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Sample records for resolve ethical problems

  1. An analytic approach to resolving problems in medical ethics.

    OpenAIRE

    Candee, D; Puka, B

    1984-01-01

    Education in ethics among practising professionals should provide a systematic procedure for resolving moral problems. A method for such decision-making is outlined using the two classical orientations in moral philosophy, teleology and deontology. Teleological views such as utilitarianism resolve moral dilemmas by calculating the excess of good over harm expected to be produced by each feasible alternative for action. The deontological view focuses on rights, duties, and principles of justic...

  2. An analytic approach to resolving problems in medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candee, D; Puka, B

    1984-01-01

    Education in ethics among practising professionals should provide a systematic procedure for resolving moral problems. A method for such decision-making is outlined using the two classical orientations in moral philosophy, teleology and deontology. Teleological views such as utilitarianism resolve moral dilemmas by calculating the excess of good over harm expected to be produced by each feasible alternative for action. The deontological view focuses on rights, duties, and principles of justice. Both methods are used to resolve the 1971 Johns Hopkins case of a baby born with Down's syndrome and duodenal atresia. PMID:6234395

  3. An analytic approach to resolving problems in medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candee, D; Puka, B

    1984-06-01

    Education in ethics among practising professionals should provide a systematic procedure for resolving moral problems. A method for such decision-making is outlined using the two classical orientations in moral philosophy, teleology and deontology. Teleological views such as utilitarianism resolve moral dilemmas by calculating the excess of good over harm expected to be produced by each feasible alternative for action. The deontological view focuses on rights, duties, and principles of justice. Both methods are used to resolve the 1971 Johns Hopkins case of a baby born with Down's syndrome and duodenal atresia.

  4. Resolving Ethical Dilemmas in Financial Audit

    OpenAIRE

    Professor PhD Turlea Eugeniu; PhD Student Mocanu Mihaela

    2010-01-01

    Resolving ethical dilemmas is a difficult endeavor in any field and financial auditing makes no exception. Ethical dilemmas are complex situations which derive from a conflict and in which a decision among several alternatives is needed. Ethical dilemmas are common in the work of the financial auditor, whose mission is to serve the interests of the public at large, not those of the auditee’s managers who mandate him/her. The objective of the present paper is to offer support in resolving ethi...

  5. Resolving Ethical Issues at School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benninga, Jacques S.

    2013-01-01

    Although ethical dilemmas are a constant in teachers' lives, the profession has offered little in the way of training to help teachers address such issues. This paper presents a framework, based on developmental theory, for resolving professional ethical dilemmas. The Four-Component Model of Moral Maturity, when used in conjunction with a…

  6. A systematic format for resolving ethical issues in clinical periodontics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schloss, Alexander J

    2012-01-01

    Ethical dilemmas are becoming increasingly common in dentistry and periodontics. Clinicians, challenged with such dilemmas, may not know how to apply the appropriate moral reasoning needed to resolve these situations especially when any of the five fundamental principles of ethics that form the foundation of the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct--patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and veracity--come into conflict with each other. The author describes one clinical case that presented with an ethical dilemma. An analytic framework, used in medicine, is introduced and used to solve the clinical case on whether to proceed with periodontal surgery on a patient who is not aware of his terminal prognosis from metastatic prostate cancer. Upon using the analytic framework, recommendations are made on the ethically appropriate path for the periodontist to follow in providing care for the patient's periodontal problem consistent with the principles of patient autonomy, respect for persons, and veracity.

  7. What Social Workers Should Know About Ethics: Understanding and Resolving Ethical Dilemmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaine P. Congress

    2000-05-01

    Full Text Available Recognizing ethical issues and dilemmas that arise in professional practice is crucial for social work practitioners, educators, and students. After a discussion about the limited, although growing, literature on social work ethics, the ten main tenets form the most current NASW Code of Ethics are presented. These topics include limits to confidentiality, confidentiality and technology, confidentiality in family and group work, managed care, cultural competence, dual relationships, sexual relationships, impairment and incompetence of colleagues, application to administrators and relevance to social work educators. In addition to understanding the Code of Ethics, social workers can use the ETHIC model of decision making for resolving ethical dilemmas. This easy to use five step process includes examining personal, agency, client, and professional values, thinking about ethical standards and relevant laws, hypothesizing about consequences, identifying the most vulnerable, and consulting with supervisors and colleagues. A case example involving confidentiality, HIV/AIDS and family therapy demonstrates how social workers can use the ETHIC model.

  8. Code of ethics as a tool for resolving conflict in the organization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prokopenko O.

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the issues as selection tools to resolve conflicts in organizations because of the importance and topicality of this issue. One such tool among these is the effective functioning of the organization code of ethics. This document, the more detailed, the more effective. Nowadays, more and more organizations have their own codes of ethics. Therefore, it would be wrong underestimation of the code of ethics as a tool that could be used to resolve conflicts in organizations.

