Midterm Study Guide PDF

Preview

Summary

Study guide for the midterm exam, topics include: Intro to ethics and Euthanasia
Teacher: james gormak ...

Description

Ethics Midterm Exam Study Guide Not all of this will be on the exam but any of it is fair game.

Terminology Know the following terminology and be able to recognize them or give an example of them: Proposition Soundness Argument Necessary/sufficient conditions Validity

Intro To Ethics Know what it means to say ethics is objective and nonobjective and the benefits/problems for each. According to ethical nihilism, what are we doing when we make what we think are ethical claims? Be able to give a couple reasons why we might be inclined to accept ethical nihilism (Hint: see Mackie). Be able to explain what deontology is and what consequentialism is (as well as utilitarianism), how each theory works, and what the basis of morality is for each of them. Be able to explain what the problem is with each theory. What is Kant’s categorical imperative and what does it mean? Know what virtue ethics is and what it is concerned with. How is this different than what other ethical theories are concerned with? Know the role that character, virtue, and eudaimonia play in virtue ethics. Know the three objections we discussed with virtue theory.

Euthanasia Know the various kinds of euthanasia (voluntary, involuntary, nonvoluntary, assisted, unassisted, active, passive) Know what The Traditional View of euthanasia holds. Be aware of the killing/letting die distinction.

Know Rachels’ reasons (and the argument for each) for why he thinks the killing/letting die distinction is irrelevant to the moral permissibility of euthanizations. Know Sullivan’s distinction between ordinary and extraordinary means of treatment as well as intentional and nonintentional termination of life. How does he use these distinctions to argue that passive euthanasia is sometimes morally permissible but active euthanasia is almost never morally permissible? Also know Rachels’ response to Sullivan. Know Potts’ legal and moral position on euthanasia. Know the nine bad consequences Potts gives that he claims will result if euthanasia is institutionalized. Be familiar with what having the “right to die” could amount to and in what sense Potts is willing to grant people have a “right to die”. Know Velleman’s argument for why euthanasia should not be legalized....