Morality Health Dictionary

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Morality: From 1 Different Sources

n. those values, normative rules, or principles according to which intentions or behaviours are judged to be *good or bad, *right or wrong. Such judgment can arise from cultural, religious, or philosophical beliefs. See ethics.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Consequentialism

n. a variety of ethical theories arguing that the morality of an action, rule, or way of life can be determined by its outcome or consequences, rather than by its intrinsic nature or the motives or character of those performing or following it. The best known example of consequentialism is *utilitarianism, which in general seeks to achieve maximum utility or good outcomes for the greatest possible number of people in society.

In medical ethics, the principles of *beneficence and *nonmaleficence can be seen as consequentialist in their concern with outcomes but also as *deontological in that they are regarded as duties. A *cost–benefit analysis or *risk–benefit analysis on utilitarian principles is often carried out when distributing medical resources or deciding between treatments. A calculation of this kind also forms the basis of the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) system (see quality of life).

A major objection to consequentialism is that the consequences of actions cannot always be predicted or perceived. Questions also arise regarding the likelihood of the consequences, whom they will affect (individuals, populations, animals, the environment), and by whom and what means they should be evaluated. —consequentialist adj.... consequentialism

Doctrine Of Double Effect

the principle that, where it is foreseen that a single action will have both a good and a bad outcome, a person may perform such an action provided that (a) he or she intends only the positive outcome, (b) the bad outcome is not disproportionate to the good, and (c) the good outcome is not a direct consequence of the bad. The classic example occurs where a terminally ill patient requires high doses of opiates for pain relief that may also depress respiratory function and hasten his or her death. In such a case the law holds that the doctor may supply the necessary dosage without this being considered tantamount to *euthanasia, even though the outcome will be the same, i.e. the morality of the action does not lie in its consequences (see consequentialism).... doctrine of double effect

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