  9. The context of ethical problems in medical volunteer work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wall, Anji

    2011-06-01

    Ethical problems are common in clinical medicine, so medical volunteers who practice clinical medicine in developing countries should expect to encounter them just as they would in their practice in the developed world. However, as this article argues, medical volunteers in developing countries should not expect to encounter the same ethical problems as those that dominate Western biomedicine or to address ethical problems in the same way as they do in their practice in developed countries. For example, poor health and advanced disease increase the risks and decrease the potential benefits of some interventions. Consequently, when medical volunteers intervene too readily, without considering the nutritional and general health status of patients, the results can be devastating. Medical volunteers cannot assume that the outcomes of interventions in developing countries will be comparable to the outcomes of the same interventions in developed countries. Rather, they must realistically consider the complex medical conditions of patients when determining whether or not to intervene. Similarly, medical volunteers may face the question of whether to provide a pharmaceutical or perform an intervention that is below the acceptable standard of care versus the alternative of doing nothing. This article critically explores the contextual features of medical volunteer work in developing countries that differentiate it from medical practice in developed countries, arguing that this context contributes to the creation of unique ethical problems and affects the way in which these problems should be analyzed and resolved.

  10. Ethical problems in the relationship between health and work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berlinguer, G; Falzi, G; Figa-Talamanca, I

    1996-01-01

    Throughout history, the relationship between employers and workers has been subject to the equilibrium of power, to legislative norms, to ethical considerations, and more recently to scientific knowledge. The authors examine the ethical conflicts that arise from the application of scientific knowledge to preventive health policies in the workplace. In particular, they discuss the ethical conflicts in the application of screening practices, in the setting of "allowable limits" of harmful work exposures, and in the right of workers to be informed about work hazards. Ethical problems are also created by conflicting interests in the protection of the environment, the health of the general public, and the health of the working population, and by conflicting interests among workers, and even within the individual worker, as in the case of "fetal protection" policies. The authors emphasize the positive use of scientific information and respect for human dignity in resolving these conflicts.

  11. Commentary: The forensic report--an inevitable nexus for resolving ethics dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstock, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Ethics-related dilemmas arise in forensic psychiatry as in all psychiatric practice. Although most can be resolved by following the AAPL Ethics Guidelines and the AAPL Ethics Questions and Answers, the more complex ones inevitably have no easy solutions. Ethics-based duties can conflict without clear guidance on prioritization. Weighing competing factors necessitates more than merely following a rule, since there are potentially conflicting rules, and ethical practitioners may prioritize them differently. Concerns pertaining to the death penalty and defendants who are victims of discrimination are especially difficult. Such considerations usually are in the realm of aspirational ethics, with conclusions open to debate. They need consideration by most practitioners concerned with determining the most ethical course of action. Much as it is insufficient for an ethical citizen merely to avoid breaking the law, it is not enough to avoid violating any one guideline while remaining blind to context. Most such dilemmas need resolution long before testimony and arise first in the way the forensic assessment is conducted and in decisions on the data to be included in a report and how they are presented. Although there can be legitimate differences of opinion about how to weigh and resolve conflicting considerations, ethics-related dilemmas should not be sidestepped.

  12. Assessing ethical problem solving by reasoning rather than decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Tsuen-Chiuan; Harasym, Peter H; Coderre, Sylvain; McLaughlin, Kevin; Donnon, Tyrone

    2009-12-01

    The assessment of ethical problem solving in medicine has been controversial and challenging. The purposes of this study were: (i) to create a new instrument to measure doctors' decisions on and reasoning approach towards resolving ethical problems; (ii) to evaluate the scores generated by the new instrument for their reliability and validity, and (iii) to compare doctors' ethical reasoning abilities between countries and among medical students, residents and experts. This study used 15 clinical vignettes and the think-aloud method to identify the processes and components involved in ethical problem solving. Subjects included volunteer ethics experts, postgraduate Year 2 residents and pre-clerkship medical students. The interview data were coded using the instruments of the decision score and Ethical Reasoning Inventory (ERI). The ERI assessed the quality of ethical reasoning for a particular case (Part I) and for an individual globally across all the vignettes (Part II). There were 17 Canadian and 32 Taiwanese subjects. Based on the Canadian standard, the decision scores between Taiwanese and Canadian subjects differed significantly, but made no discrimination among the three levels of expertise. Scores on the ERI Parts I and II, which reflect doctors' reasoning quality, differed between countries and among different levels of expertise in Taiwan, providing evidence of construct validity. In addition, experts had a greater organised knowledge structure and considered more relevant variables in the process of arriving at ethical decisions than did residents or students. The reliability of ERI scores was 0.70-0.99 on Part I and 0.75-0.80 on Part II. Expertise in solving ethical problems could not be differentiated by the decisions made, but could be differentiated according to the reasoning used to make those decisions. The difference between Taiwanese and Canadian experts suggests that cultural considerations come into play in the decisions that are made in the

