人本主义与生命伦理学

任何社会、任何历史阶段 ,人性论都是医学伦理观建立的基础 ,这应该是毋庸置疑的。我国古代医学伦理观的基础是儒家的性善论 ,西方近代医学伦理观的基础是西方近代人性论 ,现代西方生命伦理学的基础就是现代西方人本主义文化思想。因为任何时代的医学家、伦理学家都是在受一定社会文化环境的影响而成长起来的 ,他们对医德伦理问题的思考或多或少受当时人文文化的熏陶 ,而有其所处时代的文化烙印。正如西方著名文化学学者兰德曼所说 :任何时代、任何人都不可能不受其文化环境的影响 ,“文化如同人体内的血管系统是属于人的一部分 ,而血管里流…     

Bioethics reformation style

The Hippocratic model is inadequate because it is too paternalistic, argues Rebecca D. Pentz in her response to Cameron. Instead, we would do well to think of the patient/doctor relationship in Reformation terms, using the pastor/congregation relationship as a model. Rejecting Hippocratic paternalism is not tantamount to an assertion of absolute autonomy; it entails patient responsibility, shared with the physician.     

Bioethics and Christian Theology

The authors of this essay suggest that the field of bioethics and Christian theology have a great deal to offer to each other. The authors first argue that representatives from both fields must first make sure that they fully and correctly represent their respective position. In other words, scientists, ethicists, and theologians alike must make sure that they present their fields and not use their knowledge merely for personal gain at the stake of misguiding people. Once this is established, the authors then proceed to show the intimate relationship between Christianity and medicine that has existed throughout the ages. It is a call for a continuation of such a relationship that the authors suggest between bioethics and theology. Through an integration of bioethics and Christian theology, both scientists/physicians and theologians are able to gain greater insight into the human person—a focus in both fields.     

人的尊严与生命伦理

“尊严”是频繁出现在生命伦理学中的一个概念,但关国学者麦克琳却在最近认为,尊严在生命伦理学中是个无用的概念,可以毫无损失地用其它概念,比如尊重人的自主性概念所代替。反驳了麦克琳的观点,定义了尊严的含义,认为生命伦理学的使命就是在当代生命科技高度发达的情况下如何尊重和保护人的尊严。     

Bioethics after the terror

Bioethics as a field has been fortunate that its values and concerns have mirrored the values and concerns of society. In light of the September 11th attacks, it is possible that we are witnessing the beginning of a transition in American culture, one fraught with implications for bioethics. The emphasis on autonomy and individual rights may come to be tempered by greater concern over the collective good. Increased emphasis on solidarity over autonomy could greatly alter public response to research abuses aimed at defense from bioterrorism, to privacy of genetic information, and to control of private medical resources to protect the public health.     

The Pastor and Bioethics

This essay presents bioethics or ethics in health care as a challenge to pastors. Common professional struggles are experienced by pastoral and health professionals. Thus, first, we need to consider the meaning of being a professional especially as pastors. Second, pastors might explore at least four specific medical issues: namely physician-assisted death or euthanasia, complementary or alternative treatments, the exercise of consent to medical procedures by patients or parishioners and families, and the crucial need for the donation of vital organs to save lives. Embedded within all four issues, there is a significant religious concern which requires the pastor's expertise.     

Bioethics and sin.

On the basis of a historical reconstruction of the stages through which the Christian notion of sin took shape in Protestantism, the significance of this term for modern bioethics is derived from its opposition to a holiness of God and his creatures, which in turn translates into the secular moral concept of dignity. This dignity imposes obligations to respect and to relationships that are sustained by faithfulness and trust. In being based on the gratuitousness of God's grace, such relationships preclude attempts at instrumentalization, denial of singularity, and subjection to market forces. Accordingly, reproductive cloning as well as exposing medicine to economical considerations can be classified as sinful. The difference between sinful acts and humans' sinful state furthermore permits to address the problems of evil and misfortune in the world, and to acknowledge humans' responsibility for the threats to humanity entailed by those ills. While the Christian faith relies on God's mercy, it also imposes the task of following Christ by fighting against evil and misfortune.     

Toward a Better Bioethics

It has been argued that bioethicists too often tend to represent the interests of scientists and not of the broader polity. Indeed, bioethicists seem predisposed to discard the voices and viewpoints of all but the cognoscenti. Focusing particularly on human pluripotent stem cell research, this commentary explores a variety of characterizations of bioethics and bioethicists in relation to forbidding science. Rather than proselytizing or prohibiting, bioethicists should work in partnership with scientists and publics to craft scientifically well-informed and morally sophisticated debates about forbidding science.