Question 1

Theories of "character ethics" or "virtue ethics" claim all of the following EXCEPT:
A) Often, the most important aspect of moral life is having a reliable character and good moral sense.
B) When a culture or social group approves a character trait as moral, that trait is considered to be a moral virtue.
C) Virtues are not solely derivative from moral principles.
D) A person who does a right moral action but wishes not to have to do it is acting both nonvirtuously and incoherently.

Accepted Answer

Character ethics or virtue ethics focus on the development of good character traits or virtues, which are not necessarily defined by cultural or social approval.

Question 2

What matters most in the moral life, according to those who ascribe to virtue ethics?
A) Having a reliable character
B) Having a good moral sense
C) Having appropriate emotional responsiveness
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics emphasizes the role of one's character and virtues in moral philosophy rather than either doing one’s duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences. According to virtue ethics, what matters most is the virtue of the person performing the action. This includes having a reliable character, a good moral sense, and appropriate emotional responsiveness.

Question 3

According to Beauchamp and Childress, why have some philosophers questioned the place of virtues in moral theory?
A) Virtues are thought to be meaningless for moral behavior.
B) Principles are thought to override questions of character in thinking about the moral life.
C) Virtues are thought to be less central than norms and difficult to unify in a systematic theory.
D) Emphasis on virtues is thought to ignore some participants in the moral life.

Accepted Answer

Some philosophers argue that virtues are less central than norms and are difficult to unify in a systematic theory, which challenges their place in moral theory.

Question 4

According to Charles L. Bosk, when a surgeon makes a mistake, the kind of mistake least likely to be forgiven by other professionals is:
A) Technical
B) Conscientious
C) Normative
D) Judgmental

Accepted Answer

Charles L. Bosk, in his seminal work on medical errors and professional culture, particularly in the context of surgery, identifies normative errors as those least likely to be forgiven by other professionals. Normative mistakes involve violations of the core values or norms of the profession, such as not following standard procedures or ethical guidelines, which are considered more serious and less forgivable than errors in technical skill, conscientiousness, or judgment.

Question 5

How has the treatment of virtues in the Code of the American Medical Association (AMA) changed from 1847 until today?
A) Virtues in health care professions have been increasingly emphasized.
B) Virtues in health care professions have been increasingly de-emphasized.
C) Physicians have been consistently told to be "upright" and "pure in character."
D) The concept of virtue has never been part of the AMA code.

Accepted Answer

Over time, the AMA Code has shifted focus from emphasizing virtues to more specific ethical guidelines and professional responsibilities.

Question 6

In what sort of philosophical literature did the idea of an "ethics of care" primarily originate?
A) Feminist literature
B) Ethical literature
C) Literature focused on virtue ethics
D) Bioethical literature

Accepted Answer

The idea of an "ethics of care" primarily originated in feminist literature, where it was developed as a critique of traditional ethical theories that were seen as overly abstract and disconnected from the realities of human relationships and dependencies.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT true about the ethic of care?
A) Its proponents claim that women follow an ethic of care, whereas men follow an ethic of rights and justice.
B) An ethic of care emphasizes responsiveness and connection, whereas an ethic of rights and justice emphasizes impartiality.
C) An ethic of care can arise from speaking with girls and women about their moral concerns.
D) The core notion of an ethic of care is that of caring for others.

Accepted Answer

The ethic of care does not claim that only women follow an ethic of care and men follow an ethic of rights and justice. This perspective suggests that while there may be gendered tendencies in moral reasoning, it is not exclusive or deterministic based on gender.

Question 8

What are the five focal virtues that Beauchamp and Childress claim support and promote caring and caregiving?
A) Compassion, integrity, nonmalevolence, justice, and trustworthiness
B) Truthfulness, faithfulness, discernment, conscientiousness, and honor
C) Compassion, discernment, trustworthiness, integrity, and conscientiousness
D) Justice, sympathy, compassion, integrity, and benevolence

Accepted Answer

Beauchamp and Childress, in their work on biomedical ethics, identify compassion, discernment, trustworthiness, integrity, and conscientiousness as key virtues that support and promote caring and caregiving in medical practice. These virtues are foundational in their approach to ethical decision-making in healthcare.

