PHIL242: MEDICAL ETHICS SUM2014, M-F, 9:40-10:40, SAV 156 INSTRUCTOR: BENJAMIN HOLE OFFICE HOURS: M-F, 10:40-11  EMAIL: BVHOLE@UW.EDU

Agenda Admin Questions Clicker Quiz The lay of the land: textbook terminology Classic thought experiments Introduction to ethical theories Tomorrow: continue and focus on ethical theory Friday: ethical theory, and religion and culture

Admin Questions Textbook Supplementary Readings Writing Assignment Course Reserves Supplementary Readings Writing Assignment Clickers

QUIZ Please set your Turning Technology Clicker to channel 41 Press “Ch”, then “41”, then “Ch”

A deductive argument is intended to give Probable support to its conclusion Inductive support to its conclusion Logically conclusive support to its conclusion Logically inconclusive support to its conclusion B & C

The misrepresentation of views so they can be more easily attacked is known as Begging the question fallacy The straw man fallacy Appeal to ignorance fallacy The under-representation of views fallacy Modus Ponens Modus Tollens

The overriding of a person’s actions or decision-making for his or her own good is known as Paternalism Beneficence Autonomy Utility Deontology Justice

The lay of the land Textbook terminology

The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value) “The two main concepts of ethics are those of the right and the good” (Rawls, A Theory of Justice, 24). The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value)

Obligations and Values Obligations concern our duty—our actions. Values concern things (people, experiences, states of affairs, etc.) we judge to be morally good, bad, praiseworthy, or blameworthy. Actions are morally right or wrong. The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value)

The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value) Value Base Moral Theory Duty Based Moral Theory takes the good as primary (and derives the right from the good). takes the right as primary (and derives the good from the right). The Right (Duty) & The Good (Value)

Ethics and Bioethics Ethical Theory —The study of morality using the tools and methods of philosophy. Metaethics —The study of the meaning and justification of basic moral beliefs. Applied ethics —The use of moral norms and concepts to resolve practical moral issues. Bioethics —Applied ethics focused on health care, medical research, and medical technology.

Moral Principles An absolute principle applies without exceptions. “if and only if” A prima facie principle applies in all cases unless an exception is warranted.

Principles in Bioethics Autonomy “autonomous persons should be allowed to exercise their capacity for self- determination” (9) Beneficence “we should do good to others and avoid doing them harm” (10) Utility “we should produce the most favorable balance of good over bad (or benefit over harm) for all concerned” (11) Justice “people getting what is fair or what is their due” (12)

Classic Thought Experiments Trolley Problem Reluctant Donor Case

Would you turn the trolley? Yes No

Trolley Problem

The Reluctant Organ Donor “A brilliant transplant surgeon has five patients, each in need of a different organ, each of whom will die without that organ. Unfortunately, there are no organs available to perform any of these five transplant operations. A healthy young traveler, just passing through the city the doctor works in, comes in for a routine checkup. In the course of doing the checkup, the doctor discovers that his organs are compatible with all five of his dying patients. Suppose further that if the young man were to disappear, no one would suspect the doctor. Do you support the morality of the doctor to kill that tourist and provide his healthy organs to those five dying persons and save their lives ?” Judith Jarvis Thomson, The Trolley Problem, 94 Yale Law Journal 1395-1415 (1985)

Do you support the morality of the doctor to kill that tourist and provide his healthy organs to those five dying persons and save their lives ? Yes No

Construct Arguments MoPo 1. If A, then B. 2. A 3. Therefore, B MoTo 2. Not-B 3. Therefore, Not-A Syllogism 1. All As are Bs 2. C is an A 3. Therefore, C is a B

Construct Arguments A moral argument is one whose conclusion is a moral statement. A moral argument has (1) at least one moral premise and (2) at least one non-moral premise.

Introduction to Ethical Theory

Moral/Ethical Theory An explanation of why an action is right or wrong or why a person or a person’s character is good or bad Explain the necessary and sufficient conditions which make an action that makes it right “if and only if” Moral theories alone are not the ultimate authority in moral deliberations. Moral deliberations involve both the general and the particular—theory, principles, and considered judgments.

Consequentialism Asserts that the rightness of actions depends solely on their consequences “Right action is to be understood entirely in terms of the overall intrinsic value of the consequences of the action compared to the overall intrinsic value of the of the consequences associated with alternative actions an agent might perform instead. An action is right if and only if (and because) its consequences would be at least as good as the consequences of any alternative action that the agent might instead perform.” (Timmons, MTP)

Consequentialism Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Construct Arguments MoPo 1. If A, then B. 2. A 3. Therefore, B MoTo 2. Not-B 3. Therefore, Not-A Syllogism 1. All As are Bs 2. C is an A 3. Therefore, C is a B

Criticize Arguments Argument 1. 2. 3. Therefore, Counterargument 1. 2. 3. Therefore, X premise is false