Vocab
Advanced Directives
are legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes.
Hippocratic Oath
historical document that sets ethical guidelines for physicians.
Legal Standards
are the laws and regulations that a society creates to enforce ethical principles.
Subjectivism
Believes moral truths are relative and depend on individuals or cultures.
Faith
Belief without evidence
Moral Subjectivism
based on an individual person's perspective of what is right or wrong.
Whistleblowing
Reporting unethical or illegal practices within a healthcare organization.
Professionalism
builds on this foundation of ethics by establishing specific ethical codes of conduct expected within different professions.
Objectivism
Believes there are universal moral truths that exist independently of individuals or cultures.
Utilitarianism
Greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Conflicts of Interest—Example
Situations where a healthcare professional's personal interests or financial ties could influence their professional judgment.(i.e., a doctor recommending a specific treatment because they receive a commission)
Morality vs Ethics
Morality as our personal compass for right and wrong, shaped by our background and values. Religion, with its belief systems and moral codes, often plays a major role in shaping individual morality.
Ethics, a branch of philosophy, takes a more systematic approach to morality. It asks philosophical questions about what justifies our actions and how to create a just society.
Ethical Citizenship
This means upholding values that benefit everyone, while respecting the rights of others, even those with different beliefs.
Law
A system of rules and regulations enforced by the government, with penalties for violations.
Confidentiality
Protects patient privacy and trust, allowing for open communication and better healthcare outcomes.
Autonomy
(patient's right to make choices)
Teleological and Deontological
Teleological ethics determines the goodness or badness of an action by examining its consequences whereas deontological ethics determines the goodness or badness of the action by examining the action itself.
Citizenship as Responsibility
It's not just about rights, but also about actively participating in shaping a fair and just society.
Why ethical and legal standards are important?
Deontology
There are universal moral duties and rights that should be followed regardless of consequences.
Deontology states that an act that is not good morally can lead to something good, such as shooting the intruder (killing is wrong) to protect your family (protecting them is right).
Normative Ethics
Explores principles to guide our actions.
Beneficence vs Non-Maleficence vs Justice
Atheism vs Theism and Rational vs. Arational
God does not exist vs. God does exist
Need support and evidence vs. belief w/o evidence
Explain the three concepts of violence.
1. Force (application of force)
2. More than just force (excessive force)
3. Structural (sexism; homophobia)
4. Psychological Violence (domestic violence)
Meta-Ethics
Examines the nature of morality itself (i.e., Is morality objective: based on facts that can be observed, measured, and verified or subjective: Based on personal opinions, feelings, experiences, and interpretations. Varies from person to person?