Question 4 Following a car accident, Darren’s two-year old son is transported to

Question

Question 4

Following a car accident, Darren’s two-year old son is transported to a hospital at which you are a medical practitioner. The son is suffering from internal bleeding, but if he undergoes surgery, he should recover completely. However, Darren advises you that he is a Christian Scientist who wishes to rely solely on prayer to treat his son’s condition rather than medical treatment. Without medical treatment your professional opinion is that Darren’s son will likely die.

a) In this scenario, what bioethical principles are in conflict? Be specific about which principle applies to whom. (4 points; 2 to 3 sentences)

b) American law provides Darren with the right to refuse medical treatment in the previous scenario, but not the right to deny medical treatment to his son in this scenario. Referring to both bioethical principlism and at least one moral theory, provide an ethical basis for this legal distinction. (5 points; two paragraphs)

Question 5

Emilio is 17 month’s old and is a deaf, blind, and terminally ill patient who is on life support. Your hospital has a policy to withdraw medical care when a patient’s treatment is considered to be “medically futile”. Although not yet brain dead, Emilio’s condition is deteriorating and doctors at the facility believe continued treatment will only prolong Emilio’s suffering.

a) Explain how an advocate of virtue ethics might assess this situation. (4 points; one paragraph)

b) Is a deontologist committed to continuing to provide medical treatment to Emilio? Why or why not? Ensure that you make reference to the key characteristics of deontology in your answer. (4 points; one paragraph)

Question 6

In the second version of the trolley problem, most peoples’ intuition is that it is immoral to push the large man off the overpass in order to stop the trolley. Yet, in The Fat Man in the Cave thought experiment, most peoples’ intuition is that it is morally permissible to blow up the fat man. Which, if any, of the four principal moral theories can account for both of these intuitions? Analyze and explain. Be sure to discuss all four theories (i.e., consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, and divine command theory). (8 points; four paragraphs)

Question 7

Consider the following argument:

If you lie to a parrot, it will bite you. George has never lied to his parrot. So, his parrot has never bitten him.

a) What is the conclusion of this argument? (1 points; one sentence)

b) Is this argument valid? Is it sound? Explain. (3 points; one paragraph)

Explanation / Answer

4. In the given case scenario, The two year old son of Darren has been transported in a hospital where I’m the medical practitioner. The son displays signs of internal bleeding, though, he would recover completely if he underwent a surgery. Though, he only wants Christian scientist solely on prayer.

The bioethical principles in conflict are:

A) respect for autonomy: if their will is denied completely, it would mean that there is no respect for autonomy, hence, their wish for prayers cannot be completely disregarded

B) non maleficence: understanding that medical interventions would be helpful and knowingly if one does not administer these processes, it would be harmful to him.

C) beneficence: I know the intervention would benefit the child, and hence, not providing the same would not benefit the child.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse Q
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.