Ethics and Professions: Second Exam: Questions

[Be sure you are familiar with the format and ground rules for this exam.]

Tentative

Questions will be referred to by their "names," listed to their left.

"Name" Question
PC-MOD Explain the differences among the various normative models of the professional-client relationship proposed by Michael Bayles.
PC-BES Of the normative models of the professional-client relationship put forward by authors we have read, which seems to you best? Why? Why are the others inadequate? Critically discuss.
PC-PAT What is paternalism? Under what conditions, if any, is paternalism justified? Why is it justified under those conditions? Formulate conditions under which some people might think that paternalism is justified but which, in your view, it is not. Why is it not justified under those conditions?
PC-LIB What grounds have been proposed as legitimate reasons for limiting the freedom or liberty of a person? Which grounds are acceptable and which not? That is, under what conditions is it morally legitimate to limit the freedom or liberty of another person? Critically discuss.
PC-ORG Should the selling of one's own body organs (e.g. an eye, a kidney, blood) be permitted by society? Why or why not? (Be sure in your discussion to appeal to theories and principles we've discussed in class.)
R-MORA What are moral rights? How are they to be distinguished from other sorts of rights (or are there no other sorts of rights)? What kinds of moral rights do people have and why? How are rights related to duties? Critically discuss.
R-R&D What is the relationship between moral rights and moral duties? Explain and critically discuss.
R-P&N1 Explain the difference between positive rights and negative rights. How are each related to duties that people have? Explain and critically discuss.
R-LIBY What is a "liberty right?" How do these differ from other sorts of rights? Explain and give examples.
R-TRUM What does it mean to speak of rights as "trumps?" Explain the view that rights are trumps. Explain the alternatives to this view of rights. Give an example of a moral issue involving rights and explain what difference these views of rights would make to that issue.
R-BYE Under what circumstances, and in what ways, can rights be taken away? Critically discuss.
R-EDUC Do people have a moral right to (at least a minimal) education? If so, what kind of right is it? If not, what moral rights do people have, and why? Critically discuss.
IC-CON Explain the difference between different kinds of consent (explicit, proxy, etc.). Explain the different levels of understanding that might be required for it to be permissible to perform some procedure on someone. Under what circumstances are these different levels of understanding morally required? Explain.
IC-WHN Under what circumstances must a professional obtain the informed consent of her client before undertaking some action in regard to that client? Critically discuss.
IC-2X Judge Spotswood Robinson III offered two exceptions to the rule of disclosure. Explain what these exceptions are and give examples of their application. Are these reasonable exceptions? Critically discuss.
IC-ISS Explain what moral issues arise with respect to informed consent. Morally speaking, under what circumstances should informed consent be obtained? Under what circumstances is it unnecessary? Explain and critically discuss.

C-HOLL What is Holley's theory of what is necessary for an exchange to be a "voluntary exchange?" Explain Carson's critique of Holley's theory. Critically discuss.

C-DUT Explain the moral duties that Carson claims salespeople have. Give examples of their application. Are these duties supported by some more general ethical theory? Explain and critically discuss.

D-POK Albert Carr has suggested that "most bluffing in business might be regarded simply as game strategy--much like bluffing in poker, which does not reflect on the morality of the bluffer." Explain and critically discuss Carr's suggestion. What, if anything, does this have to do how ethics applies to those in the professions? Explain.

S-3RN Robert Solomon offers three "reasons for saying that lying is always wrong." Explain each of these reasons. Are these good reasons for the view that lying is always wrong? Critically dicusss.

D-LEE What is lying? Explain Lee's account. Explain Ellin's account. How do they differ? Give examples of statements that would be lies on one account but not on the other. Which account seems superior? Why?

C-LIE How does Thomas Carson define deception? How does he define lying? What differences does Carson find between lying and deception? Give examples of deception that are not lying. Is it deception to withhold information? Why or why not?

D-L&D Is lying any different from other forms of deception? If so, how? If not, why not? Critically discuss.

D-WOR What is Joseph's Ellin's view about which is worse, lying or mere deception (trickery)? Explain and critically discuss.

