Understanding Moral Status and Ethical Dilemmas
24 Questions
1 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What constitutes being with full moral status (FMS)?

  • Beings that have a strong, compulsory duty not to interfere with their lives. (correct)
  • Beings that require explicit consent for all interactions.
  • Entities that can never be harmed or helped.
  • Entities that can be used for genetic research without consent.

    • Which of the following best describes partial moral status (PMS)?

  • Entities with no moral obligations owed to them.
  • Entities that are owed a compulsory duty to treat fairly at all times.
  • Entities that sometimes lack a compulsory duty not to interfere with their lives. (correct)
  • Beings that possess full moral obligations to all others.

    • What ethical implication arises from the concept of non-interference regarding beings with full moral status?

  • They are entitled to be treated unfairly in certain situations.
  • They deserve a strong duty not to interfere in their interests. (correct)
  • They should be regarded as resources for human benefits.
  • They have less value than beings with partial moral status.

    • Which group is often assumed to have full moral status?

    <p>All adult cognitively unimpaired human beings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is there no consensus about the full moral status of human fetuses?

    <p>Their cognitive capacities at various stages are disputed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of entities with no moral status?

    <p>They are not considered entities in moral terms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of cognitive capacities, which of the following categories can sometimes have FMS?

    <p>Human infants and children without cognitive impairments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best represents an objection to the criteria for determining moral status?

    <p>Cognitive capacities should not determine moral worth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What differentiates beings with Full Moral Status (FMS) from those with Partial Moral Status (PMS)?

    <p>Beings with FMS have stronger reasons to aid compared to those with PMS.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by the concept of treating beings with FMS equally?

    <p>Equity in sharing benefits and burdens among entities with FMS is important.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property is argued to grant Full Moral Status (FMS) according to some scholars?

    <p>Sophisticated rational/cognitive capacities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might infants be considered as having different moral status than certain animals?

    <p>Human babies are intuitively perceived to have higher moral status than dogs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by Full Moral Status (FMS)?

    <p>Things that matter morally and deserve specific moral duties.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common objection to grounding moral status on cognitive abilities?

    <p>It may exclude beings like infants from having moral status.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes Partial Moral Status (PMS)?

    <p>Entities deserving of some moral consideration but not equal to others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the given scenario where a driver must choose between a St Bernard and a man to run over, what ethical implications are revealed?

    <p>There is a general preference for human life over animal life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered a sophisticated cognitive ability that could confer FMS?

    <p>Ability to feel pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ethical implication arises from the concept of non-interference?

    <p>There are strong reasons not to interfere with entities with PMS.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What would likely change in the moral consideration if the St Bernard were replaced with a dead raccoon?

    <p>The choice would indicate a recognition of the raccoon as less important.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does it mean for a being to have Partial Moral Status (PMS)?

    <p>They must be given less moral consideration compared to beings with FMS.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What cognitive capacities might influence the determination of an entity's moral status?

    <p>An entity’s self-awareness and emotional experience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an objection that can be raised against criteria for determining moral status?

    <p>Criteria are too rigid and fail to consider cultural perspectives.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might a gardener be considered to have higher moral status than a ball or a kitten in a moral dilemma?

    <p>The gardener is a living entity capable of relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In moral dilemmas between animals and humans, what is often the societal intuition about their statuses?

    <p>Humans are generally regarded as having higher moral status than animals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Understanding Moral Status

    • Moral status refers to the level of importance attributed to certain beings or entities, indicating the moral duties owed to them.
    • Moral status categories: Full Moral Status (FMS) and Partial Moral Status (PMS).
    • FMS denotes entities we owe strong, obligatory duties; PMS refers to entities with lesser moral considerations.

    Trade-off Scenarios

    • Scenario illustrates moral dilemmas; for example, choosing between harming a dog or a human.
    • Choices reflect intuitions about relative importance: a human often takes precedence over an animal.

    Reasons to Aid and Treat Fairly

    • Strong reasons to aid beings with FMS compared to those with PMS.
    • Aiding one being over another doesn’t inherently grant the aided being a higher moral status.
    • Entities with FMS are generally seen as equals deserving equitable treatment, while this duty is less stringent for PMS entities.

    Grounds for Full Moral Status

    • FMS often rooted in complex cognitive abilities, such as autonomy and rationality.
    • Kant emphasized dignity based on rational capacities; intellect influences moral status perceptions.
    • Criticism of cognitive ability as a sole criterion; infants may deserve higher moral status than animals despite having limited cognitive abilities.

    Hierarchies of Moral Status

    • Distinctions in moral status:
      • No moral status for inanimate objects
      • Partial moral status for certain beings
      • Full moral status for beings deserving strong duties against interference and for aid.

    Entities Typically Considered for Moral Status

    • Adult cognitively unimpaired humans are typically seen as possessing FMS.
    • Cognitive abilities influence attributions of FMS to infants and individuals with impairments; consensus varies, especially regarding fetuses and some animals.

    Controversies Surrounding Moral Status

    • Lack of universal agreement on the moral status of human fetuses, conscious-impaired humans, and certain sophisticated animals.
    • Moral status debates crucial as they define ethical obligations and treatment of various entities in society.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    PHIL 1002 Week 5 - Lecture 1.pptx

    Description

    This quiz explores the concept of moral status, distinguishing between Full Moral Status (FMS) and Partial Moral Status (PMS). It examines trade-off scenarios that highlight moral dilemmas and reasons for aiding different beings. Test your understanding of how moral duties are assigned based on the level of importance attributed to various entities.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser