Open AccessWestern or Eastern principles in globalized bioethics? An Asian perspective view
Author(s) -
Michael Cheng-tek Tai
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
tzu-chi medical journal/cí-jì yīxué
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.343
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 2223-8956
pISSN - 1016-3190
DOI - 10.1016/j.tcmj.2012.05.004
Subject(s) - bioethics , autonomy , compassion , environmental ethics , foundation (evidence) , medicine , morality , medical ethics , neglect , perspective (graphical) , engineering ethics , law , political science , nursing , philosophy , artificial intelligence , computer science , engineering
The principles advocated by Georgetown scholars have become the teachings of medical ethics in recent years. These principles provide good guides in clinical decision-making. But they can turn into a set of regulations that require only external observation. Confucian scholars believe that any principle without compassion as a base cannot endure. The eastern teachings regard internal virtues as the foundation of morality that spontaneously motivate a person to act in an ethical way. Without having this inner drive, any regulations, principles or law are but superficial. Eastern society also regards family as a basic unity therefore, familial autonomy is more important than individual autonomy. How do we bridge this gap between eastern and western ethics when contemplating a global bioethics? This article will argue that a global ethics must not neglect the importance of virtues