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bioethics
exam 1 vocab
36
Other
Undergraduate 4
09/14/2014

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Term
Aggregate good
Definition
the good of the whole, may be different from good of all individuals.
Term
autonomous
Definition
internally directed, self-governing.
Term
descriptive ethics
Definition
an analysis of human conduct that details how people do behave in regard to one another. NOT how they should behave.
Term
duty
Definition
special responsibility associated with a particular profession/occupation or social role, includes escription of how that responsibility is unique and essential to the legitimate societal role
Term
ethics
Definition
the discipline that looks at how people do and should act in regard to subjects of moral worth and members of the moral community
Term
exceptionism
Definition
style of moral judgment thats universal but not absolute, exceptionists believe there are justified exceptions to universal moral rules
Term
harm
Definition
what all rational people want to avoid for themselves, unless good reasoning for wanting it. Irrational to want for ones self = immoral to cause another
Term
Direct harm
Definition
death, pain, disability, deprived of freedom or pleasure
Term
indirect harm
Definition
being deceived, cheated, have promises broken, law broken or duties neglected.
Term
human analogy
Definition
the understanding by all competent human beings that other humans can suffer harm and want other people to refrain from them causing them to suffer those harms.
Term
ideal
Definition
how we would like people to act but don't think they have to act. Ideal action is morally encouraged but not required.
Term
idealism
Definition
the assumption that desirable outcomes can be obtained without causing harm
Term
impartiality
Definition
a requirement for minimalist morality that requires that moral agents avoid causing harm to all without adequate justification.
Term
justification
Definition
how one explains that behavior that causes harm is permitted in a particular case. ex- the act of lying. strongly justified if all rational, impartial adults would advocate same decision, not justified in none would, and weakly justified if those adults could go either way.
Term
law
Definition
a system of rules different from ethics, scope of law includes whats enforceable, moral scope excludes whatever causes unjustified harms
Term
moral community
Definition
all humans between birth and death, those who deserve moral protections equal to what all humans deserve. It is morally prohibited to cause a member of moral community unjustified harm without good reason.
Term
moral development
Definition
theory describes moral sophistication and the steps one follows in reaching moral sophistication
Term
normative ethics
Definition
arguments leading to conclusion of how people should behave in regard to one another. As differentiated from how they do behave.
Term
permitted
Definition
behavior within bounds of moral system. Example: to act in a way that causes no unjustified harm to others.
Term
prohibited
Definition
behavior that is not morally permitted. Ex: to act in ways that cause others unjustified harms.
Term
required
Definition
behaviors an agent must do. You are morally required to meet RRR's and avoid causing unjustified harms to others.
Term
Role Related Responsibilities
Definition
the unique duties associated with one of a person's multiple societal roles
Term
stewardship
Definition
the voluntary assumption of responsibilities for a subject of moral worth.
Term
subjects of moral worth
Definition
entities outside of moral community that still deserve moral consideration. This includes corpses, fetuses, animals, the environment, art and culture.
Term
values
Definition
expressions of what people desire of want to avoid. Ethical primary values articulate what people want to avoid or seek for their own good. Values are ranked by personal opinions.
Term
Fundamental Expectation of Ethics =
Definition
Avoid causing unjustified harm. Further expectations are to do and promote the good.
Term
Meaning of Human Analogy =
Definition
understanding that we can and should not cause harm to others. Understanding that as human the things you don't want are the same as I don't want
Term
Difference between expectation and privilege =
Definition
Expectation is something you are expected to fufill, as a friend or mother. Privilege is something that a person who does not have your role does not have, as parent have privilege of directing daughter's choice and limiting her freedom so she will complete her homework, neighbor doesn't have this.
Term
Conditions for determining moral blame =
Definition
Deciding if morally blameworthy - consider negligence/failure to complete RRR's, intention to hurt someone, could they have predicted that harm, and done the same without less harm.
Term
Different ways something can be morally "right" =
Definition
If something is required by your RRR, like a surgeon to remove limbs. If you're acting paternalistic in the best interest of the child, incapacitated.
Term
subjects of moral worth =
Definition
have rights but not equal to those in the moral community. Subjects of moral worth generally have stewards who have the special job of protecting them. Subjects = human corpses, fetuses, animals, art, culture, the environment. Anything that was or has potential to be human. Valued by majority of moral community, is intrinsically valuable. is essential for human survival.
Term
Difference between strongly, weakly and not justified =
Definition
strongly justified - if all, impartial rational adults could advocate lying in a similar situation. Weakly justified - if those persons could go either way. Not justified - if no rational, impartial persons could advocate lying in situations with the same morally relevant features.
Term
Excuses that don't justify acting badly =
Definition
1. Other people do it. 2. Some authority told me to do it. 3. I didn't intend to hurt anyone (this might mitigate level of moral responsibility but doesn't change harm was caused.) 4. No one knew I did it.
Principle of impartiality - not okay to make an exception of yourself.
Term
Why you should want to be morally sophisticated =
Definition
you can pull out your ethical tool kit and make independent choices that express one's own best self. Moral sophistication = a set of capacities, not how anyone acts all the time. reflects autonomous understanding of the principles that lie behind rules and expectations. Making best decision possible for everyone's best interest, expecting to gain more wisdom over time.
Term
ethical intuition
Definition
the way things seem to be morally, you intuitively know if they're morally wrong.
Term
4 categories of choices
Definition
ethically prohibited - wrong actions, either neglect RRR's or cause unjustified harm. Ethically required - come directly from RRR what is essential of your duties, what is done to avoid unjustified harm. Ethically ideal - when person meets RRR's, avoids causing harm, and promotes the great good. Ethically permitted - those between continum of required and ideal ex the concept of good parenting for some is sports, others is arts and cultures of world, both okay.
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