Original scientific paper

ON THE NATURE OF BIOETHICS

Peter Singer ; Monash University, Melbourne

Abstract

Of two very seriously ill newborn babies only one had the
chance to survive, but not without the other baby's heart
transplant. What should be done in a situation when life is to be
taken from a child cortically, yet not biologically deceased, in order
to save another child's life? On the example of this bioethically
relevant case from the medical practice in Australia, the author
considers the usual reactions from the posltlons of different
ethical streamlines and viewpoints, from discursive ethics,
hermeneutical philosophy, through Marxism and feminism to
Catholic ethics. Defining bioethics as an applied philosophy
through which one approaches philosophical questions and issues
for obtaining valid and justifiable answers as well as practical
solutions, the author avails himself of the mentioned example
to illustrate the problems and difficulties this new discipline faces.
He also indicates a deficiency in traditional ethical approaches to
new questions posed by the development of contemporary science
and technology.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

31829

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/31829

Publication date:

1.5.1996.

Article data in other languages: croatian german

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