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Reading Questions.edited 2

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Reading Questions
Ackerman Questions
1. Ackerman begins by noting that patient autonomy has imposed certain duties on
doctors. What are those duties?
Ackerman explains that patient autonomy has forced various duties on physicians. One of
these duties is to always deal honestly with patients by releasing information to the patient
regardless of the consequences (DeGrazia et al. 83). The other duty is confidentiality of the
patient-doctor relationship, which means that physicians cannot release information without the
patient’s permission or if the situation does not meet law requirements.
2. According to the Ackerman article, the principle of respect for autonomy has given
rise to what specific patients’ rights?
The article also explains that autonomy has led to various patients’ rights. These rights are:
a) Right to privacy
b) Right to deny treatment
c) Right to grant informed permission or consent
d) Right to quality health care that respects human dignity (83)

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Name 2
3. From the Ackerman article, describe the understanding of autonomy as
“noninterference.” (This is discussed on p83)
Ackerman explains that in medicine, most people understand autonomy as
"noninterference." He explains that autonomy implies "noninterference" since it entails
respecting the choices and opinions of autonomous persons while refraining from interfering
unless the decisions are harmful to others (83). He elaborates further by stating that medics
understand autonomy as appreciating a person’s decisions even if the decision was due to flawed
judgment.
4. Ackerman states that autonomy has two key features. What are these two key
features?
According to the article, autonomy has two main features. One of these features is that
action plans formulated through reflection or deliberation govern autonomous habits. The other
is that autonomous habits emerge from people’s life plan choices (83).
5. According to Ackerman, what kinds of constraints can impede autonomous
behavior?
Ackerman explains that various constraints hinder a person’s autonomy. These
constraints are physical, psychological, cognitive, and social. According to the text, physical
constraints entail external and internal situations that bodily affect a person’s ability to deliberate
and act on life plans. Psychological constraints entail factors such as depression and anxiety.
Cognitive hindrances arise from a lack of or failure to comprehend information (83). Lastly,
social constraints arise from institutional expectations and roles that hinder decision-making.

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Name 3
6. How might illness interfere with autonomy? How might depression, denial, fear,
anxiety interfere with autonomy? How might “social constraints” interfere with
autonomy?
Ackerman explains that illness affects autonomy since it is more like a state of “wounded
humanity.” Due to its impact on the body, the text explains that illness brings alive old and new
anxieties, for it creates a new reality. In this reality, a patient might face the threat of death,
lifestyle alterations, and the loss of freedoms identified as humans. Ackerman explains that
patients who face these situations might need to revise their significant activities and long-term
goals and set limited goals regarding physical activities, diet, and pain control. With this crisis,
patients that lack knowledge concerning their medical condition may poorly assess the situation
and make the wrong decisions.
Alternatively, denial might interfere with autonomy since a patient with a terminal illness
may avoid weighing treatment options due to the disbelief that negative consequences might
arise. Statements such as “I am willing to do whatever it takes to get better” are common in this
situation. Depression might also affect autonomy since the rise of an adverse condition or lack of
improvement might make a patient make hasty decisions that will likely lead to fatal
consequences. An example of this is a fully committed cancer treatment patient deciding not to
continue with treatment after physicians discover a possible metastasis in another location.
Moreover, fear and anxiety might affect autonomy since a patient might avoid lifesaving
treatment due to the fear of a procedure (84). It entails refusing surgery due to the fear of needles
or negative thoughts concerning the medical procedure.
Apart from this, social constraints might also hinder autonomy. These are beliefs and
expectations held by social institutions regarding treatment. For instance, the belief that

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Name 1 Student’s name Professor’s name Course number Date Reading Questions Ackerman Questions 1. Ackerman begins by noting that patient autonomy has imposed certain duties on doctors. What are those duties? Ackerman explains that patient autonomy has forced various duties on physicians. One of these duties is to always deal honestly with patients by releasing information to the patient regardless of the consequences (DeGrazia et al. 83). The other duty is confidentiality of the patient-doctor relationship, which means that physicians cannot release information without the patient’s permission or if the situation does not meet law requirements. 2. According to the Ackerman article, the principle of respect for autonomy has given rise to what specific patients’ rights? The article also explains that autonomy has led to various patients’ rights. These rights are: a) Right to privacy b) Right to deny treatment c) Right to grant informed permission or consent d) Right to quality health care that respects human dignity (83) Name 2 3. From the Ackerman article, describe the understanding of autonomy as “noninterference.” (This is discussed on p83) Ackerman explains that in medicine, most people understand autonomy as "noninterference." He explains that autonomy implies "noninterference" since it entails respecting the choices and opinions of autonomous persons while refraining from interfering unless the decisions are harmful to others (83). He elaborates further by ...
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