Human life invaluableness: An emerging African bioethical principle

Some bioethical literature reveals that there is some concern by some scholars that certain elements of the current bioethical principlism show limitations when applied in the case of communities or societies whose value systems fall outside those of the Western world. Consequently, several efforts are being made by a number of scholars, both in Africa and abroad, to find what may be considered African bioethical principles. Analysing one of the African proverbial sayings, this research proposes “human life invaluableness” as one such principle that is worth considering in the general search for African bioethical principles. In essence, the principle teaches that no resource may be spared at the expense of human life because of the ontologically special place occupied by human beings in the hierarchy of beings in the world.