Applied Ethics

1. Applied Ethics Section 2 Medical Ethics

2. History • The history of medical ethics stretches from the Hippocratic Oath to modern bioethics, with the Nuremberg Code as a key step along the way.

3. History • Many of the principles of medical ethics are detectable in & from this history, with autonomy as a key 20th century emphasis.

4. Bioethics • Arose in the 1970s after philosophers, such as John Rawls, Hans Jonas &, differently, Richard Hare, devised ways of applying ethical theory to issues of life & death.

5. Ethics of Abortion • An innovative approach to the ethics of abortion was introduced by Judith Jarvis Thomson. • Her approach was queried by consequentialists; of these, Hare’s approach is distinctive.

6. Principles-based Approach Tom Beauchamp & J.F. Childress emphasized the place of the following principles in medical ethics: • Beneficence • Non-maleficence • Autonomy • Justice.

7. Objections to Principles-based Approach • Some objections focus on the interpretation of autonomy. • Situationism: makes principles subordinate to judgements about cases.

8. But… • Even if judgements about particular cases are sometimes more securely known than principles, the principles may still supply the reasons or justifications for the judgements.

9. To Consider • What do you think is involved in respecting autonomy in medical contexts? • Think about the role of principles in medical ethics and about situations where they may conflict.

10. Other Important Issues in Medical Ethics • Issues relating to justice & international equity. • The increasing spread of tropical diseases in poor countries due to global warming intensifies issues relating to the fair international distribution of medical resources.