  13. Resolving the ethical dilemma of nurse managers over chemically-dependent colleagues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, W; Wilson, D

    1996-12-01

    This paper addresses the nurse manager's role regarding chemically-dependent nurses in the workplace. The manager may intervene by: terminating the contract of the impaired colleague; notifying a disciplinary committee; consulting with a counselling committee; or referring the impaired nurse to an employee assistance programme. A dilemma may arise about which of these interventions is ethically the best. The ethical theories relevant to nursing involve ethical relativism, utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, Kohlberg's justice, and Gilligan's ethic of care. Nurse managers first need to understand these theories in order to clarify their own perceptions and attitudes towards chemical dependency, and then satisfactorily resolve this ethical dilemma. Education and social learning are routes to a better understanding of chemical dependency and to broadening the ethical dimensions of nurse managers.

  14. BANKING ETHICS: MAIN CONCEPTIONS AND PROBLEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VALENTINA FETINIUC

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Banking ethics is a specialized set of ethical standards and rules that should be followed in the activities of financial institutions and employees of the banking sector. But despite the simplicity of the definition, in the modern world, this concept becomes complex and ambiguous. The importance of studying this subject is defined by the fact that the ethical behavior of the bank and bank employees promotes banking. At present there are several conceptions of banking ethics: general ethics, regulated ethics and ethical bank. The most common practice is to regulate internal and external relations of banks and bank workers with ethical codes. At the same time, studies show the existence of problems in the banking standards of ethics, which negatively affects the financial institution. This article is intended to reflect main tendencies and problems of banking ethics at international level and experience of Republic of Moldova in this field.

  15. Brief report : ethical problems in research practice

    OpenAIRE

    Colnerud, Gunnel

    2013-01-01

    Most accounts of the ethical problems facing researchers across a broad spectrum of research fields come from ethicists, ethics committees, and specialists committed to the study of ethics in human research. In contrast, this study reports on the ethical questions that researchers, themselves, report facing in their everyday practice. Fifty-five Swedish researchers contributed 109 examples of ethical dilemmas, conflicts, and problems in research. They were all researchers at the postdoctoral ...

  16. Interns' perceptions on medical ethics education and ethical issues at the Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozan, S; Timbil, S; Semin, S; Musal, B

    2010-11-01

    In Turkey and its neighboring countries, few studies have investigated medical students' reactions to ethics education and ethical issues they encounter. The aim of this study was to investigate interns' perceptions of medical ethics education and ethical issues. In students' first three years at the Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, various teaching methods are used in ethics education, including problem-based learning, interactive lectures and movies. During the clinical years, the curriculum helps students consider the ethical dimension of their clinical work, and during the internship period a discussion on ethical issues is held. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to interns in the 2005-2006 academic year. Its questions asked about interns' perceived adequacy of their ethics education, any interpersonal ethical problems they had witnessed, their approaches to ethical problems, obstacles they believe prevented them from resolving ethical problems and whether they felt themselves ready to deal with ethical problems. 67.2 % of interns were reached and all of them responded. In the assessment of the adequacy of ethics education, the most favorable score was given to educators. Students' most often mentioned ethical problems encountered were between physicians and students and between physicians and patients. Interns believed that difficult personalities on the team and team hierarchy were important obstacles to resolving ethical problems. There were significant differences between the approaches students currently used in dealing with ethical problems and how they anticipated they would approach these problems in their future professional lives. We obtained information about students' perceptions about ethics education and ethical problems which helped us to plan other educational activities. This study may assist other medical schools in preparing an ethics curriculum or help evaluate an existing curriculum.

  17. [Ethical problems in organ transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenta, J; Treska, V; Hasman, D

    1999-02-01

    Organ transplantation is an accepted therapeutic method with good results, but it is connected with many not only medical but also ethical problems. One of the most important problems is the donor programme. In cadaverous donors the main ethical and legal question is the decision who can issue the consent with organ retrieval; in living donors it is the problem of motivation and financial compensation. Allocation of organs with low compatibility or from non-ideal donors, and the recipient's consent in these cases may involve difficult decisions.

  18. The Ethical Problems of Reserach : An empirical study of ethics in research practice

    OpenAIRE

    Colnerud, Gunnel

    2013-01-01

    Most accounts of the ethical problems facing researchers across a broad spectrum of research fields come from ethicists, ethics committees and specialists committed to the study of ethics in human research. In contrast, this study reports on the ethical questions that researchers, themselves, report facing in their everyday practice. Fifty-five Swedish researchers contributed 109 examples of ethical dilemmas, conflicts and problems in research. They were all researchers at the post-doctoral l...

