Moral Theories - Review

Moral Theories - Review Rels 300 / Nurs 330 – 9 October 2013 300/330 - appleby

RELATIVISM: 2 FORMS ETHICAL RELATIVISM: Whatever is culturally acceptable in your society is right. If it is culturally unacceptable, then it is immoral or wrong. DO NOT USE THESE THEORIES THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR MAKING DECISIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF HEALTH CARE 300/330 - appleby ETHICAL SUBJECTIVISM: If you feel good and right about something, then it is a moral act. If you feel bad about something, then it is immoral or wrong

UTILITARIANISM • An act is moral if it brings more good consequences than bad ones. • “We are to do the thing that will provide the greatest amount of pleasure and the least amount of pain to the greatest number of people” • Morally right actions promote happiness • Morally wrong actions lead to unhappiness (or pain, or privation of pleasure) • The happiness of all people is to be considered equally • No action is inherently good or evil (apart from its consequences) 300/330 - appleby

Utilitarianism checklist: • What is the action to be evaluated? • No action is intrinsically right or wrong • What would be the good consequences? • How certain are the good consequences? • What would be the bad consequences? • How likely is it that they would occur? • How extensive are the bad consequences? • Are there alternative possible actions? • Perform same calculation for these actions • Make a decision: What action will minimize harm and maximize benefit for the greatest number of people? 300/330 - appleby

DEONTOLOGY An act is right if it conforms to a moral rule. It is your duty to do what is right. You would approve of this rule of conduct being one that every other person would also follow. An act cannot be judged by its consequences. Do not use people for your own ends (or goals, or purposes, or to get what you want). Respect people as ends in themselves Every rational person has an inherent worth and dignity that is equal to that of every other being 300/330 - appleby

VIRTUE ETHICS Virtue = a strength of character that promotes human well-being (self and others) often in a social context • Virtues are “habitual patterns” – characteristic ways of being and acting • What kind of person should I be? What character traits do I value and want to develop? • What kind of community do I want to foster? • How can I promote human well-being, or human flourishing, within the context of my life-span? • What leads to consistency or integrity within my own experiences of perceptions, feelings and actions? 300/330 - appleby

“Natural Law” has 2 main components or elements: RATIONALITY and TELEOLOGY Aristotle’s Virtue Theory is a form of“Natural Law” theory • RATIONALITY • Morality is grounded in the human capacity for reasoning / intelligence • Humans are free and autonomous • Make own choices & carry them out • TELEOLOGY • Natural law is embedded in the nature of the universe • Everything in the universe has its own natural purpose or end • discovered, not created, by people 300/330 - appleby

When natural law is adopted within a religious framework, the belief is that the telosof human existence is rooted in GodGod created universe and personsGod’s purposes are inscribed in natureGod’s moral law rooted in creation Catholic moral theology = natural law + faith + teachings of the Church • Natural law is rooted in God’s creation • Every creature has goals or purposes that are ordained by God • God’s law is eternal and unchanging • All human persons are capable of discerning God’s natural law – through their rationality • Conscience of the faithful is formed by knowing and following this revelation, guided & interpreted by the Church 300/330 - appleby

FEMINIST ETHICS Feminist ethics affirms that women are as valuable and capable as men • Both men and women should be treated as equals • Neither should oppress or dominate the other • Both are deserving of justice rather than discrimination or privilege • Every individual (and therefore every profession) has an obligation to take responsible action to eliminate forms of systematic inequity and oppression Social justice is grounded in four key ideas: 1) fairness; 2) the relative position or social advantage of individuals and groups in society; 3) an understanding of the root causes of inequities in society; and 4) taking action to eliminate inequities. 300/330 - appleby

CARE ETHICS Moral obligations arise out of our relationships with others and our mutual duties of caring What does it mean to be “caring” • caring = being attentive to the needs of others • respect = sustained attention and response to needs of patients & their families Ethical choices are made within a context of relationships: • With differentials in power • With particular vulnerabilities • With a need to advocate for the most vulnerable 300/330 - appleby

What is NURSING ETHICS? FEMINIST ETHICS (commitment to gender equality and social justice) + CARE ETHICS (caring attention to the needs of patients, families and colleagues while being an advocate for the most vulnerable) = NURSING ETHICS 300/330 - appleby

THE MORAL THEORIES 300/330 appleby • UTILITARIANISM • DEONTOLOGY (DUTY) • VIRTUE • NATURAL LAW • FEMINIST / CARE / NURSING ETHICS

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH CARE ETHICS • AUTONOMY • respect the right of competent persons to make their own decisions without external restraints or manipulation • respect the personal dignity and worth of persons • BENEFICENCE • What action does the patient believe will promote her own well-being? • NON-MALEFICENCE • refrain from injuring or inflicting harm • minimize the pain and suffering caused by disease and medical treatment • JUSTICE • ensure fair treatment of patients • prevent prejudice, discrimination or bias 300/330 - appleby

Moral Theories - Review