Bioethics Principles, Theories, and Foucault's Power Concepts

What are the four principles of bioethics?

Autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice.

What does autonomy mean in bioethics?

Respecting a person's informed and voluntary choices.

What does non-maleficence mean?

Do not cause harm.

What does beneficence mean?

Act for the person's good.

What does justice mean in bioethics?

Treat people fairly and distribute benefits and burdens equitably.

Why are the four principles of bioethics important?

They provide a basic framework for thinking through medical ethics cases, especially when values conflict.

What is a classic example of autonomy in bioethics?

Informed consent for sensitive procedures.

What does the doctrine of double effect state?

An action with both a good and a bad effect can be morally allowed if four conditions are met.

What are the four conditions of the doctrine of double effect?

The act must be good or neutral, the bad effect must be foreseen but not intended, the bad effect cannot be the means to the good effect, and the good must outweigh the bad.

Why does the doctrine of double effect matter?

It helps explain why some harmful side effects can be morally permissible while directly intending harm is not.

What is an example of the doctrine of double effect?

Giving high doses of pain medication to a dying patient for pain relief, even if it may shorten life.

What does moral status mean?

Whether a being matters morally for its own sake.

What are some theories that determine moral status?

Being human, having certain cognitive abilities, being a moral agent, being sentient, or standing in important relationships.

Why does moral status matter?

It affects what we think we owe to embryos, animals, chimeras, fetuses, and severely cognitively impaired humans.

What is a sentience-based theory of moral status?

It states that if a being can feel pleasure or pain, that gives it at least some moral status.

What is utilitarianism?

A consequentialist theory that says the right action produces the greatest overall balance of pleasure over pain.

Who are the key figures associated with utilitarianism?

Bentham and Mill.

What does procreative beneficence advocate?

Parents should select the child expected to have the best life based on available information.

Why is procreative beneficence significant?

It shifts reproductive ethics from 'may parents choose?' to 'should parents choose the best possible child?'

What is Kantian ethics?

A deontological theory that emphasizes acting from duty rather than inclination or expected results.

What are the two important tests in Kantian ethics?

Can I will my maxim as a universal law? Am I treating humanity as an end in itself?

What is a criticism of Kantian ethics?

It can seem too rigid, especially in cases like lying to a murderer at the door.

What is Aristotelian ethics?

A virtue ethics approach that focuses on character and the virtues that a good person should embody.

What is Kant's main idea?

Kant thinks morality is about acting from duty according to principles you could universalize, while treating persons as ends in themselves and never merely as means.

What is the doctrine of double effect?

It says an action with both good and bad effects can be allowed if the act is good or neutral, the harm is foreseen not intended, the harm is not the means to the good, and the good outweighs the harm.

What is moral status?

Moral status means a being matters morally for its own sake. The big debate is what grounds that status — being human, sentience, cognition, moral agency, or relationships.

What is procreative beneficence?

It is Savulescu's idea that parents should choose the possible child expected to have the best life, based on the relevant available information.

What is Aristotle's main idea?

Aristotle thinks ethics is about flourishing through virtue. We become good by building habits and character, and we judge practices by their telos, or purpose.

What is the difference between utilitarianism and Kantian ethics?

Utilitarianism judges actions by consequences and total welfare. Kantian ethics judges actions by duty, universal principles, and respect for persons.

What is transhumanism?

Transhumanism is the view that humans can and should use technology to overcome biological limits and enhance themselves.

What is biopower?

Biopower is Foucault's idea that modern power manages and optimizes life rather than just punishing or killing.

What is panopticism?

Panopticism is a form of power where people internalize surveillance and regulate themselves because they know they might always be watched.

What is the telos in Aristotelian ethics?

Telos refers to the purpose or end of a thing or practice.

What is the significance of virtue in Aristotelian ethics?

Virtue is a mean between vices, and we develop virtue through habit.

What is a criticism of Kant's ethics?

A criticism is that Kant can seem too rigid, especially in cases like lying to a murderer at the door.

What is a criticism of Aristotelian ethics?

A criticism is that Aristotle can be less precise when we want a clear rule for hard cases.

What does Foucault contrast with biopower?

Foucault contrasts sovereign power, which takes life, with biopower, which manages and optimizes life.

What is an example of biopower?

A clear example is health tracking culture — step counting, sleep tracking, and sports tracking.

What is an example of panopticism?

A modern example is phone location sharing, workplace monitoring, or wearable tracking.

What does transhumanism challenge?

It challenges the idea that medicine should only heal us and asks whether we should redesign and improve human beings beyond the normal species level.

What is a major criticism of transhumanism?

A major criticism is that it may treat human beings as upgradeable projects instead of respecting human limits, dignity, or equality.

What is the easy memory trick for Kant's ethics?

D U E: Duty, Universal law, Ends not means.

What is the easy memory trick for Aristotelian ethics?

H V T H: Happiness/flourishing, Virtue, Telos, Habit.

What is the easy memory trick for transhumanism?

T = transcend biology.

What is the easy memory trick for biopower?

Bio + power = power over life.

What is the easy memory trick for panopticism?

Panopticon = maybe watched, so I watch myself.

What is the importance of character in Aristotelian ethics?

It focuses on character formation, judgment, and flourishing instead of just rules or consequences.

What is the focus of transhumanism?

It includes ideas like rationalism, enhancement, life extension, resistance to disease, youth, vigor, and greater control over desires and mental states.