WEEK1-FINALS

Question 1

What is the primary ethical conflict discussed in the context of animal rights and human rights?

Answer 1

Minimize suffering of other life forms vs Maximize human well-being

Question 2

What principle should guide ethical decisions when human and animal rights conflict?

Answer 2

Principles of harm reduction and fairness

Question 3

In what situations might animal suffering be justified?

Answer 3

When human survival or well-being is at stake and no viable alternatives exist

Question 4

What is human exceptionalism?

Answer 4

The idea that humans are morally superior to animals

Question 5

What ethical criterion is increasingly argued to be primary for moral consideration?

Answer 5

Sentience

Question 6

What is synthetic life?

Answer 6

Organisms that are artificially created or engineered by humans

Question 7

What does synthetic biology aim to achieve?

Answer 7

Design and build organisms that perform specific functions

Question 8

Who is George McDonald Church?

Answer 8

An American geneticist and pioneer in personal genomics and synthetic biology

Question 9

What are some ethical challenges associated with synthetic life forms?

Answer 9

• Playing God and redefining life
• Safety and unintended consequences
• Bioweapons and biosecurity

Question 10

What does the term ‘playing God’ refer to in the context of synthetic life?

Answer 10

Creating life from nothing, raising philosophical and religious concerns

Question 11

What potential risk is associated with synthetic organisms escaping into the environment?

Answer 11

They could cause harm to natural ecosystems

Question 12

What are some types of weaponized bacteria?

Answer 12

• Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)
• Yersinia pestis (Plague)

Question 13

What is the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)?

Answer 13

An international treaty prohibiting the development and use of biological weapons

Question 14

What humanitarian impact can the use of biological weapons have?

Answer 14

Indiscriminate suffering and long-lasting health effects

Question 15

What is ethical pluralism?

Answer 15

The idea that multiple moral principles can coexist and sometimes conflict

Question 16

How does ethical pluralism approach multicultural societies?

Answer 16

By acknowledging multiple perspectives and finding common ground

Question 17

What is the difference between ethical pluralism and moral absolutism?

Answer 17

Moral absolutism asserts one objective moral truth, while ethical pluralism accepts multiple valid perspectives

Question 18

What is ethical fundamentalism?

Answer 18

The belief in a single, absolute moral code that governs all human behavior

Question 19

What do ethical fundamentalists believe about moral principles?

Answer 19

They are universal and apply to all people, regardless of context

Question 20

Provide an example of ethical fundamentalism.

Answer 20

Christian Ethical Fundamentalism based on the Ten Commandments

Question 21

What risks are associated with the development of synthetic life forms?

Answer 21

• Unintended ecological imbalances
• Potential misuse as bioweapons

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Ethical pluralism encourages _______ when different cultures have differing views on morality.

Answer 22

tolerance and understanding

Question 23

What are bacterial biological weapons classified as?

Answer 23

Biological agents under the category of bioweapons

This includes viruses, fungi, and toxins.

Question 24

What international law prohibits the use of biological weapons?

Answer 24

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

Signed by most nations to prevent the development and use of biological weapons.

Question 25

Name a notable type of bacteria that has been weaponized.

Answer 25

Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) ## Footnote Anthrax produces spores that can survive in the environment for long periods.

Question 26

What is the primary concern regarding anthrax spores?

Answer 26

They can be dispersed via air and cause serious diseases ## Footnote Inhalation or ingestion can lead to often fatal outcomes.

Question 27

What are the symptoms of anthrax exposure?

Answer 27

Fever, chills, fatigue, and severe respiratory issues ## Footnote Symptoms vary depending on the mode of entry (skin, inhalation, or ingestion).

Question 28

Which bacterium is responsible for plague?

Answer 28

Yersinia pestis ## Footnote Responsible for both bubonic and pneumonic forms of plague.

Question 29

How can plague be transmitted?

Answer 29

By fleas or directly through human-to-human transmission ## Footnote Particularly in the case of pneumonic plague.

Question 30

What historical use did plague have?

Answer 30

Used as a biological weapon in ancient and medieval warfare ## Footnote Particularly effective in causing rapid outbreaks.

Question 31

Fill in the blank: The bacterium Yersinia pestis can cause rapid outbreaks with high _______.

Answer 31

mortality rates ## Footnote Especially in crowded or unsanitary conditions.

Question 32

What is moral absolutism?

Answer 32

Moral absolutism holds that there is one objective moral truth that applies universally. ## Footnote For example, a moral absolutist might believe that practices like arranged marriages are always wrong because they violate individual rights, regardless of cultural context.

Question 33

What is ethical pluralism?

Answer 33

Ethical pluralism argues that cultural context and individual autonomy are both important, and the solution lies in understanding the complexity of values at play.

Question 34

How does ethical relativism differ from ethical pluralism?

Answer 34

Ethical relativism suggests that moral standards are culturally determined and that there are no universal moral truths, while ethical pluralism acknowledges cultural values but maintains certain fundamental ethical principles must be respected across cultures.

Question 35

What is ethical fundamentalism?

Answer 35

Ethical fundamentalism refers to the belief that there is a single, absolute moral code that should govern all human behavior, which is unchanging and universally applicable.

Question 36

What are the characteristics of moral fundamentalists?

Answer 36

Moral fundamentalists believe in absolute moral principles, certainty and infallibility of their ethical code, moral righteousness, rejection of ethical relativism, and a strong sense of moral duty and obligation.

Question 37

What do moral fundamentalists believe about moral principles?

Answer 37

They believe that moral rules are universal and apply to all people, regardless of context, culture, or individual circumstances.

Question 38

What is the stance of ethical fundamentalists on ethical relativism?

Answer 38

Ethical fundamentalists reject ethical relativism, arguing that moral truth is objective and should not be subject to personal or cultural interpretation.

Question 39

What does ethical fundamentalism emphasize regarding moral duty?

Answer 39

It emphasizes that individuals are obligated to follow the prescribed moral code, and failing to do so is inherently wrong.