A Philosophical Approach John F. Morris, Ph.D. Rockhurst University Seminar in Medical Ethics PL 4700 Medicine & Ethics

A Philosophical Approach I. All of us come to the study of ethics with a degree of ethical experience. A. Family B. School C. Society These represent our general moral experience. Medicine & Ethics

II. The study of Philosophy helps us take our vague and unreflective notions about healthcare and medicine and make them: A. Explicit B. Clear C. Consistent A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

A. Explicit 1) Through reflection upon ideas we hold as true, philosophy helps us express our implicit knowledge to others - thereby making it explicit. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

B. Clear 1) Philosophy helps us clarify our implicit knowledge, and brings coherence to the ideas we have accepted as true throughout our life experiences. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

C. Consistent 1) Finally, philosophy helps us integrate our knowledge derived from everyday life, revealing any contradictions in our thoughts, and creating a unified vision of reality. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

III. And so, a philosophical approach helps give us articulate, defensible reasons for why certain actions ought, or ought not, to be done. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

IV. Ethics = is the study of how to live life well. A. This involves the study of actions (not persons) to determine if an action is: 1) permissible; 2) impermissible; or 3) obligatory. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

 obligatory = must always be done, regardless of the circumstances  impermissible = must never be done, under any circumstance  permissible = can either be done or, not done – it is good either way A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

B. As for persons, we will strive not to judge their character - only their responsibility for the actions they perform. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

V.We must keep in mind that ethical questions are controversial for various reasons: A. Ethical questions are complex. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

B. Ethics deals with profound and mysterious issues of LIFE, which are always open to further study. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

C. There is always difficulty in applying general rules to concrete cases. 1) But this does not make ethics relativistic! A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

D. Ethics involves not only facts, but also personal and cultural values. 1) Facts are objective. 2) Values, on the other hand, are subjective. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

E. Ethical decisions are not abstract - they affect our personal lives directly. 1) That is why it is often difficult to be objective in ethics. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

VI. Our GOAL is to develop: A. An orderly way of thinking about ethics. B. A common moral vocabulary. C. A coherent moral framework that leads to CONSENSUS. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

1) But what does CONSENSUS entail? a)First, let’s clarify what consensus is NOT:  consensus is not 100% unanimity;  consensus is not the same as compromise. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics

1) But what does CONSENSUS entail? b) And so, for our purposes, consensus is achieved when:  all parties can live with the decision;  and, the decision respects everyone’s conscience & integrity. A Philosophical Approach Medicine & Ethics