Download Bioethics - Mercer Island School District

Bioethics: What is it?
•A study and ________ of problems of
moral value in the_____________.
•The process involves gathering all
____________, understanding the
_____________ and _________ of the
stakeholders, and __________ a possible
solution.
Bioethics: What it is not
• It is not a ________or _________ about
what is the correct thing to do.
• It is not a way to answer what should be
done based on __________________
alone.
Why study Bioethics?
• Studying bioethics allows individuals to
differentiate opinions based on __________from
those supported by ___________and
___________________.
• It is a way to apply your ___________________
toward issues that affect our society.
• Your generation is the first to benefit from the
revolutionary developments in molecular
biology, as well as, face the challenging social
and ethical questions they raise.
What constitutes an Ethical
Question?
• They involve or imply the word “_______” or
“________” and involve a moral __________.
• There are multiple solutions to the question,
each of which have _________________ for
and against them.
• The question is generated by conflict between
different principles and values held by different
individuals or groups.
A brief history of Bioethics
• Ethics in science began with medical practices such as
what risks should be taken, patient care, research
subjects, etc.
• 1973- Singer-Soll letter to Science which raised
awareness about ethical practices in
______________________.
• 1974- National Academy of Science put a hold on certain
rDNA procedures until hazards could be assessed.
• 1975- Researcher’s conference met and
_____________________________________ and
convinced government that legislation was not needed
(disabled viruses).
More history
• The guidelines set were __________ and voluntary in
the scientific community.
• 1975-1980 and beyond: The NIH recombinant DNA
Advisory Committee.
• 1990’s –experiments with cloning.
• 1997- Somatic Cell nuclear transfer created _________.
This led to presidential involvement forming National
Bioethics Advisory Commission composed of: Scientists,
Physicians, Lawyers, Philosophers, and Theologians.
They discussed human cloning.
Ethical Theories/Perspectives
• Moral rules and duties: Rules-based
• Virtues: Virtue-based
• Outcomes: Outcome-based
• 4 Principles:__________ , ___________,
____________ , ____________.
• Care: Care-based
Moral Rules and Duties
(Deontological Ethics)
• The focus is on the ______ itself and not
what happens as a result of that action.
• Emphasis is placed on __________ and
acting in accordance with them. Example:
The Captain’s duty is to keep his crew
safe and to go down with a sinking ship.
Moral Rules and Duties continued
• German Philosopher ____________ (17241804) was a major proponent and developer of
this theory.
• He formulated a set of rules that he considered
_____________ without exceptions:
• The rules were:
– One should act only in ways that would be acceptable
if everyone else acted that same way.
– One should not treat persons as a means to an end
only, where the outcome is the only concern.
Positive and Negative aspects of
Rules and duty based theory
• Positive:
– Consistent principals and rules
– The individual person is considered rather than
_________________ .
– Recognizes personal rights
• Negative:
– Does not offer a way to deal with ________________.
– Perfect duties have no exceptions which can bring up moral
difficulty
– There is no clear guidance about forming and applying moral
rules
Virtue-based Theory
• Focuses on the ____________ of the individual and his
or her attitudes or traits.
• Examples: honesty, courage, integrity, trustworthiness,
wisdom, temperance, and justice
• It is the virtue that makes the act right or wrong. It is the
______________ that ensures someone will act morally
right.
– Example: It is not right to cheat because it is not honest and
diminishes someone's integrity and trustworthiness.
• Classical Greek ethics
Positive and Negative Aspects of
Virtue-based Theory
• Positive:
– Broadens the perspective beyond the act to include
the ___________________ .
– Compatible with ethical principles to help make a
decision that is unclear.
• Negative:
– Lack on consensus regarding essential virtues.
– Someone can be of good character and do wrong –
or be bad and do good.
Outcomes-based Theory
(consequentialist, utilitarian)
• The focus of this perspective is on the
____________ of the action.
• The goal of any decision is to bring out the
greatest good for the greatest number of
people.
• The ________________ ..
Positive and Negative aspects of
Outcomes-based theory
• Positive:
– Considers the interests of all persons equally.
– Directs attention to the consequences.
– Can be used to establish _____________.
• Negative:
– Bad acts with good intentions can happen.
– Con conflict with our “personal duties”.
– Interests of majority can override the
__________________________________ .
– Hard to determine what counts as a benefit or a harm.
4 Principal-Based Ethics:
Autonomy, Justice,
Nonmaleficence, Beneficence
• Focus is on 4 principals which should be
considered to make a moral decision.
• The 4 prinicipals:
– ______________________: Acknowledge a person’s
right to make choices and take action based on
personal values and beliefs.
– __________: Treat a person fairly or appropriately in
light of what is due or owed him or her.
– ___________________: Do no harm and do good.
Obligation is to not inflict harm intentionally and to do
actions that would benefit a person or persons.
Positive and Negative Aspects of
Principal Based Ethics
• Positive:
– Compatible with outcome and duty-based theories.
– Specific action guidline.
– Requires weighing and balancing and useful in
medical ethics.
• Negative:
–
–
–
–
No unifying moral theory.
Principals can conflict.
Difficult to weigh and balance various principals.
Autonomy in some cultures may refer to individual or
group/family/community autonomy.
Care-Based Ethics
• Focus is on___________, and _________
understanding structures underlying
situations.
• Aspects of an issue that might constitute
care ethics:
– Used for vulnerable populations.
– Importance of experience
– relationships
Positive and Negative Aspects
of Care Based Ethics
• Positive:
– Provides a balance to principle-based
approach.
– Provides context.
• Negative:
– Power structures are not always evident.
– Lacks rules or principals that are easy to
follow