Ethics Midterm 2019 fitzjohn
Why is happiness a complete good?
B/c he thinks it is perfect and self sufficient, its like the end that all actions are directed, purpose and goal for everything we do, its our highest goal
Why are we responsible for our virtues and vices?
B/c if we are good, goodness will follow
What is the method of coherence?
Basically a specification can be justified only if it max's the coherence of the overall set of relevant justified beliefs, prob's wont be perfect, Includes consistency, argumentative support, plausibility, compatibility w/ nonmoral beliefs, comprehensiveness, and simplicity
Why does Aristotle claim that a boy cannot be happy?
because they are inexpirienced in life, they follow their own passions and they don't aim for knowledge only action. He also says that youthful in years or character are also issues b/c time doesn't mean anything unless you have lived enough.
Why does Mill that motives or intentions of actions are not of the utmost importance?
even if you do something out of good or bad intentions that gives a good outcome, the motives do not matter. If you save someones life in hopes of getting rich or just b/c it is the right thing to do, you still saved their life and that's all that matters
What does it mean for an action to be done from duty? Use the example of the shopkeepers
good will resides in this, we have a duty to do something that we may not want to do but we must, not selfish ex. their duty would be to give the same price to everyone no matter what, if the keeper lowered the prices for those who couldn't afford it (kids) in order to not lose business this would
What is the (formal) principle of justice? What is the significance of this principle?
group of principles needing appropriate distribution of benefits, risks and costs fairly. Significance is there is no single principle, no single way people ought to be treated, non specific
According to Mill, how does utilitarianism incorporate or understand the concept of virtue?
virtues are relevant to how we understand or think about people not their actions, a right action does not always mean a person is virtuous, basically a good person can do bad things but that doesn't mean they're a bad person at heart
Deliberative Objections
is it right for doctors to promote particular health related values, doctors values will shine thru, patients go to doctors for health not moral deliberation
Why does the author think that virtue ethics is a theory that properly recognizes the role that emotions play moral deliberations?
it recognizes that emotions play an important role in our lives, are products of our past and future experiences, and in the right quantity can help us do what is right. emotions influence how we perceive certain situations, emotions can be vices as well - like you can have too many and too little - so with the virtue ethics you look b/w the vices to find the virtue. Emotions can also be controlled which also plays into the reasoning or rational portion of the theory
How does the author define eudaemonia? why is this term so central to Aristotle's ethical philosophy?
it's the ultimate goal that all actions are directed to which is ability to reason, it is central to A's ethical framework b/c for someone to understand the virtue b/w 2 vices you must be able to reason what is right in the situation
Name and describe one common misconstrual of feminist ethics.
mis info from feminist ethics: putting woman interests first but doesn't specify what interests or circumstances and they believe its partiality and immorality
What is the interpretive model? What are some features of this model?
more about what patient wants b/c of values, Doctor gives info and risk-benefit analysis, Doctor helps the patient understand their values, life as narrative whole, values priority, doctor is a councillor
Sherwin analyzes the problematic ways in which a patient is considered to be autonomous. Name one and describe it in detail.
patients are deemed to be sufficiently competent to make decisions - rationality has been constructed to oppose traits assigned w/ women and stereotypes w/ minorities
What does the 'choosing the mean' represent for Aristotle?
picking between two vices to acquire the best good and happiness-balance
What the most desirable ends?
pleasure and the freedom from pain
What is the principle of beneficence? What is the significance of this principle?
prevent harm and provide benefits and balance them against risk and costs. Significance is it goes beyond the scope of non-maleficence, max benefits and min harms, less than non-maleficence in the organ example. Balance b/w good over harm
What is the principle of autonomy? What are the two obligations associated with this principle?
principle requiring respect for the decision making capacity of people. Obligations 1. Negative - autonomous actions shouldn't be subjected to controlling the constraints of others 2. Positive - respect in disclosing info and actions that foster autonomous decision making
What problems are inherent in the construction and employment of personal autonomy according to a feminist analysis?
sometimes autonomy provisions are sometimes interpreted as functioning independently of other moral values, autonomy is sometimes thought to conflict with justice, autonomy can mean freedom from interference so w/ taxes this is a problem
Paternalistic Objections
unless its an emergency situation, a doctor can't know what's right for you especially when it comes to values
What is the universal moral law that should guide the conduct of any will?
