Bioethics Exam Study set Questions and answers with
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One cannot predict the future, so we don't know what the impacts are from actions -
✔✔Consequentialism (utilitarianism) raises the issue of..
Train problem example. What happens if people don't actually experience happiness in the
same quantity as utilitarianism suggests? We could potentially not be maximizing happiness.
- ✔✔Maximization (utilitarianism) raises the issue of..
Premises can be false. Some people may actually experience happiness more than others. Also
the problem with animals... are they beings? - ✔✔Scope-of-morality (utilitarianism) raises the
issue of..
ignore the ppl who are probably gonna live, ignore the ppl that are probably gonna die, and
only try to save the ppl wavering on the edge of life and death. this will maximize the possible
# of lives saved - ✔✔What are the applications of utilitarianism in public health and situations
of triage?
What is Kant's deontology and his opposition to consequentialism? - ✔✔--duty/intent
matters rather than outcome
,ends in themselves - ✔✔Kant believes that humans should always be treated as "_____-_____-
_________", never mere means.
traditional ethics are too male-centered. we should instead focus on compassion, care,
trust, family/friends, and cooperation, more "female" values. Nature vs. NURTURE
--reinforces gender stereotypes - ✔✔What is the ethics of care?
people must display four cardinal virtues to be defined as a good person - ✔✔How were
pre-Socratic ethics exclusively role-defined?
--required virtues of compassion, knowledge of healing, and skill in human relations
--if you have these virtues, then you have the skills to perform a role well - ✔✔Discuss the
role of the physician according to ancient Greek medical ethics.
Natural Law Theory - ✔✔a theory asserting that the morally right action is the one that
follows the dictates of nature
if you do an action that has a good effect and an evil effect, the action is justified only if:
1. the action was good in and of itself
2. only the good effect was intended
3. the action was important enough to carry out knowing the evil effect would happen
4. the good effect follows from the action as immediately as the evil effect - ✔✔What is the
doctrine of double effect, and how has it been important in the history of medical ethics?
--the human body may only be altered to ensure the proper functioning of that body
--important in history of medical ethics because it allows surgeries to remove diseases, but
not surgeries for enhancement/ "frivolous" reasons - ✔✔What is the principle of totality, and
how has it been important in the history of medical ethics?
,--libertarians favor government for defense and for limited public works; disfavor
government programs such as medicaid, medicare, food stamps, etc -- social contract
--Rawls believed that moral constraints should be imposed on the social contract "veil of
ignorance" - ✔✔Differentiate between Libertarian and Rawlsian theories of justice.
-libertarians: disagreed
-Rawlsian: think it's fine to an extent - ✔✔How do Libertarians and Rawlsians differ on
whether the present system of American medicine is just?
how money influenced medical decision - ✔✔What is the main idea of Marxism for bioethics?
1. autonomy
2. beneficence
3. nonmaleficence
4. justice - ✔✔What are the 4 principles of bioethics?
It is self-regarding. We have the power to make decisions that only affect ourselves. -
✔✔How can the principle of patient autonomy be seen as stemming from the harm principle
of John Stuart Mill?
trust patient's autonomy rather than what you think is best for them - ✔✔How is
autonomy opposed to paternalistic ethics?
-nonmaleficence: not harming others - physician not competent to do something shouldn't do it
-beneficience: benefit of people/for their wellbeing regardless - ✔✔What is the primary idea
of the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in medical ethics?
, --euthanasia: beneficence (putting a patient out of their misery) vs nonmaleficence (don't
actively harm)
--autonomy: (letting patient make their own decisions) vs beneficence (making a decision as
the physician for what's in patient's best interest) - ✔✔How can (and do) the principles of
bioethics conflict with each other?
Socially, means treat similar kinds of people similarly
Politically, it refers to distributive justice regarding medical resources
--Egalitarianism - treat every patient equally
--Minimally - treat patients without bias - ✔✔Why is the principle of justice the most
vague among the principles of bioethics?
--Almost totally paralyzed with cerebral palsy, 25, never use of legs (considered disabled);
also had painful, severe degenerative arthritis
--No terminal illness, just wanted to die - ✔✔What was Elizabeth Bouvia's medical
condition when she wanted to die?
"Since the PT was not terminally ill and could live for decades" there is no other reasonable
option but to force feed (to force her to stay alive), in one interpretation Paul Longmore
(disability advocate) said judge meant her physical ability was the only reason she wished to die
- ✔✔What reasoning did Judge Hews use to justify forcing Bouvia to stay alive?
--No; Bouvia said she believed competent adults should never ever be force fed
--State appellate court held competent adults could refuse medical treatment: based on prior
state decision, court said competent adult patient could refuse treatment and force feeding -
✔✔Did Judge Hews ever declare Bouvia incompetent? What is the legal significance of this?
The agencies supposed to make her independent are just another obstacle; San Diego State
University School of Social Work claimed she was unemployable when she went back, none of
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