Question 1

Moral status deals with questions about which beings deserve protections by moral norms.

Accepted Answer

Moral status refers to the idea that some beings have a level of value that warrants moral consideration and protection by moral norms, indicating which entities have rights, interests, or values that should be respected and protected.

Question 2

According to the human properties theory of moral status, fetuses, children, and incompetent individuals have exactly the same moral status as that of surrogate decision makers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the human properties theory of...

Question 3

The categories of "human dignity," "personhood," and "human life" are determinative for specifying what properties confer moral status.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The categories of "human dignity," "personhood," and...

Question 4

If moral status correlates to a being's richness or quality of life-for example, complexity of consciousness, social relationships, ability to derive pleasure, and so on-there is a danger that the fewer protections will be extended to the most vulnerable populations.

Accepted Answer

If moral status is determined by factors such as complexity of consciousness or ability to derive pleasure, beings with lesser capacities in these areas (e.g., those with severe disabilities or lower levels of consciousness) might be deemed to have lower moral status, potentially leading to fewer protections for these vulnerable groups.

Question 5

It is never justifiable for a human person with moral status to have his or her rights overridden by the rights of others.

Accepted Answer

In certain situations, such as emergencies, public health crises, or scenarios involving the greater good, it may be considered justifiable to prioritize the rights of the collective or others over the rights of an individual. This is often debated in ethics and law, balancing individual rights with societal needs.

Question 6

It is appropriate to identify some beings as possessing full moral status while viewing others as having partial moral status and still others as having no moral status.

Accepted Answer

The concept of moral status is a philosophical notion that determines the degree to which beings warrant moral consideration. It suggests that beings can be differentiated based on their capacities, such as rationality, sentience, or relationships, leading to varying levels of moral status and thus different moral obligations towards them.

Question 7

All persons with less than full moral status require a surrogate decision maker to determine their true interests.

Accepted Answer

Not all persons with less than full moral status necessarily require a surrogate decision maker; some may be capable of making certain decisions themselves or may have previously articulated preferences through advanced directives.

Question 8

It is today generally accepted that experimental animals have no moral status.

Accepted Answer

It is generally accepted in both scientific and ethical discussions that experimental animals do have moral status, leading to regulations and guidelines to ensure their humane treatment and use in research.

Question 9

A brain-dead human being can have no moral status.

Accepted Answer

Moral status is a philosophical concept concerning the worth of individuals and their rights to ethical consideration, which does not necessarily depend on one's current state of consciousness or brain function. Even in a brain-dead state, a human being can be considered to have moral status due to inherent human dignity, potentiality, or the interests of the individual's family or society.

Question 10

The work of specifying and balancing norms of moral status generates guidelines for biomedical research and medical practice.

Accepted Answer

Specifying and balancing norms of moral status is essential in creating ethical guidelines that govern biomedical research and medical practice, ensuring that they respect the dignity, rights, and welfare of all individuals involved.

Question 11

The moral character traits of sympathy and impartiality play an important role in promoting and upholding obligations owed to persons who are less proximate relationally and geographically.

Accepted Answer

Sympathy allows individuals to emotionally connect with and understand the plights of those who are distant or different from them, fostering a sense of moral obligation. Impartiality ensures that this sense of obligation is applied universally, without favoritism towards those who are relationally or geographically closer, thus promoting fairness and justice in upholding obligations to all individuals, regardless of their proximity.

Question 12

One difficulty with a theory of moral status based on sentience is that the degree of moral protection can decline with the quality, richness, and complexity of life that most needs protecting.

Accepted Answer

The difficulty with a theory of moral status based on sentience is not about the degree of moral protection declining with the quality, richness, and complexity of life. Instead, it concerns how to account for the moral status of beings with varying levels of sentience and whether all sentient beings should receive equal moral consideration regardless of their cognitive abilities or the complexity of their experiences.

Question 13

Where vulnerability of nonhuman species is concerned, a model based on stewardship is preferable to a model based on obligations of reciprocity and no malevolence.

Accepted Answer

A model based on obligations of reciprocity and no malevolence acknowledges the interconnectedness of all species and the moral duty to not harm others, which can lead to more sustainable and ethical environmental practices compared to a stewardship model that might prioritize human interests.

Question 14

Due to their increased vulnerability, individuals with compromised competence should not be allowed to participate in medical research that includes risk of harms.

Accepted Answer

While individuals with compromised competence are indeed more vulnerable, they are not categorically excluded from participating in medical research. Ethical guidelines and regulations require that such research is conducted with additional protections to minimize risk and ensure informed consent, either directly or through legally authorized representatives.

Question 15

A _________ is a dispositional trait of character that is socially valuable and reliably present in a person.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A _________ is a dispositional trait of...

Question 16

Among the great strengths of a theory of moral status based on ____ properties is that it tends to protect weak, vulnerable, and incapacitated human individuals.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Among the great strengths of a theory...

Question 17

The first four theories of moral status are best interpreted as identifying _____ conditions for moral status, but none of these four theories provides a _____ condition.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The first four theories of moral status...

Question 18

The account of moral theory based on _____ properties holds that an individual has moral status if and only if that individual has the genetic code of Homo sapiens.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The account of moral theory based on...

Question 19

One theory of moral status holds that individuals have moral status because they are able to reflect on their lives through their _____ capacities and are self-determined by their beliefs in ways that incompetent humans and nonhuman animals are not.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One theory of moral status holds that...

Question 20

According to this theory of moral status, just because an individual makes immoral judgments or has immoral motives does not mean that the person lacks _____ _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to this theory of moral status,...

Quiz 3: Moral Status