  19. Rights and Wrongs of Ethics Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Dan; Dreilinger, Craig

    1990-01-01

    Ethics initiatives should provide employees with the tools they need to identify, clarify, and resolve ethical issues. Training efforts should focus on defining desired outcomes and considering the company's values and guidelines in working toward solutions to ethical problems. (SK)

  20. 48 CFR 29.101 - Resolving tax problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    .... (d) Before purchasing goods or services from a foreign source, the contracting officer should consult... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Resolving tax problems. 29... CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS TAXES General 29.101 Resolving tax problems. (a) Contract tax problems are...

  1. Teaching Social Work Students to Resolve Ethical Dilemmas in Domestic Violence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bent-Goodley, Tricia B.

    2007-01-01

    This article examines findings from three focus groups conducted about resolving ethical dilemmas in the area of domestic violence. The study's findings point to the need to increase content on domestic violence throughout the social work curriculum and provide educational opportunities for field instructors and local professionals. Helping…

  2. Ethical decision-making, passivity and pharmacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, R J; Bissell, P; Wingfield, J

    2008-06-01

    Increasing interest in empirical ethics has enhanced understanding of healthcare professionals' ethical problems and attendant decision-making. A four-stage decision-making model involving ethical attention, reasoning, intention and action offers further insights into how more than reasoning alone may contribute to decision-making. To explore how the four-stage model can increase understanding of decision-making in healthcare and describe the decision-making of an under-researched professional group. 23 purposively sampled UK community pharmacists were asked, in semi-structured interviews, to describe ethical problems in their work and how they were resolved. Framework analysis of transcribed interviews utilised the four decision-making stages, together with constant comparative methods and deviant-case analysis. Pharmacists were often inattentive and constructed problems in legal terms. Ethical reasoning was limited, but examples of appeals to consequences, the golden rule, religious faith and common-sense experience emerged. Ethical intention was compromised by frequent concern about legal prosecution. Ethical inaction was common, typified by pharmacists' failure to report healthcare professionals' bad practices, and ethical passivity emerged to describe these negative examples of the four decision-making stages. Pharmacists occasionally described more ethically active decision-making, but this often involved ethical uncertainty. The four decision-making stages are a useful tool in considering how healthcare professionals try to resolve ethical problems in practice. They reveal processes often ignored in normative theories, and their recognition and the emergence of ethical passivity indicates the complexity of decision-making in practice. Ethical passivity may be deleterious to patients' welfare, and concerns emerge about improving pharmacists' ethical training and promoting ethical awareness and responsibility.

  3. Ethical problems in clinical psychopharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller-Oerlinghausen, B

    1978-10-01

    The present article originates from some intriguing problems which the author, working as a clinical pharmacologist and psychiatrist, was faced with during clinical investigations. Practical difficulties appearing at first glance as of a rather methodological nature often reveal themselves as ethical questions. Investigation of psychotropic drugs in normal volunteers as well as in psychiatric patients is taken as a model to exemplify certain fundamental ethical aspects of medical research. It is emphasized that the "solution" of ethical problems cannot be achieved by referring to a given code of norms which themselves depend on certain historical circumstances, but rather by recognizing and reasoning the conflicts which result from various moral maxims. Clinical psychopharmacology should not only be conscious of its methodological shortcomings and future goals but also accept the justification of discussions about the ethical and legal questions involved in its dealings and take an active part in these debates. With regard to the relationship between patient and investigator, "solidarity" [23] instead of ongoing paternalism or legal formalism, appears to be a realistic goal. This is also true in the area of psychopharmacological research.

  4. A quick guide to ethical theory in healthcare: solving ethical dilemmas in nutrition support situations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrie, Suzie

    2006-04-01

    Ethical dilemmas can be challenging for the nutrition support clinician who is accustomed to evidence-based practice. The emotional and personal nature of ethical decision making can present difficulties, and conflict can arise when people have different ethical perspectives. An understanding of ethical terms and ethical theories can be helpful in clarifying the source of this conflict. These may include prominent ethical theories such as moral relativism, utilitarianism, Kantian absolutism, Aristotle's virtue ethics and ethics of care, as well as the key ethical principles in healthcare (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice). Adopting a step-by-step approach can simplify the process of resolving ethical problems.

  5. [Ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care: integrative literature review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nora, Carlise Rigon Dalla; Zoboli, Elma Lourdes Campos Pavone; Vieira, Margarida

    2015-03-01

    The aim of this study is to identify ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care and resources for coping based on publications on the subject. An integrative literature review was performed between the months of October and November 2013, using the databases: BDTD, CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, Biblioteca Cochrane, PubMed, RCAAP and SciELO. Articles, dissertations and theses published in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included, totalling 31 studies published from 1992 to 2013. This analysis resulted in four categories: ethical problems in the relationship between team members, ethical problems in the relationship with the user, ethical problems in health services management and resources for coping with ethical problems. Results showed that nurses need to be prepared to face ethical problems, emphasizing the importance of ethics education during the education process before and during professional practice to enhance the development of ethical sensitivity and competence for problem resolution.

