Philosophy Archives - Page 12 of 13 - Protection of Conscience Project Library

(Correspondence) Responsibility and abortion

Glenn Jones

Canadian Medical Association Journal, CMAJ — Canadian Medical Association Journal

Extract
Termination of pregnancy is the act of a powerful person (the pregnant woman) against a voiceless, innocent and powerless person. How does the misuse of power by women in this situation prove that their androgynous and gynocentric approaches to the use of power are different or better? . . . I agree with McEvoy that we must determine what abortion means over time to those most affected by it – women. However, she has failed to do that analysis.

Jones G. (Correspondence) Responsibility and abortion. Can Med Assoc J. 1992 Sep 15;147(6):840-842.

Religious Ethics and Active Euthanasia in a Pluralistic Society

Courtney S Campbell

Abstract
This article sets out a descriptive typology of religious perspectives on legalized euthanasia — political advocacy, individual conscience, silence, embedded opposition, and formal public opposition — and then examines the normative basis for these perspectives through the themes of sovereignty, stewardship, and the self. It also explores the public relevance of these religious perspectives for debates over legalized euthanasia, particularly in the realm of public policy. Ironically, the moral discourse of religious traditions on euthanasia may gain public relevance at the expense of its religious content. Nonetheless, religious traditions can provide a context of ultimacy and meaning to this debate, which is a condition for genuine pluralism.

Campbell CS. Religious Ethics and Active Euthanasia in a Pluralistic Society. Kennedy Inst Ethics J. 1992;2(3):253-277.

Fetal rights: Supreme Court tosses ball back in Parliament’s court

Eike-Henner Kluge

Extract
The case is of interest to doctors, but not because it deals with midwifery and its legality in Canada – the Supreme Court decision is silent on that point. At issue was the status of the human fetus: Is a full-term human fetus that is partially born a person in the eyes of the criminal law? The court decided it is not. . . . The Supreme Court has decided this case on very narrow legal grounds and it has carefully avoided coming to grips with the issue of whether a fetus is a person in the eyes of the law. This is not surprising. On several occasions, such as cases involving Morgentaler5 and Daigle,6 the Supreme Court has made clear that the status of the fetus should not be resolved in court – the court is not prepared to do Parliament’s work.

Kluge E-H. Fetal rights: Supreme Court tosses ball back in Parliament’s court. Can Med Assoc J. 1991 May 01;144(9):1154-1155.

(Correspondence) When passion displaces logic (Dr. Waugh responds)

Douglas Waugh

Extract
Unlike Dr. Heaton I am a born-again nonbeliever and therefore do not accept his version of where it all begins. With that as a “given” my logic is flawless, as is his with a different “given”. Unhappily, the two positions remain irreconcilable.

Waugh D. (Correspondence) When passion displaces logic (Dr. Waugh responds). Can Med Assoc J. 1990 Jan 01;142(1):12.

When passion displaces logic

Douglas Waugh

Extract
An ancient Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times”, may turn out to be punishment for some of our misdeeds as the 20th century draws to a close. . . . Unless our society is willing to accept a compromise between the humane aspirations of pro- choice and the species priority of pro-life, we may be doomed to continue the cyclic alternation of dominant conservative and then liberal forces, as has been the case during the last several centuries. These interesting times may indeed be a curse.

Waugh D. When passion displaces logic. Can Med Assoc J. 1989 Oct 01;141(7):707.

(Correspondence) “Universal” moral principles

Wendell W Watters

Extract
Apart from such simple principles as the Golden Rule and the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number of People, what universal moral principles are there? Apparently Lemoine’s value system would compel unwilling pregnant women to become mothers against their will (the view of the Roman Catholic Church and other antichoice groups); this is in direct opposition to the position that couples should be allowed to regulate their own reproductivity, the view of the United Nations declaration on family planning, to which Canada was a signatory. Neither of these moral positions is universal or based on absolutes. The first arose out of the Christian Church’s desire to implement policies of demographic aggression against all other groups. The second arose in this century out of our collective appreciation that such policies may spell extinction for all forms of life on this planet. Many of the bloodiest episodes in history came about as a result of one group’s seeking to impose “universal” moral principles on others.

Watters WW. (Correspondence) “Universal” moral principles. Can Med Assoc J. 1989 May 01;140(9):1016.

Abortion: the issue the CMA has refused to address is life

David Knickle

Extract
The CMA’s new statement shifts the balance very heavily away from the sanctity of human life and places more emphasis on these pregnancy-related problems. Surely this is contrary to our traditional medical ethic of protecting life and curing disease. . .

The issue for our profession should be this: What is medically acceptable? We must set our standards of ethical practice. Surely we are capable of defining what is therapeutic and what is non- therapeutic in life-and-death situations. The issue here is not whether we are pro-choice or pro-life, or for or against abortion on demand. The issue is simply whether we will hold to our traditional medical ethic of protecting life and treating disease.

Knickle D. Abortion: the issue the CMA has refused to address is life. Can Med Assoc J. 1988 Nov 15;139(10):990.

Conscience, good character, integrity, and to hell with philosophical medical ethics?

Raanan Gillon

British Medical Journal, BMJ — British Medical Journal

Extract
. . .A recurring theme throughout medical discussion of medical ethics, typified by the British Medical Association’s Handbook of Medical Ethics,’ is the importance of recourse to conscience. In addition to this positive attitude to the importance of good conscience, good character, and integrity, doctors often have a distinctly negative attitude to philosophical discussion, argument, and criticism concerning medical ethics. . .

Gillon R. Conscience, good character, integrity, and to hell with philosophical medical ethics? Br Med J. 1985 May 18;290(6480):1497-1498.

Civil disobedience, conscientious objection, and evasive noncompliance: a framework for the analysis and assessment of illegal actions in health care

James F Childress

Abstract
This essay explores some of the conceptual and moral issues raised by illegal actions in health care. The author first identifies several types of illegal action, concentrating on civil disobedience, conscientious objection or refusal, and evasive noncompliance. Then he sketches a framework for the moral justification of these types of illegal action. Finally, he applies the conceptual and normative frameworks to several major cases of illegal action in health care, such as “mercy killing” and some decisions not to treat incompetent patients.

Childress JF. Civil disobedience, conscientious objection, and evasive noncompliance: a framework for the analysis and assessment of illegal actions in health care. J Med Philos. 1985 Feb 01;10(1):63-83.

(Editorial) Conscience, virtue, integrity and medical ethics

Journal of Medical Ethics

Extract
. . . Conscience, for example, turns out to be an ambiguous concept. On the one hand is the concept of an unthinking but morally controlling force within us telling us what we should do and not do. . . The second concept of conscience corresponds to the . . . corresponds to many analyses of conscience in the theological and philosophical literature in which conscience is an essentially rational faculty . . . Thus it is immediately clear that claims for the adequacy of a good conscience for medical ethics must make clear which of these two concepts of conscience is intended. . . .

JME. (Editorial) Conscience, virtue, integrity and medical ethics. J Med Ethics. 1984 Dec;10(4):171-172.