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Foundations, Frameworks, Lenses: The Role of Theories in Bioethics
Author(s) -
Sherman Susan
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
bioethics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1467-8519
pISSN - 0269-9702
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8519.00147
Subject(s) - bioethics , metaphor , foundation (evidence) , epistemology , ethical theory , ethical theories , sociology , engineering ethics , environmental ethics , psychology , philosophy , political science , law , linguistics , engineering
I explore the implications of the foundation metaphor for understanding the role of moral theories in ethics and bioethics and argue that its disadvantages outweigh its advantages. I then consider two other metaphors that might be used instead, those of frameworks and lenses. I propose that the metaphor of lenses is most promising in providing methodological guidance for drawing on moral theories when deliberating about bioethical problems.