  6. Ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care: integrative literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlise Rigon Dalla Nora

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to identify ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care and resources for coping based on publications on the subject. An integrative literature review was performed between the months of October and November 2013, using the databases: BDTD, CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, Biblioteca Cochrane, PubMed, RCAAP and SciELO. Articles, dissertations and theses published in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included, totalling 31 studies published from 1992 to 2013. This analysis resulted in four categories: ethical problems in the relationship between team members, ethical problems in the relationship with the user, ethical problems in health services management and resources for coping with ethical problems. Results showed that nurses need to be prepared to face ethical problems, emphasizing the importance of ethics education during the education process before and during professional practice to enhance the development of ethical sensitivity and competence for problem resolution.

  7. Creativity and Ethics: The Relationship of Creative and Ethical Problem-Solving.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mumford, Michael D; Waples, Ethan P; Antes, Alison L; Brown, Ryan P; Connelly, Shane; Murphy, Stephen T; Devenport, Lynn D

    2010-02-01

    Students of creativity have long been interested in the relationship between creativity and deviant behaviors such as criminality, mental disease, and unethical behavior. In the present study we wished to examine the relationship between creative thinking skills and ethical decision-making among scientists. Accordingly, 258 doctoral students in the health, biological, and social sciences were asked to complete a measure of creative processing skills (e.g., problem definition, conceptual combination, idea generation) and a measure of ethical decision-making examining four domains, data management, study conduct, professional practices, and business practices. It was found that ethical decision-making in all four of these areas was related to creative problem-solving processes with late cycle processes (e.g., idea generation and solution monitoring) proving particularly important. The implications of these findings for understanding the relationship between creative and deviant thought are discussed.

  8. Study on sociological approach to resolve maintenance related social problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aoki, Takayuki

    2007-01-01

    This study proposes a sociological approach to resolve maintenance related social problems. As a result of consideration, the followings were found. (1) In general, solutions to some kinds of questions can be deduced from basic laws using some theories or methodologies in the field of the natural science or engineering. The approach to resolve maintenance related social problems is similar to the approach in the natural science or engineering. (2) The points of view based on fundamental human rights, market principles and community principles, and so on, are very important in resolving maintenance related social problems and can be placed as theories or tools for resolution. (3) If such theories or tools for resolving maintenance related social problems as described above are systematically prepared, it is estimated that it becomes very much easier to resolve maintenance related social problems. (author)

  9. Ethical problems and moral sensitivity in physiotherapy: a descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulju, Kati; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2013-08-01

    This study identified and described ethical problems encountered by physiotherapists in their practice and physiotherapists' moral sensitivity in ethical situations. A questionnaire-based survey was constructed to identify ethical problems, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire Revised version was used to measure moral sensitivity. Physiotherapists (n = 116) working in public health services responded to the questionnaire. Based on the results, most of the physiotherapists encounter ethical problems weekly. They concern mainly financial considerations, equality and justice, professionalism, unethical conduct of physiotherapists or other professions and patients' self-determination. The dimension of moral strength was emphasised in physiotherapists' self-evaluations of their moral sensitivity. As a conclusion, ethical problems do occur not only at individual level but also at organisational and society level. Physiotherapists seem to have moral strength for speaking on behalf of the patient. Scarce resources make them feel insufficient but much could still be done to provide quality care in co-operation with other health-care professionals.

  10. Ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Luz, Kely Regina; Vargas, Mara Ambrosina de Oliveira; Schmidtt, Pablo Henrique; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; Tomaschewski-Barlem, Jamila Geri; da Rosa, Luciana Martins

    2015-01-01

    To know the ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses. Descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach, performed in inpatient units and in chemotherapy out-patients units that provide assistance to oncological patients in two capitals in the South region of Brazil. Eighteen nurses participated in this study, selected by snowball sampling type. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were carried out, which were recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed by thematic analysis. Two categories were established: when informing or not becomes a dilemma - showing the main difficulties related to oncological treatment information regarding health staff, health system, and infrastructure; to invest or not - dilemmas related to finitude - showing situations of dilemmas related to pain and confrontation with finitude. For the effective confrontation of the ethical problems experienced by oncology nurses to occur, it is important to invest in the training of these professionals, preparing them in an ethical and human way to act as lawyers of the patient with cancer, in a context of dilemmas related mainly to the possibility of finitude.