D-CHIS Chisholm and Feehan give an account of why lying seems worse than other types of intended deception. Explain their account. Are they right? Why or why not? Critically discuss.

D-ELL1 Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the first of these arguments.

D-ELL2 Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the second of these arguments.

D-ELL3 Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the third of these arguments.

D-PROF Explain Joseph Ellin's views concerning the morality of deception and lying according to professional morality. Critically discuss.

D-BOK Sissela Bok wrote "Deceit and violence--these are two forms of deliberate assault on human beings." Explain what she meant by this remark. Is deceit morally wrong? If so, why is it wrong? If not, what is wrong with Bok's arguments that it is wrong? If deceit is sometimes wrong and sometimes not wrong, explain why it is wrong when it is (and not when it is not). Critically discuss.

D-C&B Explain the difference between the views of Joseph Collins and Sissela Bok on whether doctors should be truthful with patients. Which of these views do you believe is more correct? Defend your answer.

D-COLL Explain the the views of Joseph Collins concerning whether doctors should be truthful with patients. How, if at all, do Collins's views differ from those of Joseph Ellin? Is Collins correct? Defend your answer.

D-DEMO Under what circumstances, according to Sissela Bok, is it all right in a democracy for the government to deceive its citizens? Critically discuss.

D-STEI Ronald Stein considers several offers several explanations of why people lie. With each explanation he lists a case. Is lying justified in any of these cases? Why or why not? Explain, being sure to speak of the cases.

D-BIG Is it wrong for people in general to make claims that they know to be false? Is it even wrong for people in general to make intentionally misleading statements? Is it wrong for professionals to make false statements to their clients? Is it even wrong for professionals to make intentionally misleading statements to their clients? Is it wrong for professionals to make misleading statements to people who are not their clients? Is it even wrong for professionals to make intentionally misleading statements to people who are not their clients? In all cases answer why or why not. And if the answer is "it depends," say what factors it depends on. In your answer be sure to explain and discuss the views of Joseph Ellin, Joseph Collins, Sissela Bok, and others.

