Course Study Guide 1: Philosophy, the Nature of Man, and Concepts of Professional Ethics

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Course Study Guide 1: Philosophy, the Nature of Man, Multi-dimensional Health Concepts, Ethics vs. Morality, Human Acts, Conscience, and Professional Nursing Ethics.

Modern Pathways Conceptual Framework

A dynamic conceptual framework for integrated understanding designed for Health Ethics Module 1, connecting foundational philosophy, nature of man, holistic health, ethical theories, and professional nursing ethics.

Customs

Acts approved and accepted by a specific group or society (e.g., custom of giving gifts).

Practice

A regularly followed procedure or operational pattern in conducting an activity (e.g., military salute to a superior).

Etiquette

Social observances and behavioral requirements dictated by good breeding and decorum (e.g., table manners).

Ethics (Moral Philosophy)

Derived from the Greek word ethos ('character'). The branch of philosophy that studies right vs. wrong or good vs. evil in human conduct, serving as a systematic, rational framework to determine why an action is morally right or wrong.

Morality

The practical, contextual application of personal or group principles regarding right and wrong behavior.

Human Act

The deliberate exercise of intellect and will performed knowingly, freely, and voluntarily with moral responsibility.

Acts of Man

Involuntary, instinctive, or physiological acts performed without deliberate use of intellect, full knowledge, or free consent.

Conscience

The personal practical judgment of reason upon a particular individual act as good and thus to be performed or as evil and thus to be avoided.

Professional Ethics

Moral conduct, standards, and rules governing a specific profession and its members to ensure integrity, manage workplace pressure and task risks, and guide decision-making.

Applied Ethics

Practical, normative inquiry into everyday real-world issues and policies (e.g., bioethics, business, law) where absolute answers may not exist, serving as a tool for decision-making and accountability.

Philosophy

Etymologically derived from the Greek words philo ('love') and sophia ('wisdom'), philosophy is the rational and systematic attempt to understand reality as a whole.

Self-Interest

A dimension of existence focused on individual well-being and personal growth.

Humanity-Interest

A dimension of existence focused on concern for social harmony, community welfare, and the common good.

Life-Interest

A dimension of existence focused on respect for all ecological systems and living entities.

Biophilia

The natural human drive to affiliate with other life forms and natural environments.

The Tripartite Self

An integrated framework of the human person consisting of three interconnected dimensions: Body (Physical), Mind (Mental/Intellectual), and Spirit (Spiritual).

Body (Physical)

The biological organization and sensory systems that allow interaction with the material environment.

Mind (Mental/Intellectual)

The seat of cognitive, rational thought, judgment, and volitional decision-making.

Spirit (Spiritual)

The seat of purpose, values, conscious life, self-transcendence, and moral awareness.

Human Organic Faculties

The systemic organizational division of human sensory faculties into External Senses and Internal Senses.

Nutritional/Protective Senses

External senses including smell, taste, and touch that maintain biological survival and nutrition.

Cognitive Senses

External senses including hearing and sight that acquire higher-order informational and contextual data.

Consciousness (Internal Sense)

Awareness of raw sensation and the real-time operation of external senses.

Imagination

The internal sense faculty of reproducing mental images of objects even in their physical absence.

Memory

The internal sense ability to retain and recall past experiences, states of awareness, and learned data.

Instinct

Inherent biological drives oriented toward self-preservation and well-being.

Emotional Perception

Awareness of goods and threats through emotional responses.

Intellectual Reasoning & Free Will

The capacity to weigh evidence, judge truth, and make uncoerced choices.

Biomedical Model (Narrow Perspective of Health)

Defines health strictly as the absence of disease, disability, or physiological dysfunction, viewing the human body mechanically as requiring physical repair through clinical procedures.

Holistic WHO Model (Broader Perspective of Health)

Defined by the World Health Organization as 'a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.'

Six Dimensions of Health

A comprehensive assessment model evaluating human health across interconnected Physical, Social, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, and Environmental dimensions.

Physical Dimension of Health

Optimal biological functioning, routine physical activity, nutrition, rest, and avoidance of harmful substances.

Social Dimension of Health

Building meaningful relationships, maintaining support networks, and fostering a genuine sense of belonging.

