Biomedical Ethics - Exam 1

Front 1

Heathenistic Ethics

Back 1

avoid maximum pain with minimal pleasure, and seek a minimal pain that allows maximum pleasure

Front 2

Might = Right

Back 2

I'm bigger, stronger, and better, so i have the right to do what i want

Front 3

Moral Nihilism

Back 3

the doctrine that there are no moral facts, no moral truths, and no moral knowledge

Front 4

Utilitarianism (theological ethics)

Back 4

The greatest good for the greatest #, impartial ; decisive with both long and short-term focus

Front 5

Problems with utilitarianism

Back 5

too calculating, leaves out responsibility; conflicts with some basic moral intuition

Front 6

Rule utilitarianism

Back 6

measures the amount of 'good' an individual action does in reference to a rule or law

Front 7

Act utilitarianism

Back 7

states that actions are moral when they benefit the most people; doesn't judge the value of an action in terms of laws

Front 8

Kantian Ethics (deontological or duty ethics)

Back 8

universally accepted and humane (as ends not means) way of life.

Front 9

Problem with Kantian Ethics

Back 9

Allows for more moral latitude but is not always helpful in stressful situations

Front 10

Social Contract Theory

Back 10

Obligations come from agreements - "we are obligated to keep agreements because we agreed to do so"

Front 11

The Doctrine of the Double Effect

Back 11

Good is intended (although bad may happen), the act is not intrinsically wrong, the good is produced by the direct action, the good outweighs the bad

Front 12

Ordinary

Back 12

obligatory (standard)

Front 13

Extraordinary

Back 13

not required (unusual)

Front 14

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Treatment

Back 14

Morally distinguished as beneficial or not

Front 15

Virtue Ethics

Back 15

Honesty and fairness are main focus

Front 16

Autonomy

Back 16

the intelligent person is self-responsible

Front 17

beneficence

Back 17

action that is done for the benefit of others; beneficent actions can be taken to help prevent or remove harms or to simply improve the situation of others

Front 18

nonmaleficence

Back 18

means "to do no harm." Offers little useful guidance to physicians since many beneficial therapies also have serious risks

Front 19

justice

Back 19

what is legally right or wrong

Front 20

Objections to the principles approach: (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice)

Back 20

Too mechanical, doesn't resolve conflicts - ignores intuitive reasoning

Front 21

Casuistry or "case-based" reasoning

Back 21

focuses on who, what, when and where