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The Seminal Contribution of R abbi M oshe F einstein to the Development of Modern Jewish Medical Ethics
Author(s) -
Jotkowitz Alan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of religious ethics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.306
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 1467-9795
pISSN - 0384-9694
DOI - 10.1111/jore.12057
Subject(s) - judaism , einstein , propolis , donation , variety (cybernetics) , medical care , theology , medicine , law , philosophy , physics , computer science , political science , nursing , traditional medicine , artificial intelligence , mathematical physics
The purpose of this essay is to show how, on a wide variety of issues, R abbi M oshe F einstein broke new ground with the established O rthodox rabbinic consensus and blazed a new trail in Jewish medical ethics. R abbi F einstein took power away from the rabbis and let patients decide their treatment, he opened the door for a Jewish approach to palliative care, he supported the use of new technologies to aid in reproduction, he endorsed altruistic living organ donation and recognized brain death (thus laying the groundwork for O rthodox Jewish acceptance of heart transplantation), he downplayed the value of social worth in triage decisions, and was a fierce defender of the rights of the fetus. I develop broader theological principles from R abbi F einstein's ethical positions and compare them to those of his Jewish and Christian contemporaries.