Bioethics Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts and cases in bioethics.

What is Radcliffe Richards' main argument regarding organ donation?

We should allow more ways for people to donate organs to save lives, with fewer restrictive rules.

What is a key point from Arras's 'A Case Approach'?

Ethical problems should be solved using real-life examples in a 'bottom-up' approach.

According to Burton, what did Dax Cowart's case demonstrate?

Patients have the right to refuse treatment, even if it leads to death; autonomy is paramount.

What is Sinnott-Armstrong & Miller's main argument about killing?

Killing is wrong because it causes the loss of abilities, not just life itself.

What do Roberts argue is the primary cause of racial health disparities?

Racism and inequality, not biology or genetics.

What are the four principles of Beauchamp's Principlism in Bioethics?

Respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice.

According to Young, what is autonomy in the context of medical choices?

Making decisions based on your own values, free from coercion.

What are the three requirements for informed consent?

Competence, understanding the information, and freedom to choose.

What was the primary purpose of the Nuremberg Code?

To prevent Nazi-style atrocities and improve ethical standards in human research.

What was a major ethical violation in the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments?

Violation of informed consent and basic human rights; patients were not treated for syphilis.

What was the ethical issue in the Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Study?

Elderly patients were injected with live cancer cells without their informed consent to study how weakened bodies fight cancer.

What was the significance of the Karen Ann Quinlan case?

It was the first major U.S. case about the right to refuse life support, establishing legal and ethical standards for end-of-life decisions.

What did Brittany Maynard's case emphasize regarding end-of-life decisions?

Autonomy, dignity, and control in dying; she advocated for Death with Dignity laws.

Why did the Jahi McMath case spark controversy?

It raised questions about how we determine when someone is really dead, particularly in cases of brain death.

What right did Elizabeth Bouvia argue for in her case?

The right to refuse treatment, specifically the right to stop being force-fed through a feeding tube.

What is the central idea of consequentialism?

The rightness or wrongness of an action depends only on its outcomes (consequences).

What defines utilitarianism as a type of consequentialism?

The right action is the one that produces the most happiness (or well-being) for the most people.

What are the four basic moral principles used in principlism?

Autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.

What is the difference between casuistry and principlism in bioethics?

Casuistry is a 'bottom-up' approach starting with cases, while principlism is a 'top-down' approach starting with ethical theories.

What are the three conditions for informed consent to be valid?

Competence, understanding and appreciation of information, and voluntariness.

Name three exceptions to the requirement of informed consent.

Emergency, waiver, and therapeutic privilege.

Explain the Doctrine of Double Effect.

Doing something good can be okay even if it causes harm, as long as the harm is not intended and the good effect is greater.

What is the difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide?

In euthanasia, the doctor actively ends the patient’s life. In physician-assisted suicide, the doctor provides the means, but the patient takes the final action.

List Beauchamp and Childress's four major principles of morality.

Respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice.

What does the concept of 'social construction' mean in relation to race?

Race is a socially constructed category with no deep biological meaning.

What is the difference between normative and descriptive statements?

Descriptive says what is, while normative says what should be.

Which of the following is NOT one of the principles in the principlism framework: a. Nonmaleficence b. Justice c. Informed consent d. Beneficence

C. Informed Consent

Which of the following is NOT a bedside principle, that is, it is not applied in the one-on-one interaction of clinician and patient? a. Nonmaleficence b. Justice c. Respect for autonomy d. Beneficence

B. Justice

Arras contrasts casuistry with principlism saying it is a bottom up approach rather than top down. What does this mean?

Casuistry starts with cases and works toward principles

The distinction between doing and allowing says:

Causing harm X is morally worse than merely allowing harm X to come

The Doctrine of Double Effect says:

this means that doing something good can be okay even if it also causes harm, as long as the harm was not intended and the good effect is greater.

What does Radclifee-Richards argue about organ donation?

We should have a default presumption in favor of organ donation; deviations from this default warrant justification.

What is directed donation?

When the organ donor specifies whom they would like to receive the organ.

Social constructionism about race says:

Race is a socially constructed construct with no meaningful biological reality

Biological race realism/race naturalism says:

Race are real, discrete biological categories that humans fit into

What is a social determinant of health? What are some examples?

Social Determinants of Health are everyday factors like where you live, work, learn, and how much money you make that affect your health. Examples include discrimination, access to healthcare, your job, education, and housing.

How does casuistry differ from principlism in ethical decision-making?

Casuistry starts with real-life cases and builds general ideas (bottom-up), while principlism starts with main ethical rules and applies them to cases (top-down).

Provide examples of normative and descriptive statements.

Normative: Says what should or shouldn't happen (e.g., 'You shouldn't litter.'). Descriptive: Describes facts with no opinion (e.g., 'There is trash on the ground.').

List the four principles of bioethics.

Autonomy: People can choose their own medical care. Beneficence: Help others and do good. Nonmaleficence: Don't cause harm. Justice: Be fair to everyone.

Explain the difference between 'doing' and 'allowing' in ethical terms.

Doing: You act and cause something. Allowing: You let something happen by not acting. Doing is usually seen as worse.

What is 'reflective equilibrium' in the context of ethical decision-making?

Balancing all principles to make the most fair and logical ethical choice.

What is 'specification' in ethical decision-making?

Making general principles more specific for each case and deciding how much each principle applies in a situation.

Define 'paternalism' in the context of healthcare.

When doctors make decisions for the patient instead of letting them decide.

Explain the concept of 'justice' as a population-level principle.

Justice is about treating all groups fairly and not discriminating.

Name the three essential components of informed consent.

Competence - mentally able to decide, Understanding - understands info, Voluntariness - not pressured by medical staff

List three exceptions to the requirement of informed consent.

Emergency - no time to ask, Waiver - patient gives up the choice, Therapeutic privilege - info is held back to prevent harm

What is a common critique of casuistry?

It's seen as too focused on the past and may stop progress.

What is Arras's argument in favor of casuistry?

He argues casuistry uses reasoning people understand, not strict logic.

What was Dax Coward's case centrally about?

A patient’s right to refuse life saving treatment

What was the Elizabeth Bouvia case centrally about?

a patients right to request physician assisted death