Question 9

Based on Beauchamp and Childress's Chapter 2, which of the following is NOT a way that the view of nurses and nursing has changed from past models until today?
A) Nurses are now encouraged to exhibit active rather than passive virtues.
B) Nurses are now conceived as patient advocates rather than "handmaidens" of physicians.
C) Some contemporary models now emphasize preservation of the nurse's integrity.
D) Nurses are now encouraged to know as much about a patient's medical history and diagnosis as physicians do.

Accepted Answer

The view of nurses and nursing has evolved significantly, but it does not extend to nurses being encouraged to know as much about a patient's medical history and diagnosis as physicians do. Nurses do have a broad and deep knowledge of patient care, but the specific medical knowledge and diagnosis responsibility primarily remain with physicians. The other options (A, B, C) reflect accurate shifts in the perception and roles of nurses, emphasizing active virtues, advocacy, and integrity.

Question 10

How does an ethic of care challenge traditional ethical theories?
A) It challenges an overemphasis on detached fairness.
B) It advocates for dropping any reference to principles in moral discussion.
C) It states that a focus on care, unlike a focus on rules and principles, will tell physicians exactly what they should do in any given situation.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

An ethic of care emphasizes the importance of relationships and care in moral reasoning, challenging traditional ethical theories that often prioritize impartiality and abstract principles over personal connections and empathy. It does not advocate for completely abandoning principles nor claims to provide exact guidance for every situation, but rather critiques the overemphasis on detached fairness.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a difference between traditional rule-based ethics and an ethic of care?
A) Rule-based ethics tend to focus more on what is done, whereas an ethic of care focuses on how it is done.
B) Rule-based ethics provide a clear guide to moral action in any situation, whereas an ethic of care does not.
C) An ethic of care places special emphasis on mutual interdependence, whereas rule-based ethics more strongly emphasize independence.
D) Rule-based ethics want to protect people from wrongdoing by others and thus are more cautious about personal empathy; an ethic of care takes empathy to be particularly important.

Accepted Answer

Rule-based ethics provide a structured approach to moral decision-making with clear principles that apply universally, while an ethic of care emphasizes relationships and context, which can also guide moral action but in a more situational manner. Both approaches can offer guidance in moral situations, making choice B incorrect as it suggests that an ethic of care does not provide a clear guide, which is not a fundamental difference between the two.

Question 12

Why is an ethic of care potentially useful in health care contexts?
A) Its concerns are close to the relationships and processes of decision making found in clinical contexts.
B) It gives insight into basic commitments of caring and caretaking.
C) It liberates health professionals from narrow conceptions of role responsibilities often found in professional codes of ethics.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

An ethic of care is potentially useful in health care contexts because it emphasizes the importance of relationships and decision-making processes, provides insights into the fundamental commitments of caring and caretaking, and helps health professionals move beyond the limited role responsibilities defined by professional codes of ethics, making it relevant and beneficial in clinical settings.

Question 13

Which of the following is a characteristic of the virtue of compassion?
A) Compassion and empathy are the same thing.
B) Compassion is the most important virtue in a health care setting.
C) Compassion can be equally directed toward self and others.
D) Compassion includes an attitude of regard for another's welfare.

Accepted Answer

Compassion includes an attitude of regard for another's welfare.

Question 14

Why would health care professionals be encouraged to cultivate detachment alongside compassion?
A) Compassion is not a particularly important virtue to uphold.
B) Detachment can be taught, but compassion cannot.
C) The "female" virtue of compassion needs to be balanced by a "male" virtue of detachment.
D) Health care professionals are at risk of being overwhelmed and burned out if they constantly engage with suffering with compassion but not detachment.

Accepted Answer

Detachment, when balanced with compassion, allows health care professionals to care for their patients effectively without becoming emotionally overwhelmed, which can lead to burnout. This balance helps maintain their mental health and ensures they can continue providing high-quality care.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT true of the virtue of discernment?
A) Discernment is the ability to make fitting judgments without being unduly influenced by extraneous considerations.
B) Discernment is the most important of the "focal virtues" set forth by Beauchamp and Childress.
C) Discernment is closely associated with practical wisdom in the writing of some thinkers.
D) Discernment includes understanding how principles and rules apply in a variety of circumstances.

Accepted Answer

Beauchamp and Childress identify four principles of biomedical ethics—autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice—rather than singling out discernment as the most important of a set of "focal virtues."

