows is morally wrong.
NS: Eating cows is morally wrong.
What does Utilitarianism say? - answerRight action: that which maximizes the welfare
(well-being or happiness) of all people taken together and considered
impartially(consequentialism). Act for the sake of yours and others' good, each
considered impartially and equally(welfarism).
Utilitarianism is summarized as: the greatest good for the greatest number principle.
Results matter. Total sum.
What is the actual Trolley Problem? - answerIt seems in some cases it is better to kill
one person to save five lives. However in most cases most will argue that the action is
morally forbidden. Problem is what distinguishes when it is okay and when it is wrong to
kill.
What is rule utilitarianism? - answerChoosing the rule that creates the maximum
amount of welfare.
What is deontology? How is it defined in class? - answerDeontology says to promote
good but don't break constraints. Defined in class as if there is a reason to promote
welfare; but you cannot harm others to reach this welfare then you are a deontologist.
What are the differences between moderate and absolute deontology? Their
advantages and disadvantages? - answerIf you think there are thresholds at which the
good to be done by harming someone outweighs the wrongness of harming them (one
may harm one person to help many) then you are a moderate deontologist.
More intuitive less simple.
If you think you may never harm someone to help many ever at all then you are an
absolute deontologist.
Simpler theory but much less intuitive.
When did bioethics emerge? - answer Modern bioethics arose in the 1950s due to the
development of new technologies: human heart transplants, ventilators, and feeding
tubes. It also emerged from civil rights movements.
What did the patient-physician relationship look like before the emergence of bioethics?
- answer Before the emergence of bioethics the relationship was physician dominated
with the physician, doing what "he" felt was best. With no concern of the patient's
opinion.
What disciplines are involved in bioethics? - answer Medicine, Science, Law, Religion,
Economics, Public Health, and Philosophical disciplines were concerned.
What are some technologies that led to new bioethics questions? - answer Human heart
transplants, ventilators, dialysis machines, and feeding tubes led to bioethics questions.
What is the relationship of bioethics to medical ethics? - answer Bioethics essentially is
the modern medical ethics and instead of keeping the scope of it's thought on doctor-
patient it extends beyond and analyzes the ethics critically and reflects enterprise.
Define bioethics.
Define medical ethics. - answerBioethics: The study of the ethical issues that arise in
medical research and practice especially those raised with new technologies.
Medical ethics: Focused on the doctor-patient relationship and the ethics involved, as
well as the virtues of the doctor.
What principles does the Oath of Hippocrates establish? Briefly, what do they mean? -
answerThe Oath of Hippocrates establishes the principles of beneficence and non-
maleficience. Essentially to do the very best to help and heal a patient as well as putting
the patient in minimal harm, never causing intentional or more than necessary pain.
What is an ethics of care characterized by? - answerAn ethics of care focuses on the
patients and their needs versus the rules followed to serve them. Focus on caring for
them more than the actual rules.
What is the 10/90 gap? - answerLess than 10 percent of the work of bioethicists was
focused on bioethical issues raised by 90 percent of the global burden of disease.
Three main constituents of utilitarian theory are? - answerThe three main constituents of
utilitarian theory are: consequentialism, welfarism, and aggregations.
, What are major contributions of Nuremberg Code to Bioethics? - answerInformed
consent, social benefit, doctors must respect patients, and animal testing before human
testing.
What are major contributions of Tuskegee syphilis study to bioethics? - answerAll
research receiving federal funding must be reviewed by the IRB, Institutional Review
Board and created as well a NEED for informed consent in research.
What is the difference between normative and descriptive claims? - answerDescriptive
statements describe the world and they come empirically verified.
Meanwhile, normative statements are evaluations or judgments or prescriptions; should,
ought, good, bad.
Example:
DS: Some Hindus think eating cows is morally wrong.
NS: Eating cows is morally wrong.
What does Utilitarianism say? - answerRight action: that which maximizes the welfare
(well-being or happiness) of all people taken together and considered
impartially(consequentialism). Act for the sake of yours and others' good, each
considered impartially and equally(welfarism).
Utilitarianism is summarized as: the greatest good for the greatest number principle.
Results matter. Total sum.
What is the actual Trolley Problem? - answerIt seems in some cases it is better to kill
one person to save five lives. However in most cases most will argue that the action is
morally forbidden. Problem is what distinguishes when it is okay and when it is wrong to
kill.
What is rule utilitarianism? - answerChoosing the rule that creates the maximum
amount of welfare.
What is deontology? How is it defined in class? - answerDeontology says to promote
good but don't break constraints. Defined in class as if there is a reason to promote
welfare; but you cannot harm others to reach this welfare then you are a deontologist.
What are the differences between moderate and absolute deontology? Their
advantages and disadvantages? - answerIf you think there are thresholds at which the
good to be done by harming someone outweighs the wrongness of harming them (one
may harm one person to help many) then you are a moderate deontologist.
More intuitive less simple.
If you think you may never harm someone to help many ever at all then you are an
absolute deontologist.
Simpler theory but much less intuitive.