  11. Ethical Problems Related to Surrogate Motherhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erdem Aydin

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Being unable to have children is an important problem for married couples. At present, new reproduction techniques help these couples while those who can not find any solution try new approaches. One of these is the phenomenon of surrogate motherhood, which is based upon an agreement between the infertile couple and surrogate mother. Surrogate mother may conceive with the sperm of the male of the involved couple as well as by the transfer of the embryo formed by invitro fertilization. Couples who choose to have a child born from a pregnancy or to whom they are genetically partially connected rather than adopting a child give rise to the emergence of some ethical problems. Traditional family notion based upon having children after the union of the reproductive cells of the mother and father do not receive the pheneomenon of surrogate mother favourably. Such practices are criticised as they are far from being natural and other ethical problems are faced in the implementation.

  12. Everyday ethical problems in dementia care: a teleological model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolmsjö, Ingrid Agren; Edberg, Anna-Karin; Sandman, Lars

    2006-07-01

    In this article, a teleological model for analysis of everyday ethical situations in dementia care is used to analyse and clarify perennial ethical problems in nursing home care for persons with dementia. This is done with the aim of describing how such a model could be useful in a concrete care context. The model was developed by Sandman and is based on four aspects: the goal; ethical side-constraints to what can be done to realize such a goal; structural constraints; and nurses' ethical competency. The model contains the following main steps: identifying and describing the normative situation; identifying and describing the different possible alternatives; assessing and evaluating the different alternatives; and deciding on, implementing and evaluating the chosen alternative. Three ethically difficult situations from dementia care were used for the application of the model. The model proved useful for the analysis of nurses' everyday ethical dilemmas and will be further explored to evaluate how well it can serve as a tool to identify and handle problems that arise in nursing care.

  13. Generalized Darcy–Oseen resolvent problem

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Medková, Dagmar; Ptashnyk, M.; Varnhorn, W.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 39, č. 6 (2016), s. 1621-1630 ISSN 0170-4214 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : Darcy-Oseen resolvent problem * semipermeable membrane * Brinkman-Darcy equations * fluid flow between free-fluid domains and porous media Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.017, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mma.3872/abstract

  14. The limited relevance of analytical ethics to the problems of bioethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, R L

    1990-04-01

    Philosophical ethics comprises metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. These have characteristically received analytic treatment by twentieth-century Anglo-American philosophy. But there has been disagreement over their interrelationship to one another and the relationship of analytical ethics to substantive morality--the making of moral judgments. I contend that the expertise philosophers have in either theoretical or applied ethics does not equip them to make sounder moral judgments on the problems of bioethics than nonphilosophers. One cannot "apply" theories like Kantianism or consequentialism to get solutions to practical moral problems unless one knows which theory is correct, and that is a metaethical question over which there is no consensus. On the other hand, to presume to be able to reach solutions through neutral analysis of problems is unavoidably to beg controversial theoretical issues in the process. Thus, while analytical ethics can play an important clarificatory role in bioethics, it can neither provide, nor substitute for, moral wisdom.

  15. [Major ethical problems in contemporary medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roa, A

    1983-11-01

    The ethical distinction between good and evil has preoccupied man since the beginning of human history. Man, unlike other animals, is capable of comparing himself with his peers; this ability leads to a constant concern with the image he is projecting rather than with becoming truly good. Ethical principles may be subordinated to other demands of the personal image, but personal goodness can only be achieved by constant effort throughout life. The medical doctor is occupied in curing the ill, but must also be preoccupied by the welfare of the patient. In the present atmosphere of abdication of ethics in the international, national, and personal realms, an abdication of medical ethics is also apparent in the dehumanization of medical attitudes at all levels and in the substitution of personal interest instead of concern for the welfare of others. Violations of medical confidences are another example. The question of whether or not to tell the truth about their conditions to dying patients should be considered in the light of the higher goal of preserving the patient's dignity as well as emotional and physical health. Ethical dilemmas are involved in the increasing resort to technology within medicine and to its occasionally indiscriminate, inappropriate, or inappropriately withheld use. A related issue is the elevation of specializations above general clinical medicine. The frantic desire to maintain the body in a young-looking state through cosmetic surgery and other means may lead to neglect of the inner life and to other vices; the physician should set an example by enriching himself through reading, art, and other means. To the extent that contraceptive usage forms part of a refusal to sacrifice for others and of the need for constant pleasure without responsibility, it is a serious ethical problem. Artificial insemination with sperm of men considered genetically superior, in vitro fertilization, and genetic engineering are associated with very complex ethical

  16. Ethical Problems in Advising Theses and Dissertations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiff, Frederick; Ryan, Michael

    1996-01-01

    Reports results of a survey investigating what practices journalism faculty advisers perceive as appropriate and ethical (when advising theses and dissertations) in several potentially troublesome areas: problems with appropriation of student work; problems of joint authorship; appropriateness of adviser input; reasons for writing a thesis or…

  17. Resolvent-Techniques for Multiple Exercise Problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christensen, Sören; Lempa, Jukka

