Week 5: Chapter 8 - Considering Consequences

_____ is the predicament that arises from the impossibility of honoring all the moral values that deserve honoring.

Moral dilemma

What should be considered when contemplating with hypothetical actions?

Awareness that it is not certain

Why should one be willing to modify one's judgments on hypothetical actions?

Because of the changes in the people involved

Andrew helps Justin without causing any inconvenience to Stephen. Which among the following statements best reflects this scenario?

Do good and avoid doing evil.

True or false: The relationship between actions and consequences is a problem-and-solution relationship.

False

Hamid dupes investors by promising them high returns from a nonexistent financial scheme. When the people who invested their money in the scheme realize that they have been duped, they report the matter to the Securities Exchange Commission, which revokes Hamid's license to trade. In this context, match the parties (in the left column) with the effects of the crime committed by Hamid on them (in the right column). Instructions

Hamid matches Choice Taking the easy way out and blurring sense of right and wrong The investors matches Choice Experiencing fear, anger, and suspicion The Securities Exchange Commission matches Choice Providing assistance to whistle-blowers who are aware of violations

What is the main difference between the laws of cause and effect in the physical universe and cause and effect in human affairs? Multiple choice question.

Humans have the capacity to choose how they respond to events.

ames, a pathologist, has invented a cure for a rare disease, one that could make or break the lives of many people. He is not sure if it works so, he intends to test the cure by administering it on animals. The procedure could have adverse impacts on their quality of life. In this scenario, what is the ethical thing for James to do?

James should not use animals for testing.

Jerry frequently shoplifts from convenience stores. The store managers register police complaints to claim insurance for their loss from an insurance company. In this context, match the parties (in the left column) with the effects of Jerry's shoplifting on them (in the right column). Instructions

Jerry matches Choice Taking the easy way out and blurring sense of right and wrong The store managers matches Choice Experiencing fear, anger, and suspicion The insurance company matches Choice Paying for stolen items People who take out insurance policies with the insurance company matches Choice Paying higher premiums

Match the type of entity (in the left column) with its appropriate response (in the right column). Instructions

Physical objects matches Choice The response to actions is predictable. Human affairs matches Choice The response to actions is never completely predictable.

Tamara strikes Jemima for ridiculing her. How will Jemima react to the strike?

She might ignore Tamara or strike her back.

Jennifer knows that though her actions would benefit her friend Sara, it would harm her friend Maya. According to the basic rule of ethics, what should she do?

She should not act in this situation to avoid doing evil to Maya.

Sally, a psychologist, wants to test the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among military men who have been exposed to direct combat. In need of an authentic experience and the lack of availability of people who are experiencing the illness, she intends to recruit people and expose them to adverse situations though she is aware that it could lead to many adverse psychological effects for the participants. In this scenario, what is the ethical thing for Sally to do?

She should not conduct the experiment on humans.

Identify the conditions that are supported by the "principle of the double effect." (Select all that apply.)

The bad consequences are not directly intended. The good conditions are inseparable from the bad. The good conditions outweigh the bad.

If a person grew up in a crime-ridden, drug-infested neighborhood, how will the environment impact the person's life?

The person might become a criminal, use drugs, or lead a healthy life.

Natural endowment and social conditioning exert a powerful influence on humans.

True

When consequences cannot be predicted certainly, one must be content with _____. Multiple choice question.

probability

It is justifiable to perform an act that is not in itself evil but produces mixed consequences, some of them beneficial and others harmful, provided the act met the principle of _____.

the double effect

Which among the following makes the consideration of consequences more difficult?

the unpredictable behavior of people

When do moral dilemmas exist?

when conflicting obligations, ideals, and consequences are very nearly equal in importance