"I ought never to act in such a way that I couldn't also will that the maxim on which I act should be a universal law"
Kant makes reference to Aristotle's ethical system. What are some preliminary ways Kant criticizes Aristotle's philosophy?
1. nothing can be called good except if done with a good will - A person can only be worthy of being happy if they have a good will 2. Only things that are good in themselves can be absolutely or unconditionally good otherwise the value of those things will change 3. Human Nature - If our purpose is to thrive and be happy then that is instinct not reason
The author argues that, in the context of nursing, eudaemonia may have some profound impacts on what we think health entails. What is the argument here?
Basically, everyones definition of health in a health care context is different. For example, health for a diabetic might be a managed blood glucose level, where as a person with out diabetes thinks their healthy b/c they don't have diabetes. There are also different parts to health - physical, mental and spiritual which can all change how we see ourselves as healthy. The author says it is important for nurses to recognize different degrees of health in order to best promote it.
What is the definition of care? Why is the caring relationship more complicated than merely addressing the explicit needs of the individual?
Care is complex b/c it affects two people since its interdependent, it includes personal, physical, psychological, and moral integrity
What is the principle of nonmalficence? What is the significance of this principle?
Do no harm. Significance is this principle has been used throughout thousands of years and includes things like do not kill, don't cause pain, don't disable, don't deprive of pleasure, don't cheat or break promises. intentionally or unintentionally causing harm is a fundamental moral wrong. Also the issue of how far non-maleficence goes arose such as in legal proceedings
What is the paternalistic model? What are some features of this model?
Doctor knows best, doctor makes sure the patients get the interventions to best promote their health and wellbeing, includes the assumption that patient is willing to cooperate, patient doesn't participate, assumed patient will be happy w/ outcome, physician acts as a guardian
What is the deliberative model? What are some features of this model?
Doctor patient collab to get the best health related values that can be realized in the clinical situation, doctor suggests why health related values are more worthy, talk about what they could or should do, doctor is a teacher or a friend
What is the informative model? What are some features of this model?
Doctor provides patient w/ all info and choices about their health and the patient decides what they want. includes an assumption that patients values are defined but they need the facts, so the doctor gives facts and patient decides, Doctor only there to preform, patient in charge
Interpretive Objections
Doctors tend to persuade patients to do specific values
Why does Kant think that we should ignore experience when thinking about morality?
Doing something that is morally right only b/c it is right and can't relate to experiences. No genuine supreme principle of morality that doesn't rest on reason independent of experience, experience brings subjective info and things can be different for different people
How does Aristotle understand good, happiness, and the relationship between the two
Every action aims at some good, external good, body and soul good, highest good is good chosen from own sake and happiness, everything we do is for happiness
What is the difference between a hypothetical imperative and a categorical imperative?
H: practical necessity of possible actions as a means to achieving something else that someone does or wants, good only as a means to something else C: actions that are objectively necessary in itself w/out regards to other ends, good in itself and conforms to reason
What role does judgement play in determining pleasures?
Judgements from those qualified by knowledge declare higher faculty pleasures to be preferred in kind separate from intensity, they decide what the majority of people prefer over something else
Summarize the way the author, using Kant's philosophy, analyzes the case of Lisa. Why does the issue of consent play such a large role in the analysis?
Lisa is the nurse w/ the huge work load lying to her superior. Lisa is forced to take care of the patients so she is being used as a means while she is also using her superior as a means since she isn't telling her about the issue Lisa, the superior, and patients are not giving their full consent to be used
What is significant about the terms 'means' and 'ends'?
M: have the possibility of an action that will lead to an end E: objective ground for its action upon itself and if its given by reason only it will be an end for all rational beings
Summarize the way the author, using Kant's philosophy, analyzes the case of Megan. Why does the issue of dignity play such a large role in the analysis? In what way do Megan's actions raise the issue of how to treat her as an autonomous being?
Megan doesn't disclose her self medication which can be good (she can do what she wants) and bad (you can't universalize not disclosing info) for autonomy. Kant says she's not autonomous and doesn't have dignity since she's not complying w/ moral actions founded on reason
What kinds of being merit impartial consideration? Why?