    2015-01-01

    We study optimal multiple stopping of strong Markov processes with random refraction periods. The refraction periods are assumed to be exponentially distributed with a common rate and independent of the underlying dynamics. Our main tool is using the resolvent operator. In the first part, we reduce infinite stopping problems to ordinary ones in a general strong Markov setting. This leads to explicit solutions for wide classes of such problems. Starting from this result, we analyze problems with finitely many exercise rights and explain solution methods for some classes of problems with underlying Lévy and diffusion processes, where the optimal characteristics of the problems can be identified more explicitly. We illustrate the main results with explicit examples

  18. Resolvent-Techniques for Multiple Exercise Problems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Christensen, Sören, E-mail: christensen@math.uni-kiel.de [Christian–Albrechts-University in Kiel, Mathematical Institute (Germany); Lempa, Jukka, E-mail: jukka.lempa@hioa.no [Oslo and Akershus University College, School of business, Faculty of Social Sciences (Norway)

    2015-02-15

    We study optimal multiple stopping of strong Markov processes with random refraction periods. The refraction periods are assumed to be exponentially distributed with a common rate and independent of the underlying dynamics. Our main tool is using the resolvent operator. In the first part, we reduce infinite stopping problems to ordinary ones in a general strong Markov setting. This leads to explicit solutions for wide classes of such problems. Starting from this result, we analyze problems with finitely many exercise rights and explain solution methods for some classes of problems with underlying Lévy and diffusion processes, where the optimal characteristics of the problems can be identified more explicitly. We illustrate the main results with explicit examples.

  19. Bridging problems and models in medical ethics: four images of local ethics committees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Incorvati, G

    In the context of the continuing debate about how ethics committees in Italy should be structured (see Bulletin 160) Professor Incorvati, from the Comitato Nazionale per la Bioetica in Rome, considers four theoretical models of how such committees may be arranged, and why one in particular looks better placed to face the growing ethical problems that are emerging as a result of current developments in medicine.

  20. The Basic Nature of Ethical Problems Experienced by Persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Implications for Nursing Ethics Education and Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Miriam E.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Twenty-five persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) described and validated 100 ethical problems that are experienced by people with AIDS from 3 levels of ethical inquiry: descriptive ethics, normative ethics, and metaethics. Findings suggest strategies for improving nursing ethics education. (JOW)

  1. Teaching medical students to discern ethical problems in human clinical research studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Laura Weiss; Warner, Teddy D; Green Hammond, Katherine A; Brody, Janet L; Kaminsky, Alexis; Roberts, Brian B

    2005-10-01

    Investigators and institutional review boards are entrusted with ensuring the conduct of ethically sound human studies. Assessing ethical aspects of research protocols is a key skill in fulfilling this duty, yet no empirically validated method exists for preparing professionals to attain this skill. The authors performed a randomized controlled educational intervention, comparing a criteria-based learning method, a clinical-research- and experience-based learning method, and a control group. All 300 medical students enrolled at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2001 were invited to participate. After a single half-hour educational session, a written posttest of ability to detect ethical problems in hypothetical protocol vignettes was administered. The authors analyzed responses to ten protocol vignettes that had been evaluated independently by experts. For each vignette, a global assessment of the perceived significance of ethical problems and the identification of specific ethical problems were evaluated. Eighty-three medical students (27%) volunteered: 50 (60%) were women and 55 (66%) were first- and second-year students. On global assessments, the criteria-focused group perceived ethical problems as more significant than did the other two groups (p evaluation skills. This work supports the potential value of empirically derived methods for preparing professionals to discern ethical aspects of human studies.

  2. Ethical problems in pediatrics: what does the setting of care and education show us?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guedert Jucélia

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pediatrics ethics education should enhance medical students' skills to deal with ethical problems that may arise in the different settings of care. This study aimed to analyze the ethical problems experienced by physicians who have medical education and pediatric care responsibilities, and if those problems are associated to their workplace, medical specialty and area of clinical practice. Methods A self-applied semi-structured questionnaire was answered by 88 physicians with teaching and pediatric care responsibilities. Content analysis was performed to analyze the qualitative data. Poisson regression was used to explore the association of the categories of ethical problems reported with workplace and professional specialty and activity. Results 210 ethical problems were reported, grouped into five areas: physician-patient relationship, end-of-life care, health professional conducts, socioeconomic issues and health policies, and pediatric teaching. Doctors who worked in hospitals as well as general and subspecialist pediatricians reported fewer ethical problems related to socioeconomic issues and health policies than those who worked in Basic Health Units and who were family doctors. Conclusions Some ethical problems are specific to certain settings: those related to end-of-life care are more frequent in the hospital settings and those associated with socioeconomic issues and public health policies are more frequent in Basic Health Units. Other problems are present in all the setting of pediatric care and learning and include ethical problems related to physician-patient relationship, health professional conducts and the pediatric education process. These findings should be taken into consideration when planning the teaching of ethics in pediatrics. Trial registration This research article didn't reports the results of a controlled health care intervention. The study project was approved by the Institutional Ethical Review

