Flashcards
Applied Ethics: Abortion and Euthanasia
Cards in this deck (17)
- 1What is Natural Law Legal Theory?That the authority of legal standards derives, in part, from the moral merit of those standards. Also known as the Overlap Thesis.
- 2Name two historical figures who were adherents to the Natural Law Legal Theory.Thomas Jefferson
MLK - 3What are some competing viewpoints about the role of the state?1. To protect the state's existence or values
2. To protect its citizens from others or from themselves
3. To enforce what is morally correct - 4What are some competing viewpoints about where the law gets its authority?1. Moral considerations
2. Its ability to motivate (by reason or by threat of punishment)
3. Support from its adherents - 5Who put forward the "future like ours" argument for the immorality of abortion?Don Marquis
- 6What is the "future like ours" argument?"What makes killing any adult human being prima facie seriously wrong is the loss of his [or her] other future." This reasoning applies just as well to foetus's as to adult humans, if not more so.
- 7What are some possible objections to the "future like ours" argument?How is the foetus different from the sperm and egg in this respect?
Also, maybe the premise about what makes killing primarily wrong is wrong. - 8What might feminist ethics say about abortion?1. Gilligan: women are more inclined to ignore their own desires in preference for others, so should be alleviated of all social pressure with regard to abortion.
2. A woman's relationship with a foetus is the closest, most emotionally bound relationship. If a woman is comfortable with the decision, knowing its implications, then surely this is enough.
3. Compassionate ethics are of equal value to reason-based or judiciary ethics. - 9What does Christian ethics have to say about abortion?Nothing explicitly in the Bible.
Catholic Church: life begins from fertilisation, and all human life is sacred (we are made in God's image) etc.
Protestants: sometimes accept that circumstances can make abortion permissible. - 10What are some questions to ask when evaluating the success of a moral theory in dealing with abortion?1. Does it provide clear moral guidance?
2. What is the range and extremity of the circumstances which it can provide guidance for?
3. Does it provide guidance without contradiction?
4. Does it allow for the fact that intelligent disagreement exists on the core questions?
5. Does it make sense of our moral intuitions?
6. Does it cater for what is unique about the topic?
7. Does it shed light or provide a new consideration for the current context of the discussion? - 11What might an existentialist say about abortion?1. To not succumb to the temptation to appeal to authorities for making this choice; this would be acting in bad faith.
2. Unlikely that the foetus has freedom that needs to be respected, since the foetus is incapable of making choices that define it. - 12What is the debate over paternalism?When can a person be forced to do something for their own good?
- 13What is Dworkin's criterion for the acceptability of paternalism?When a future version of you would accept what you did.
- 14What are some arguments against euthanasia?1. Cannot be sure that illness is terminal
2. Some people are not in the right frame of mind for making this decision
3. We would try to stop someone from committing suicide
4. Permitting/legalising euthanasia would result in undesirable social change, or changes in the medical establishment
5. It is fundamentally wrong (according to some deontological theory)
6. The law can't cater for the required subtlety
7. Having a "right to die" might imply a "duty to kill" - 15How can Kantian ethics be applied to the question of abortion?Abortion is morally good if it is done out of duty. Considerations:
1. Is abortion universalizable? Under what maxim do we act when we choose to abort?
2. Is the foetus a person? If so, then he/she must be treated as an end in themselves.
3. Is the foetus using the mother as a mere means? - 16"The unborn human being's right to live is one of the inalienable human rights." Who said this?Pope John Paul II (1985)
- 17Does NLT provide clear moral guidance on the question of abortion, and is it without contradiction?Clear guidance:
"preserve life"—abortion is wrong
"reproduce"—sex must be open to conception
BUT:
Using doctrine of double effect, "preserve life" might support choice to abort, if doing so will save the mother's life, with the death of the foetus being a foreseen but unintended consequence. The categorical condemnation of abortion might also conflict with other precepts such as to nurture/educate the young.
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- Pre-U Philosophy Pre-U (Paper 3) Flashcards on Applied Ethics: Abortion and Euthanasia, created by muon neutrino on 18/02/2018.
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