ETHICS IN AMERICA DSST STUDY GUIDE 2026
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◉ Non-maleficience. Answer: The duty to not harm others. This
includes acts committed or omitted. One example would be if a doctor
forgot to give a patient the correct care.
◉ That they are self-evident. He called them prima facie duties..
Answer: What did WD Ross believe about certain basic moral
principles?
◉ Problem with prima facie duties. Answer: They may not be self-
evident to those who are intellectually immature or those who haven't
thought about it enough.
◉ Double-effect principle. Answer: From Thomas Aquinas, and is used
to describe situations where harm is induced to cause good. It is
controversial, especially among utilitarians.
◉ We should help others in danger. Answer: If there is little risk and
even if it is not in our self-interest.
,◉ Joel Feinberg. Answer: He wrote The Moral Limits of the Criminal
Law, which used 4 principles to determine legitimacy of government
intervention in individual freedom.
◉ The Moral Limits of the Criminal Law. Answer: 1. The Harm
Principle (originally from John Stuart Mill)
2. The Offence Principle
3. Paternalism
4. Legal Moralism
◉ Paternalism. Answer: Having a person or the government do what
they think is best for you, even if it goes against your wishes. Feinberg
rejected this hard, where competent adults would have their liberty
restricted to prevent them from harming themselves.
◉ Offense Principle. Answer: Governments are allowed to prohibit
conduct that seriously offends others.
◉ Legal Moralism. Answer: It allows the prohibition of immoral
behavior, even if nobody is harmed or offended. One example would be
a community banning homosexual acts.
◉ Legal Pluralism. Answer: Is the existence of multiple legal systems
within one (human) population and/or geographic area.
, ◉ Moral pluralism. Answer: Is the assumption there are moral truths, but
that they do not form a body of coherent and consistent truths as those
found in the sciences or mathematic approach.
◉ Through the virtue of an implied contract. This is common sense
morality.. Answer: Why should parents take care of their kids?
◉ The state will intervene & the child no longer owes the parent a duty
of obedience.. Answer: What happens if the parent doesn't act in the best
interests of the child?
◉ That are close to us. Answer: We have a duty of special concern to
those...?
◉ Best interest principle. Answer: When educators, judges, and doctors
deal with children, they should follow this...
◉ Beneficence, Non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. Answer:
According to the medical profession, what are the 4 main guiding ethical
principles derived from common morality?
◉ Informed consent. Answer: Doctors have to inform patients of
medical risks/benefits who then make an informed decision which
signifies their..?
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◉ Non-maleficience. Answer: The duty to not harm others. This
includes acts committed or omitted. One example would be if a doctor
forgot to give a patient the correct care.
◉ That they are self-evident. He called them prima facie duties..
Answer: What did WD Ross believe about certain basic moral
principles?
◉ Problem with prima facie duties. Answer: They may not be self-
evident to those who are intellectually immature or those who haven't
thought about it enough.
◉ Double-effect principle. Answer: From Thomas Aquinas, and is used
to describe situations where harm is induced to cause good. It is
controversial, especially among utilitarians.
◉ We should help others in danger. Answer: If there is little risk and
even if it is not in our self-interest.
,◉ Joel Feinberg. Answer: He wrote The Moral Limits of the Criminal
Law, which used 4 principles to determine legitimacy of government
intervention in individual freedom.
◉ The Moral Limits of the Criminal Law. Answer: 1. The Harm
Principle (originally from John Stuart Mill)
2. The Offence Principle
3. Paternalism
4. Legal Moralism
◉ Paternalism. Answer: Having a person or the government do what
they think is best for you, even if it goes against your wishes. Feinberg
rejected this hard, where competent adults would have their liberty
restricted to prevent them from harming themselves.
◉ Offense Principle. Answer: Governments are allowed to prohibit
conduct that seriously offends others.
◉ Legal Moralism. Answer: It allows the prohibition of immoral
behavior, even if nobody is harmed or offended. One example would be
a community banning homosexual acts.
◉ Legal Pluralism. Answer: Is the existence of multiple legal systems
within one (human) population and/or geographic area.
, ◉ Moral pluralism. Answer: Is the assumption there are moral truths, but
that they do not form a body of coherent and consistent truths as those
found in the sciences or mathematic approach.
◉ Through the virtue of an implied contract. This is common sense
morality.. Answer: Why should parents take care of their kids?
◉ The state will intervene & the child no longer owes the parent a duty
of obedience.. Answer: What happens if the parent doesn't act in the best
interests of the child?
◉ That are close to us. Answer: We have a duty of special concern to
those...?
◉ Best interest principle. Answer: When educators, judges, and doctors
deal with children, they should follow this...
◉ Beneficence, Non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. Answer:
According to the medical profession, what are the 4 main guiding ethical
principles derived from common morality?
◉ Informed consent. Answer: Doctors have to inform patients of
medical risks/benefits who then make an informed decision which
signifies their..?