People, sentient beings, living beings/species, or persons defined in nonmoral ways b/c they are beings that can experience pleasure or pain
According to the author, why does concern for public health mesh well with utilitarian thought?
Public heath care authorities aim tot decrease morbidity and mortality (Pain) and promote health/wellbeing (Pleasure). Utilitarianism wants to decrease pain and increase happiness for the greatest amount of people and so do most Health care providers and policies.
What are virtues and vices? What is the relationship between the two?
See definitions, they are related b/c there must be a balance of vices for the virtues to exist, virtues are a means b/w vices
How do the terms 'tranquility' and 'excitement' fit into Mill's argument?
T: lots of this means people can be content with very little pleasure E: lots of this means people can put up with a lot of pain
The author states "...the context of the relationship holds particular importance as a place for the construction of care in nursing practice." What does this mean?
This means since relationships vary in intimacy and intensity and can be asymmetrical this creates the basis for obligations/concerns which will affect the whole relationship as it progresses, for example different basses for relationships will cause a call for different interventions in that relationship
What is the role of habit?
To acquire happiness, moral virtues, and moral principles, nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature, virtues made perfect by habits, if you continue to do a virtuous thing it will become your character
What is the function of human beings?
To flourish, to grow, be healthy, fertile, use reason to cooperate, determined good if they perform the function
What is the mark of living a happy life?
Truely happy person behaves in a good way, if you are good your life will be good, resilient at end of life
Why does Kant think it's hard to determine if an act done from duty has ever been done? Explain why Kant thinks this isn't a problem
We can never know if someone is doing something out of the goodness of their hearts or out of some other intention, you can't see the beloved self so you can't see peoples motivations
Why does the feminist perspective on the caring relationship in a health care setting place emphasis on acknowledging the inherently unequal relationship between the health care professional and the client?
Why does the feminist perspective on the caring relationship in a health care setting place emphasis on acknowledging the inherently unequal relationship between the health care professional and the client?
Why is education/cultivation important?
cultivations means mental development, if people have this then they will find an infinite number of sources if interest, nature, art, imagination or poetry, history, and human events and the future, all of this will lead us to happiness
Explain how the moral law plays in the example of the false promise
You can think the false promise might take away the issues of the present time but you need to think more in the long run as well as if it could be made a universal law. If everyone lied at anytime then there would be no need for promises since no one would ever keep them in the first place b/c everyone would know they were lying - it becomes a paradox
What does selfhood look like under a relational theory of autonomy?
a capacity developed and constrained by social circumstances, its an ongoing process, oppressed people can't exercise their autonomy as much,
What does Mill mean when he writes "[i]t is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied"?
b/c no educated person would want to be in a lower grade of existence, humans have dignity, the fool and the pig would only know their position and nothing else while humans and socrates know both positions and although may not like theirs at one time, will never chose to give up that knowledge or the higher pleasure
Why is the relationship between my own happiness and the happiness of the whole?
basically utility wants individual happiness to be in harmony or align with the majority as much as possible
Which model should be the preferred model according to the author? Why?
deliberative model b/c 1. embodies autonomy 2. doctors are knowledgeable and caring 3. not discussed form of paternalism 4. doctors values are relevant to patients b/c of knowledge 5. doctors should help put therapies into patients values (ex. safer sex) 6. encourage education of caring
informative Objections
descriptively and prescriptively inaccurate, not caring, doctor can't weigh in on what they think are best b/c fear of values, values not set in stone and my not fully be understood
According to Sherwin, why is the personal autonomy of a patient often put at risk in the health care setting?
illness makes patients dependent on their are givers which decreases patients ability to make autonomous decisions and makes them vulnerable to manipulation and even coercion by those who provide care, Patients follow experts advice most of the time rather than risking abandonment or even death, patients feel they need to ccply with HCP's to get the services w/out issues
According to Sherwin, a relational theory of autonomy reminds us of the structural conditions that must be in place in order for a person to be able to exercise her freedom well. Explain this in more detail.
supportive climate has opportunities to build up self esteem, make oppression visible, and make choices that aren't influenced by oppressors, restrictions include resources, lack of education, and fear
Why does Aristotle think that honour or wealth are not 'final' goods?
these are not self sufficient like happiness is, they're short term and could lead to undoing of yourself