Intellectual Dimension of Health

Engaging in active learning, critical thinking, creative expression, and expanding personal knowledge.

Emotional Dimension of Health

Processing life challenges adaptively, managing stress, and expressing feelings appropriately.

Spiritual Dimension of Health

Cultivating a sense of purpose, meaning, inner peace, and ethical alignment in life.

Environmental Dimension of Health

Living and working in safe, clean, and supportive environments, while actively protecting ecosystems.

Cultural Relativism (Ethical Critique)

The view that morality is based solely on prevailing group consensus, which ethics critiques because uncritically accepting group norms can enable systemic abuses.

Four Characteristics of Ethics

Ethics is Practical (guides behavior), Scientific (systematic body of knowledge), Moral (rational principles of ideal conduct), and Human Conduct-Oriented (evaluates deliberate choices).

Human Conduct Classification

The division of human activity into Human Acts (deliberate, moral, voluntary actions executed with knowledge and free will) versus Acts of Man (indeliberate, instinctive, involuntary actions).

Object (The Means)

The primary indicator of morality in a human act, referring to what the will wants to carry out by its specific action.

Intention (The Goal/End)

The end or purpose pursued in an action; governed by the rule that a good goal cannot make an intrinsically evil act good.

Circumstance (Secondary Factors)

Secondary elements (who, where, when, consequences) that alter the degree of moral goodness or evil and responsibility without transforming an intrinsically evil act into a good one.

Id

The component of Freud's structure of the psyche driven by basic biological instincts and sensory pleasure.

Ego

The component of Freud's structure of the psyche operating on reality and rational mediation.

Superego

The component of Freud's structure of the psyche representing internal morality, rules, and social expectations.

Heteronomous Conscience

A type of conscience bound strictly to external rules, laws, community prohibitions, and command obligations, leaving minimal room for personal evaluation.

Autonomous Conscience

A type of conscience that is totally subjective and based on internal acquired values, ignoring external laws to determine right and wrong independently.

Antecedent Actual Conscience

The moral judgment process occurring before performing an action.

Concomitant Actual Conscience

Real-time moral awareness of responsibility while executing an act.

Consequent Actual Conscience

Reflective evaluation of moral responsibility after an act has been completed.

The Golden Rule

General moral principle stating: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Principle of Totality

General moral principle stating that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, governing bodily integrity and surgical interventions.

Epikia

General moral principle allowing an exception to the rule when applying the strict letter of a law violates its spirit or causes gross harm.

Agency Responsibility

General moral principle holding that one who acts as an agent or instrument for an action shares in the responsibility.

Substance of an Act

General moral principle stating that a little more or a little less does not alter the core moral substance of an act.

Force Majeure

General moral principle dictating that no one is held accountable for impossible demands beyond human capability.

Branches of Ethics

The taxonomy of ethics categorized into Meta-Ethics, Descriptive Ethics, Normative Ethics, and Applied Ethics (including Bioethics, Medical, Nursing, and Legal/Business Ethics).

Meta-Ethics

Investigates the origins, nature, and meaning of ethical principles, analyzing whether moral truths are objective laws or human constructs.

Descriptive Ethics

An empirical, observational study of people's actual moral beliefs and cultural behaviors.

Normative Ethics

Focuses on establishing foundational standards, frameworks, and rules to determine what actions ought to be done.

Bioethics

A field of applied ethics studying moral principles governing life, biological sciences, and healthcare practices.

Medical Ethics

A field of applied ethics regulating diagnostic, therapeutic, and clinical medical decisions.

Nursing (Virginia Henderson's Definition)

'The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery (or to peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge. And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible.'

Core Ethical Domains of Nursing

The foundational framework of nursing ethics encompassing Trust & Caring Relation, Integrated Clinical/Ethical Decisions, Advocacy & Human Dignity, Codes of Professional Conduct, and Contemporary Bioethical Challenges.

Hierarchical Nursing Ethics Framework

The conceptual hierarchy demonstrating how Universal Ethics informs Professional Ethics and Nursing Ethics, flowing down into Clinical Practice, Professional Codes, and Patient Advocacy.

Moral Distress in Nursing

The psychological and ethical state experienced when nurses know the ethically correct action to take but are hindered by institutional constraints, legal policies, or provider conflicts.