Practical EthicsPractical Ethics

Introduction to practical ethical issues and philosophical concepts.

What is Practical Ethics?What is Practical Ethics?• An area of moral philosophy looking at

specific problems such as euthanasia,

war, medical research and so on.

The specificationThe specification• Candidates should be able to describe and explain the

ethical issues that arise in the specified areas of medical ethics. Some basic knowledge of the law and of medical procedures will be necessary for an adequate understanding of these issues, but the emphasis of the questions will be on religious and ethical issues. They should understand the concepts of sanctity of life, personhood, rights and consent, in relation to these issues.

• Candidates should be able to apply the ethical theories and religious ethics they have studied in this unit and in the Foundation unit to issues arising in the areas of medical ethics specified. They should be able to show how application of these theories might lead to different conclusions. They should be able to consider these different approaches in relation to medical ethics.

The exam - example questionsThe exam - example questionsa) Explain how a relative morality might be

applied to euthanasiab) ‘One set of moral principles should apply to all

societies’. Discuss a) Explain how Natural Law could be applied to

embryo researchb) ‘A Natural Law approach to embryo research

does society more harm than good’. Discussa) Explain what is meant by the sanctity of lifeb) ‘All life is sacred and should preserved in all

circumstances’. Discuss

Concepts / issuesConcepts / issues - Rights - RightsThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights;• Human beings are born free and equal with the

right to life, liberty, freedom of thought and belief (United Nations 1948)

• A right is the freedom to do something without being restrained.

• They impose a duty on someone else to honour the right.

• Do people’s rights differ? On what grounds?• Do rights extend to the foetus? How do we

decide who or what has rights?

Freedom / LibertyFreedom / Liberty

• How far can we interfere with the freedom of another?

• John Stuart Mill argued that we only have the right to interfere if a persons action directly or indirectly harms another person. (On Liberty 1859)

Personhood / PersonsPersonhood / Persons

• John Locke ‘a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing in different times and places.’ (1984)

• Philosophers generally agree that the notion of a person is characterised by rationality and self-consciousness.

Purpose & PotentialityPurpose & Potentiality

• Are all things designed for a purpose and if so is it wrong to interfere with that purpose?

• Should we consider the potential something has even if it has not reached it yet?

Sanctity of LifeSanctity of Life• All life is sacred and should be preserved.• Often used as a religious argument - all life

was created by God and belongs to him.

Quality of LifeQuality of Life• Standard of living (health and happiness).

• How do we judge the quality of someone’s life?

• When is someone’s quality of life too poor to continuing living?

• Can we improve the quality for one by using another?

Sentience / ConsciousnessSentience / Consciousness• The ability to perceive.

• The ability to experience pleasure and pain.

• A type of consciousness we all share. Awareness of things around you.

• Acquired by the foetus between 20 – 24 weeks (note abortion is legal in the UK up until 24 weeks)

Slippery Slope problemSlippery Slope problem

• Permitting one act opens the ‘flood gates’ for other and more serious acts to be permitted.

Other conceptsOther concepts

• Dignity

• Consent

• Compassion

Applying the principles of Applying the principles of normative theoriesnormative theories

• SITUATION ETHICSDoing the most ‘loving’ thing. • NATURAL LAWPurpose, rules, scripture, reason.• VIRTUE ETHICSIdentifying and practicing virtues, GoldenMeanKeeping in mind the strengths & weaknesses of each theory and how practical they are.