"Name"	Question
PC-MOD	Explain the differences among the various normative models of the professional-client relationship proposed by Michael Bayles.
PC-BES	Of the normative models of the professional-client relationship put forward by authors we have read, which seems to you best? Why? Why are the others inadequate? Critically discuss.
PC-PAT	What is paternalism? Under what conditions, if any, is paternalism justified? Why is it justified under those conditions? Formulate conditions under which some people might think that paternalism is justified but which, in your view, it is not. Why is it not justified under those conditions?
PC-LIB	What grounds have been proposed as legitimate reasons for limiting the freedom or liberty of a person? Which grounds are acceptable and which not? That is, under what conditions is it morally legitimate to limit the freedom or liberty of another person? Critically discuss.
PC-ORG	Should the selling of one's own body organs (e.g. an eye, a kidney, blood) be permitted by society? Why or why not? (Be sure in your discussion to appeal to theories and principles we've discussed in class.)
R-MORA	What are moral rights? How are they to be distinguished from other sorts of rights (or are there no other sorts of rights)? What kinds of moral rights do people have and why? How are rights related to duties? Critically discuss.
R-R&D	What is the relationship between moral rights and moral duties? Explain and critically discuss.
R-P&N1	Explain the difference between positive rights and negative rights. How are each related to duties that people have? Explain and critically discuss.
R-LIBY	What is a "liberty right?" How do these differ from other sorts of rights? Explain and give examples.
R-TRUM	What does it mean to speak of rights as "trumps?" Explain the view that rights are trumps. Explain the alternatives to this view of rights. Give an example of a moral issue involving rights and explain what difference these views of rights would make to that issue.
R-BYE	Under what circumstances, and in what ways, can rights be taken away? Critically discuss.
R-EDUC	Do people have a moral right to (at least a minimal) education? If so, what kind of right is it? If not, what moral rights do people have, and why? Critically discuss.
IC-CON	Explain the difference between different kinds of consent (explicit, proxy, etc.). Explain the different levels of understanding that might be required for it to be permissible to perform some procedure on someone. Under what circumstances are these different levels of understanding morally required? Explain.
IC-WHN	Under what circumstances must a professional obtain the informed consent of her client before undertaking some action in regard to that client? Critically discuss.
IC-2X	Judge Spotswood Robinson III offered two exceptions to the rule of disclosure. Explain what these exceptions are and give examples of their application. Are these reasonable exceptions? Critically discuss.
IC-ISS	Explain what moral issues arise with respect to informed consent. Morally speaking, under what circumstances should informed consent be obtained? Under what circumstances is it unnecessary? Explain and critically discuss.
C-HOLL	What is Holley's theory of what is necessary for an exchange to be a "voluntary exchange?" Explain Carson's critique of Holley's theory. Critically discuss.
C-DUT	Explain the moral duties that Carson claims salespeople have. Give examples of their application. Are these duties supported by some more general ethical theory? Explain and critically discuss.
D-POK	Albert Carr has suggested that "most bluffing in business might be regarded simply as game strategy--much like bluffing in poker, which does not reflect on the morality of the bluffer." Explain and critically discuss Carr's suggestion. What, if anything, does this have to do how ethics applies to those in the professions? Explain.
S-3RN	Robert Solomon offers three "reasons for saying that lying is always wrong." Explain each of these reasons. Are these good reasons for the view that lying is always wrong? Critically dicusss.
D-LEE	What is lying? Explain Lee's account. Explain Ellin's account. How do they differ? Give examples of statements that would be lies on one account but not on the other. Which account seems superior? Why?
C-LIE	How does Thomas Carson define deception? How does he define lying? What differences does Carson find between lying and deception? Give examples of deception that are not lying. Is it deception to withhold information? Why or why not?
D-L&D	Is lying any different from other forms of deception? If so, how? If not, why not? Critically discuss.
D-WOR	What is Joseph's Ellin's view about which is worse, lying or mere deception (trickery)? Explain and critically discuss.
D-CHIS	Chisholm and Feehan give an account of why lying seems worse than other types of intended deception. Explain their account. Are they right? Why or why not? Critically discuss.
D-ELL1	Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the first of these arguments.
D-ELL2	Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the second of these arguments.
D-ELL3	Joseph Ellin gives three arguments for why lying is a greater wrong than trickery. Carefully explain and critically discuss the third of these arguments.
D-PROF	Explain Joseph Ellin's views concerning the morality of deception and lying according to professional morality. Critically discuss.
D-BOK	Sissela Bok wrote "Deceit and violence--these are two forms of deliberate assault on human beings." Explain what she meant by this remark. Is deceit morally wrong? If so, why is it wrong? If not, what is wrong with Bok's arguments that it is wrong? If deceit is sometimes wrong and sometimes not wrong, explain why it is wrong when it is (and not when it is not). Critically discuss.
D-C&B	Explain the difference between the views of Joseph Collins and Sissela Bok on whether doctors should be truthful with patients. Which of these views do you believe is more correct? Defend your answer.
D-COLL	Explain the the views of Joseph Collins concerning whether doctors should be truthful with patients. How, if at all, do Collins's views differ from those of Joseph Ellin? Is Collins correct? Defend your answer.
D-DEMO	Under what circumstances, according to Sissela Bok, is it all right in a democracy for the government to deceive its citizens? Critically discuss.
D-STEI	Ronald Stein considers several offers several explanations of why people lie. With each explanation he lists a case. Is lying justified in any of these cases? Why or why not? Explain, being sure to speak of the cases.
D-BIG	Is it wrong for people in general to make claims that they know to be false? Is it even wrong for people in general to make intentionally misleading statements? Is it wrong for professionals to make false statements to their clients? Is it even wrong for professionals to make intentionally misleading statements to their clients? Is it wrong for professionals to make misleading statements to people who are not their clients? Is it even wrong for professionals to make intentionally misleading statements to people who are not their clients? In all cases answer why or why not. And if the answer is "it depends," say what factors it depends on. In your answer be sure to explain and discuss the views of Joseph Ellin, Joseph Collins, Sissela Bok, and others.

Richard Lee, rlee@uark.edu, last modified: 31 October 2011