Document Detail


Waiting for a miracle... miracles, miraclism, and discrimination.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18090974     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We argue that the use of publicly funded medical facilities for patients who are waiting for a miracle amounts to discrimination against atheists, agnostics and advocates, of faiths that do not accept miracle claims. The only exception is when this use can be justified by considerations that demonstrate that waiting makes it more likely that a miracle will occur and will aid the patient's recovery. Such justification can be grounded on considerations of faith or of reason. We consider both possibilities and suggest conditions of acceptability for both. In arguing this way, we steer a middle path between discrimination against atheists, agnostics, and advocates of faiths that do not accept miracle claims--miraclism--and a failure to respect religious belief.
Authors:
Julian Savulescu; Steve Clarke
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Southern medical journal     Volume:  100     ISSN:  1541-8243     ISO Abbreviation:  South. Med. J.     Publication Date:  2007 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-12-19     Completed Date:  2008-01-11     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0404522     Medline TA:  South Med J     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1259-62     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Program on the Ethics of the New Biosciences, James Martin 21st Century School, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. julian.savulescu@philosophy.ox.ac.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Humans
Knowledge
Prejudice*
Religion and Medicine*
Spirituality

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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