Document Detail


A virtue ethics approach to moral dilemmas in medicine.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  14519840     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Most moral dilemmas in medicine are analysed using the four principles with some consideration of consequentialism but these frameworks have limitations. It is not always clear how to judge which consequences are best. When principles conflict it is not always easy to decide which should dominate. They also do not take account of the importance of the emotional element of human experience. Virtue ethics is a framework that focuses on the character of the moral agent rather than the rightness of an action. In considering the relationships, emotional sensitivities, and motivations that are unique to human society it provides a fuller ethical analysis and encourages more flexible and creative solutions than principlism or consequentialism alone. Two different moral dilemmas are analysed using virtue ethics in order to illustrate how it can enhance our approach to ethics in medicine.
Authors:
P Gardiner
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comment; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of medical ethics     Volume:  29     ISSN:  0306-6800     ISO Abbreviation:  J Med Ethics     Publication Date:  2003 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-10-01     Completed Date:  2004-01-05     Revised Date:  2008-11-20    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7513619     Medline TA:  J Med Ethics     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  297-302     Citation Subset:  E; IM    
Affiliation:
5 London Road, Daventry, Northants, UK. patti@scottydoc.co.uk
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Bioethical Issues*
Blood Transfusion / ethics
Commerce / ethics
Creativeness
Emotions
Ethical Theory*
Ethics, Clinical*
Genetic Engineering / ethics*
Humans
Jehovah's Witnesses
Kidney Transplantation / ethics
Living Donors / ethics
Morals*
Motivation
Personal Autonomy
Personality
Principle-Based Ethics*
Tissue and Organ Procurement / economics,  ethics*
Treatment Refusal / ethics*
Virtues*
Comments/Corrections
Comment On:
J Med Ethics. 2003 Oct;29(5):267-8   [PMID:  14519834 ]

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


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