Ethics Test #1

Front 1

argument

Back 1

citing reasons (premises) for beliefs (conclusions)

Front 2

consequentialism

Back 2

-right is determined by the consequences of an act
-no absolute right or wrong
-practical given more value than principle
-end justifies the means

Front 3

utilitarianism

Back 3

an action is right if, and only if, it promotes the greatest good (happiness) for the greatest number of people

Front 4

proportionalism

Back 4

-one should strive to create the greatest balance of good over evil
-identifies good with happiness and evil with pain
-happiness should be spread as widely and equally as possible

Front 5

act utilitarianism

Back 5

-applying the utility principle to each situation independent of other situations or general guidelines. "What will produce the greatest happiness to the greatest number in this specific situation?"

Front 6

rule utilitarianism

Back 6

general rules can be formed which usually provide the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people and these rules can guide one in each situation he encounters (sometimes called generalism)

Front 7

incommensurable argument

Back 7

(a problem w/ utilitarianism)
-how can one measure the "amount" of happiness and compare it with some other "amount" of happiness?

Front 8

deontology

Back 8

-The ethical theory that looks at our actions and declares them right or wrong in themselves.
-Consequences are morally irrelevant
-Morality is thought of in terms of duty or obligation
-Most deontologists believe in ethical absolutes - moral actions are absolutely right or wrong

Front 9

divine command morality

Back 9

-Moral principles are grounded in the commands of God

Front 10

voluntarism

Back 10

-Morality is based on the will of God; What makes something good is that God simply wills it so.

Front 11

essentialism

Back 11

(solves the problem of voluntarism)
-Morality is based not on the will of God but on the nature of God

Front 12

natural law theory

Back 12

-moral principles are derived as we reflect upon our human nature and basic human goods
-All men have a built-in capacity in his/her human nature to distinguish right and wrong. Moral principles are discovered intuitively or through reasoning and reflecting on our human nature and basic human goods.

Front 13

categorical imperative

Back 13

"Act according to that maxim by which you can, at the same time, will that it should be a universal law."

Front 14

primae facie duties

Back 14

-Moral obligations that hold in normal circumstances unless they conflict with stronger obligations at which point they can be justifiably overridden.

Front 15

virtue ethics

Back 15

-The view that morality should be conceived as primarily concerned, not with rules or principles, but with the cultivation of moral virtues or traits of character.
-The emphasis is placed on the character of the person as primary in evaluating and performing moral actions.
-A true moral act has its basis in a virtuous characteristic
-The primary purpose of ethics is to develop virtuous persons.

Front 16

virtue

Back 16

A trained behavioral disposition or habit to live in a good and righteous manner

Front 17

autonomy

Back 17

-Personal rule of the self while remaining free from the controlling interferences of others
-Actions are freely chosen, and the person is informed

Front 18

respect for autonomy

Back 18

-Act must be intentional
-Person understands what they are doing
-Person freely chooses to do the action

Front 19

infringement

Back 19

A justified breaching of a right

Front 20

fiduciary relationship

Back 20

-Obligation is very strong
-A legal relationship of confidence or trust between two or more parties

Front 21

nonmaleficence

Back 21

-The obligation to avoid harming or injuring others either intentionally or through negligence
-"Primum non nocere" - "Above all do no harm"
-The obligation not to injure is more stringent than the obligation to take positive steps to benefit others

Front 22

Risk / Benefit assessment

Back 22

Assess the risk of harm in light of the possible benefit of a particular medical procedure

Front 23

Harms / Benefit assessment

Back 23

Assess the known harms in light of the possible benefit of a particular medical procedure

Front 24

Standard of due care is met when...

Back 24

-The goals sought are weighty enough to warrant the imposition of certain risks on others

Front 25

negligence

Back 25

Failure to maintain standard due care by failing to guard against risks of harm to others
-Can lead to charges of malpractice

Front 26

harm vs. hurt

Back 26

Harm is the obstructing, defeating, or setting back of the interests of one party by the invasive actions of another party. It is possible to be harmed (interests defeated) and not be hurt (awareness of harm)

Front 27

principle of double effect

Back 27

-The belief that there exists a morally relevant difference between the intended effects of a persons action and the non-intended, though foreseen, effects of the action
-The beneficial effect is seen as direct and intended while the harmful effect is indirect and unintended, though perhaps a foreseen and unfortunate side effect.
-One is not held morally blameworthy of an unintended, even if foreseen, harmful act

Front 28

conditions for double effect

Back 28

-The intended action itself must not be intrinsically wrong
-The agent must intend only the good effect and not the bad effect. It may be foreseen and even tolerated, but not intended.
-The bad effect must not be a means to the end of bringing about the good effect.
-The good which results must outweigh the evil permitted.

Front 29

Principle of beneficence

Back 29

The obligation to help others further their important and legitimate interest.
-Not just not harming, but a further obligation to contribute positively to others welfare.
-Beneficence demands demands more than nonmaleficence - it places an additional obligation on us besides simply not doing something.

Front 30

General beneficence

Back 30

The obligation placed upon me as a person to help other persons

Front 31

Special Beneficence

Back 31

The obligation to help others due to a special relationship which grounds the obligation

Front 32

Role-specific Obligations

Back 32

-Based on certain roles on has in society
-Nature of certain roles places an obligation to provide help beyond contractual relationship

Front 33

Supererogatory actions

Back 33

-Morally optional but morally praiseworthy actions performed for the benefit of others above and beyond the call of duty

Front 34

Characteristics of supererogatory actions

Back 34

-Neither required nor forbidden
-Undertaken for others beyond the obligatory
-Not necessarily extraordinarily demanding

Front 35

Concept of justice

Back 35

The maintenance of what is just by the impartial judgment of conflicting claims and the assignment of merited rewards and punishments

Front 36

Fairness

Back 36

The obligation to treat people in a fair and impartial manner; i.e. equal treatment

Front 37

Just Deserts

Back 37

The obligation to reward people what they fittingly deserve, both reward and punishment

Front 38

Entitlements

Back 38

The obligation of giving a person his due or what he has a "right" to receive

Front 39

Relevant property

Back 39

The basis for fairness, just deserts, or entitlements

Front 40

Distributive Justice

Back 40

-An attempt to establish a connection between the properties of persons and the morally correct distribution of goods and services, benefits and burdens in society
-"What morally relevant properties, if any, give one person or group of persons an entitlement to certain benefits or opportunities than others?"
-This is an issue because of a scarciity of resources and competition between parties for those resources

Front 41

Formal principle of justice

Back 41

"Equals must be treated equally and unequals must be treated unequally"

Front 42

Egalitarian theory of justice

Back 42

Attempts to distribute goods and services as equally as possible across the board. Social equality is emphasized over individual liberty.
-The fact that we are all humans in need should take priority over differences of the class we are born into or natural talents and endowments we are born with.
-Persons in a cooperative society should strive to make more equal the unequal situation of naturally disadvantaged members of society. This is done by taking from the rich and giving to the poor to equalize society.

Front 43

Libertarian theory of justice

Back 43

-Distributive justice consists not in equal results, but rather in unhindered and equal working of fair procedures. All receive the same opportunity, but not necessarily the same results.
-Individual liberty is emphasized over social equality
-Distribution of goods and services (like health care) are best left to the marketplace. Ability to pay is available to all, since all have the liberty to make as much money as they desire.
-Events in a truly free market should not be a matter of social planning but instead they should be exclusively a matter of individual choosing.
-Social intervention in the marketplace in the name of justice perverts true justice by placing unwarranted constraints on individual liberty.