Transcript Ethics Slides

Bioethics and a Truly
Human Society
“Fish is what I like and so are bear’s
paws; but if I cannot have both I will
forgo the fish and choose the bear’s
paw. Similarly I love life and I love
righteousness; but if I cannot have
both I will forgo life and choose
righteousness”
Meng-tse or Mencius. 372-289BC Book VI Part 1 chapter 10
Bioethics
“The application of ethics to the biological
sciences, medical health care and related areas
as well as the public policies directed towards
them.”
New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Administration.
The biomedical ethical principles that govern health care
Benificence
Non-malificence
Respect for autonomy
Justice
Confidentiality
Truth - telling
Dignity
PDS Course Otago Medical School
What does it mean to be human?
What distinguishes humans from
other animals?
A human being
Is in relationship to other humans, all creation and God
– love.
Has both the capacity to remember and the capacity to
imagine - hope and faith.
Is capable of communication.
Has the possibility of making choices – free will
What do we mean?
Community (n) society; the social state; common
ownership, liability; agreement; identity; communion;
Society (n) the aggregate of persons living together in
a more or less ordered community;
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
What is a truly human society?
A truly human society
-
cares for all people physically, mentally and spiritually
does not exploit any of its members
is open to others
is compassionate to all especially the most vulnerable
is equitable
enables growth in all its members
enables each to contribute to the common good
has reverence for truth and beauty
cares for all creation
has peaceful means of solving conflict
tolerates diversity
values all its members
values wisdom as well as knowledge
recognisies limits to human action
reflects on the past as well as imagining the future
Humanizing & dehumanising
aspects of society
HUMANISING
DEHUMANISING
Reverence for embryo
Early bonding :recognising humanity
Sex selection, PGD, embryo experiments
cloning
Child – unique gift
To parents and community
Child as possession, right, May be made to be used
for other, reject any abnormality
Broad education body/mind/spirit
Lack of education
Body/mind/spirit
Promotion of wise reflection before
changes
Enough food, work, time to be, health
care
Acceptance of disabled, vulnerable,
old
Reverence for created world
Acceptance of death as part of life
Undervaluing wisdom
Overvaluing of science
Canonising new development
Lack of food, work, time to be, health care.
Too much food etc
Rejection of disabled, vulnerable old
Exploitation of created world
Denial of death – or wish to control it by euthanasia
Ethical issues at beginning of life
When does human life begin?
Children as possession or gift
Cost of technology ($ 9.3 million in NZ)
Donated eggs & sperm,
Surrogacy;
Multiple parents in IVF with donated eggs, sperm and
surrogacy
Meaning of motherhood and fatherhood
Embryo issues
Question
s
Embryo issues
: embryo selection to reduce disease
: embryo selection to provide therapy for siblings
: embryo enhancement
: inserting genes from others
: cloning; therapeutic and reproductive
: destruction of embryo for stem cells
: disposal of ‘spare’ embryos
: adoption of spare embryos
“There are persistent moral quandaries and
moral remainders”
“There are pressures for premature closure”
“Good ethical dialogue is inclusive, identifies
sources of power, and the ethical platforms asks
the question: what kind of a society do we want?”
Michael Burgess, International Ethics Conference
Ethical issues at End of Life
What is ‘normal’ treatment?
Cost of technology
Letting die and euthanasia
Persistent vegetative state
Withdrawal of life support
Quality of life
Resources available
Right to Die
The moral basis of the right to die is the right to a good
quality life
“Lawyers and doctors distinguish between withholding
treatment with death as a result and giving treatment that
causes death. …But in fact there is no difference between
them;... Like the doctrine of double effect, which allows
death hastening levels of analgesia to be given…the
distinctions are fictitious. Political and religious sentiments
may obscure the interests of the patient in (right to die)
cases , which is why the dispassionate assessment of the
facts in a court of law is the best way to reach a
conclusion”
Leader in BMJ 9 April 2005
AC Grayling, Professor, School of Philosophy Birkbeck College
Pertinent Questions for new
Developments
Does this reverence each person?
Does it care for the most vulnerable?
Does it lead to growth and freedom?
Does it lead to oppression?
Is it open to political or economic manipulation so
that people will be oppressed?
Does it reveal in a new way the love of God.
“How do we encourage moral
strangers to cooperate?”
“Ethical dialogue is a process of
awakening communion”
Paul Reeves, Chairman of the Bioethics Council
“Let us avoid moralizing or
suggesting we have a monopoly
of truth”
Cardinal Wojtyla to the Second Vatican Council
“Society is never finished but
must always be built up anew on
the basis of conscience “
Cardinal Ratzinger