Transcript Ethics - Marist College

Ethics
Irish Catholics Bishops, Pastoral
letter on Conscience.
In every action I say something about the
kind of person I wish to be and the kind of
values I choose to live by.
In every action I say something about how I
regard people – as people whose dignity is
equal to my own, or as beings I may use or
manipulate.
Take a few minutes to think about this
statement.
What is ethics?
Ethics is concerned with working
out what is right or wrong, good or
bad behaviour when responding
to a particular issue, circumstance
or situation.
Ethics involves developing the
ability to think about right and
wrong responses to personal,
community and global issues
and being able to
Assess influences on our
response
Analyse information.
Morality
Morality refers to the “code” we
hold about what is right and
wrong.
This is influenced by family, religion,
social background, political
circumstances, culture, friends.
What does ethical mean?
Behaving
according to our moral
code.
Being able to think about, assess
and analyse information and
influences around us.
Science
asks
Law asks
Morality asks
Curtis Harris.
Can we?
May we?
Should we?
Bio Ethics: definition
Our
attempt to know and
understand how we are to live
and what we are to do (or not
do), to be (or not be)…..
Particularly in regard to…
Guiding
moral choices in a
medical and biological context
and in providing principles by
which conflicts in the decision
making process may be resolved.
E. Dunn
Another definition:
A
prism through which we look so as
to separate out the various issues
relating to health care and other
issues surrounding life and death,
science, history, tradition of Church
teaching, culture, social sciences.
It is interdisciplinary by nature
What does it mean to be
human?
Rahner: the human person is an open
ended mystery that can only find
completion in God.
What is your image of God?
What does it mean to be
made in God’s image?
Moral Decision Making
 We
are part of a community and any
action we take, positive or negative,
affects others. Being part of community
brings responsibilities.
 In
other words; yes, you are created in the
image and likeness of God. Yes, you are
precious and God knows every hair on
your head, but you are one part of a
whole. Your actions affect others!
Faith and reason are the two wings
of a bird!
John Paul II
Sacredness of Life
A
principled approach to Bio-ethics
Autonomy
Personal responsibility
2. Non-maleficience: Hypocratic oath, do
no harm, balance of benefits.
3. Beneficence: a positive expression of 2.
an obligation to advance health care, a
responsibility to help others.
4. Justice: the fair allocation of health
resources.
1.
Abortion Statistics: Year ended
December 2012
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In the year ended December 2012:
14,745 abortions were performed in New Zealand, the
lowest number since 1995 (13,652).
The general abortion rate was 16.1 abortions per 1,000
women aged 15–44 years, down from 17.3 per 1,000 in
2011.
Women aged 20–24 years had the highest abortion
rate (29 abortions per 1,000 women aged 20–24 years).
The median age of women having an abortion was 25
years.
Most abortions (62 percent) were a woman's first
abortion.
55 percent of abortions were performed before the
10th week of the pregnancy.
Four Catholic Principles that
can be added.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sacredness of life
The innate dignity of the human person.
Truth telling- shows respect for self and
others. Good relationships are based on
trust.
Common good as opposed to individual
rights, requires co-operation.
Preferential option for the poor.
About abortion statistics
Abortion is defined as foetal loss excluding stillbirths.
Induced abortions are those initiated
voluntarily with the intention of terminating a
pregnancy. All other abortions are called
spontaneous abortions (miscarriages), even if an
external cause is involved, such as injury or
high fever.
All abortion statistics and derived abortion rates
included in this release are based on legally
induced abortions registered in New Zealand.
In New Zealand the grounds on which an abortion
is permitted are described in the Contraception,
Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 and in
section 187A of the Crimes Act 1961. In any year, 98–
99 percent of all abortions are performed
because of serious danger to the mental health of
the woman. No information is available on
spontaneous abortions.
Statistics New Zealand produces and disseminates
induced abortion statistics on behalf of the
Abortion Supervisory Committee.