PHLB09H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Fetus, Informed Consent, Paternalism
Document Summary
Recall: moral obligation is duty to do something/avoid doing something. Paternalism: overrides action and deliberation for patient"s own good. Concerns patients with little to no autonomy (e. g. , addicted, psychotic, children) Overrides action and deliberation even if patient mostly autonomous. E. g. , committing occasionally disoriented, softening diagnosis to spare feelings. Pro: only if benefit outweighs restriction of a. Request for treatment physician rejects out of b. Medical futility: useless because little to no benefit. Act-u: rightness depends on happiness maximized by individual actions. Physician may lie to provide refused treatment. Rule-u: rightness depends on happiness maximized by rules governing class of actions. Kantianism: utility can"t weaken respect for persons as ends. Refusing futile treatment permitted (violates a, treats patient as means) Competent adult, quadriplegic, degenerative arthritis, seeks to end life. Intention to die separate from right to refuse. Christian scientist parents rely on prayer to cure 2-year-old son"s illness.
