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Classwork Literature & Language Coursework Research

Coursework Instructions:

Part I: Beauchamp and Childress (10 points)


INSTRUCTIONS: Select ONE of the following ethical cases to analyze using Beachamp and Childress’ four principle approach. 2 paragraphs (5-8 sentences each paragraph) should suffice for your response.

In your analysis, be sure to discuss all of the following points:


●       The principles in conflict in the scenario (respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, or justice) and a brief definition of the principles in question;

●       Your solution to the moral dilemma and your reasoning for coming to that conclusion;

●       A final assessment of the principle approach. Is the principle approach helpful for making ethical decisions in health care? What are some issues with the application of the principle approach in this particular case?

 

CASE #1: THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESS: In the first scenario, that of the “standard” Jehovah’s Witness case, a competent adult patient loses a massive amount of blood from a blood vessel bleeding in an acute duodenal ulcer. The best chance of saving his life is an urgent blood transfusion along with operative intervention to arrest the bleeding. The patient refuses blood but asks for treatment instead with the best available non-blood products, and surgery, accepting the substantial risk that surgery without blood transfusion is much less likely to save his life than surgery with blood transfusion.


CASE #2: THE CHILD OF A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS: A 2-year old infant has lost a massive amount of blood in a road accident and again the best chance of saving the child’s life is an urgent blood transfusion and operative intervention to arrest the bleeding. Both the child’s parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses and refuse to give permission for a blood transfusion, requesting instead that the best available non-blood products are used to restore volume and that surgery is carried out without blood. They understand that this will be a far more dangerous course of action than surgery plus blood transfusion but persist in refusing permission for a blood transfusion for their child. The surgeon in charge tells them there is no time to argue about the issue, and he is cross matching blood for transfusion and will administer the blood against the parent’s instructions in order to save the child’s life. He has instructed the hospital’s lawyer to try to obtain urgent court approval of his action, and they are welcome to argue their case with the court but he intends to transfuse the child unless a rapid decision by a judge forbidding him to do so is produced in time to prevent him.

 

Part II: Pellegrino and Thomasma (5 points)

INSTRUCTIONS: Select ONE question to answer. Provide as much detail as possible in your response and be sure to make reference to the text to support your claims. 1 paragraph (5-8 sentences) should suffice for your response.

  1. What is Thomasma and Pellegrino’s critique of the principle approach? Do you agree with their criticisms, why or why not?
  2. How do Pellegrino and Thomasma define medical temperance? How is their definition similar to and/or different from Aristotle’s definition of temperance?
  3. According to Pellegrino and Thomasma, why is having the virtue of temperance so important for a physician? Describe an instance where the quality of temperance would be useful for a physician who is assessing the potential benefits and harms of medical intervention - for instance, in the case of a child, a disabled elderly person, a mentally ill person, or a self-destructive person.

Part III: Plato and Aristotle (15 points

INSTRUCTIONS: Select THREE questions to answer. Provide as much detail as possible in your response and be sure to make reference to the text to support your claims. 1 paragraph (5-8 sentences) should suffice for each of your responses.


  1. According to Aristotle, what is the relationship between happiness and virtue?

  2. Describe Aristotle's doctrine of the mean in Nic. Ethics. How might introspection help us to reach the mean state?

  3. According to Aristotle, how is virtue related to vice? Use one of the character virtues as an example in your response (e.g., temperance, bravery, friendliness, generosity, truthfulness).

  4. According to Aristotle, how does the virtue of temperance contribute to physical health?

  5. According to Plato, how does the virtue of justice contribute to psychological health?

  6. According to Plato, what are the three parts of the soul? What is the ideal constitution of the soul with respect to these parts? What happens to a person when these parts are organized in alternative ways?


Coursework Sample Content Preview:
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Course
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Class Work
Part I
Scenario 2
In the second scenario, the surgeon decides to transfuse blood to the child against the parents’ instruction. In accordance with the principle of autonomy, the surgeon has a moral obligation to do so. Autonomy is an ethical principle that gives an agent the capacity to act with respect to his/her objective morality (Jahn). Therefore, this gives the surgeon the right to transfuse blood to the child in pursuit of saving the child’s life despite the fact that the child’s parents are against it. Autonomy gives health care practitioners the right to make their own choice in pursuit of achieving the best quality of care. With respect to beneficence, the surgeon is also right in the decision he made. Beneficence is the moral obligation to act out of mercy and kindness for other’s benefit (Jahn). The surgeon decides to act against the child’s parents’ will to save the child, who is in danger. Health care workers can act out of mercy and kindness to improve patient outcomes.
According to nonmaleficence, it holds that an individual has an obligation not to inflict harm on others. It propagates that one should not cause an offense, pain, or suffering (Jahn). The surgeon goes against the instructions of the parents to ensure that the child is safe. Nonmaleficence will persuade health care workers not to inflict harm to the patients. This results in improving patient safety. Finally, justice is a principle that propagates fairness in every action (Jahn). The surgeon is fair to the child, although he goes against the parent’s instruction. The child is in great danger, and the best action for the surgeon to do is to transfuse blood. This principle will help healthcare workers be fair in their actions towards patients; hence it improves equitability in health care settings.
Part II
Question 1
Thomasma and Pellegrino’s critique was that professional health care practitioners should not use their moral and theological values to impose restrictions on their colleagues without adequate philosophy (Kopelman). I can't entirely agree with their critique because professional health workers should use their moral and theological values to put restrictions and give their junior staff directions to minimize medical errors, hence improving the quality of ca...
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