What Is a Thought Experiment

question 7

Multiple Choice

What is a thought experiment?

• A) An imaginary scenario used to elicit people's intuitive judgments about something as a way of evaluating a moral principle.
• B) A detailed imaginary scenario in which everyone will agree about what the right thing to do is, which philosophers use to show that a particular moral principle is mistaken.
• C) A fictional example or story designed to illustrate how a moral principle applies to specific cases, based on intuitive judgments.
• D) A hypothetical scenario in which people's intuitive judgments match up with the implications of a moral principle to help people understand the principle.

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Definitions:

Distributive Justice

The principle by which we as a society (or the health care community) decide to allocate resources that are in scarce supply.

American Medical Association (AMA)

A professional association for physicians and medical students that seeks to promote the art and science of medicine for the betterment of public health.

Code of Medical Ethics

A set of guidelines developed to help medical professionals conduct their duties with integrity, professionalism, and respect for patient rights.

Professional Conduct

Ethical and professional behavior expected of individuals in a particular profession, adhering to standards and guidelines of their field.