Question 16

Which of the following is true of extraordinary moral standards?
A) They are not required or obligatory.
B) They come from a morality of aspiration in which individuals and particular communities adopt moral ideals that do not hold for everyone.
C) At this level of moral standards, agents are free to pursue the particular moral objectives they choose.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Extraordinary moral standards are characterized by not being obligatory for everyone, stemming from a morality of aspiration where individuals or communities adopt specific moral ideals, and allowing agents the freedom to pursue their chosen moral objectives.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a category of moral action as listed in Beauchamp and Childress's work?
A) Actions that are right and obligatory
B) Actions that are discouraged but not forbidden
C) Actions that are wrong and prohibited
D) Actions that are optional but morally meritorious and praiseworthy

Accepted Answer

Beauchamp and Childress, in their work on biomedical ethics, identify three main categories of moral actions: actions that are obligatory (right and required), actions that are permissible (neither obligatory nor wrong), and actions that are impermissible (wrong and prohibited). They do not specifically categorize actions as "discouraged but not forbidden," making option B the correct answer.

Question 18

In Beauchamp and Childress's discussion of moral ideals, what does it mean when a person who holds moral ideals does not consider her actions to be morally optional?
A) She believes that any person anywhere would be required to act as she has.
B) She believes that she would be doing something forbidden if she did not act as she had.
C) She has a personal sense of obligation to act as she does.
D) She has been given a command to act as she does by a religious leader or religious text.

Accepted Answer

A person who holds moral ideals and does not consider her actions to be morally optional has a personal sense of obligation to act as she does, meaning she feels a strong internal commitment to her actions based on her moral beliefs.

Question 19

Why is it important, according to Beauchamp and Childress, to focus on the place of moral excellence in bioethical thought?
A) Focusing only on the moral minimum dilutes the moral life and our expectations for ourselves and each other.
B) Health care professionals are expected to be morally excellent individuals.
C) It is proper to be skeptical about the importance of moral ideals in the moral life and in ethical thinking.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Focusing solely on the minimum standards of morality can lead to a diminished sense of moral responsibility and expectations. Beauchamp and Childress argue that incorporating moral excellence elevates both personal and communal ethical standards, enriching the moral life beyond mere compliance with basic obligations.

Question 20

Which of the following is a case in which a transplant team should decline an individual's offer to donate an organ to another individual?
A) The donor is not related to the person who will receive the organ.
B) The monetary cost of the transplant and of treating any accompanying side effects for the donor or recipient is too high.
C) The donor is a close friend or spouse of the recipient and is thus too emotionally involved with the recipient.
D) The donation will involve others in directly causing the death of the donor.

Accepted Answer

Transplant teams must ensure that organ donations do not directly cause the donor's death, adhering to ethical guidelines and laws that protect the life and well-being of potential donors.

Quiz 2: Moral Character

Theories of "character ethics" or "virtue ethics" claim all of the following EXCEPT:

What matters most in the moral life, according to those who ascribe to virtue ethics?

According to Beauchamp and Childress, why have some philosophers questioned the place of virtues in moral theory?

According to Charles L. Bosk, when a surgeon makes a mistake, the kind of mistake least likely to be forgiven by other professionals is:

How has the treatment of virtues in the Code of the American Medical Association (AMA) changed from 1847 until today?

In what sort of philosophical literature did the idea of an "ethics of care" primarily originate?

Which of the following is NOT true about the ethic of care?

What are the five focal virtues that Beauchamp and Childress claim support and promote caring and caregiving?

Based on Beauchamp and Childress's Chapter 2, which of the following is NOT a way that the view of nurses and nursing has changed from past models until today?

How does an ethic of care challenge traditional ethical theories?

Which of the following is NOT a difference between traditional rule-based ethics and an ethic of care?

Why is an ethic of care potentially useful in health care contexts?

Which of the following is a characteristic of the virtue of compassion?

Why would health care professionals be encouraged to cultivate detachment alongside compassion?

Which of the following is NOT true of the virtue of discernment?

Which of the following is true of extraordinary moral standards?

Which of the following is NOT a category of moral action as listed in Beauchamp and Childress's work?

In Beauchamp and Childress's discussion of moral ideals, what does it mean when a person who holds moral ideals does not consider her actions to be morally optional?

Why is it important, according to Beauchamp and Childress, to focus on the place of moral excellence in bioethical thought?

Which of the following is a case in which a transplant team should decline an individual's offer to donate an organ to another individual?