  3. Can Ethics answer to the modern environmental problems?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramirez Restrepo, Rubiel

    2012-01-01

    The human being has an indisputable biological and cultural specificity; however, he is constantly in touch with many things of the environment, he uses them, and often depletes beyond the capacity of recovery of that environment. Then, the modern and serious environmental problems arise, and end up compromising the survival of our species as well as every possible shape of life. These situation demands of the human being, attitudes and behaviors that show a responsibility for his environment as for himself, taking into account the gravity of his actions. That the human being gives an account of their own actions, correspond to what historically is known as moral which philosophical study is ethics. But a look to the historically constituted ethics shows that because of their prevailing anthropocentrism, they can not answer to the modern environmental problems. That why is necessary and urgent to think of an alternative ethic, in relation to its principles and its topics, as an answer to the gravity of the environmental issues.

  4. Of mode of reasoning and context: Danish evidence of accounting student’s moral reasoning abilities in resolving ethical dilemmas related to fraud

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pillalamarri, Sudarshan Kumar; Holm, Claus

    The differing nature of engagement and work assignments continuously exposes auditors to varied ethical dilemmas. These dilemmas may be, contextually, grey areas for which there may be no official guidelines. To resolve these situations, auditors either undertake prescriptive or deliberative...... were focused on ethical decision making ability of Danish auditors’, this study closes the loop by presenting an accounting students perspective. By providing an understanding of the complex issues involved in ethical decision-making, this study also serves strategically in strengthening ethics...

  5. Interprofessional Clinical Ethics Education: The Promise of Cross-Disciplinary Problem-Based Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurtz, Melissa J; Starbird, Laura E

    2016-09-01

    A review of Lin et al.'s pilot study exploring the effects of an interprofessional, problem-based learning clinical ethics curriculum on Taiwanese medical and nursing students' attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration highlights the benefits of interprofessional collaboration and offers insight into how problem-based learning might be universally applied in ethics education. Interprofessional collaboration is an ideal approach for exploring ethical dilemmas because it involves all relevant professionals in discussions about ethical values that arise in patient care. Interprofessional ethics collaboration is challenging to implement, however, given time constraints and organizational and practice demands. Nevertheless, we suggest that when professionals collaborate, they can collectively express greater commitment to the patient. We also suggest future research avenues that can explore additional benefits of interprofessional collaboration in clinical ethics. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  6. Resolving Ethical Issues when Conducting Sexuality Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruess, Clint E.; Greenberg, Jerrold S.

    2008-01-01

    Ethical issues about conducting sexuality education often arise. This paper describes one system of ethics and how the sexuality educator can use that system to determine whether an action is moral or immoral and, therefore, the appropriate action to take for that sexuality educator to be consistent with his or her values. Ethical principles are…

  7. Experienced Speech-Language Pathologists' Responses to Ethical Dilemmas: An Integrated Approach to Ethical Reasoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, Belinda; Lincoln, Michelle; Balandin, Susan

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the approaches of experienced speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to ethical reasoning and the processes they use to resolve ethical dilemmas. Method: Ten experienced SLPs participated in in-depth interviews. A narrative approach was used to guide participants' descriptions of how they resolved ethical dilemmas. Individual…

  8. Factors influencing emergency nurses' ethical problems during the outbreak of MERS-CoV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jeong-Sil; Kim, Ji-Soo

    2018-05-01

    Whenever there has been a worldwide contagious disease outbreak, there have been reports of infection and death of healthcare workers. Particularly because emergency nurses have contact with patients on the front line, they experience ethical problems in nursing while struggling with infectious diseases in an unfavorable environment. The objective of this study was to explore emergency nurses' ethical problems and to identify factors influencing these problems during the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus in Korea. For this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted with emergency nurses working in six hospitals selected through convenience sampling from the hospitals designated for Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus patients in the capital area. Data were collected from 169 emergency nurses in Korea during August 2015. Ethical considerations: This research was approved by the Institutional Review Board of G University in Korea. The findings of this study suggest that during the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus outbreak, emergency nurses experienced ethical problems tied to a mind-set of avoiding patients. Three factors were found to influence emergency nurses' ethical problems (in order of influence): cognition of social stigmatization, level of agreement with infection control measures, and perceived risk. Through this study, we obtained information on emergency nurses' ethical problems during the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus outbreak and identified the factors that influence them. As found in this study, nurses' ethical problems were influenced most by cognitions of social stigmatization. Accordingly, to support nurses confidently care for people during future health disasters, it is most urgent to promote appropriate public consciousness that encourages healthcare workers.

  9. [Ethics in clinical research: contextualizing and reductionist problem definitions, forms of ethical reflection and some particular implications].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelcke, Volker

    2003-12-01

    The present paper starts off with a short outline of issues, conflicts, and goals of ethical reflection about clinical research. It is then argued that non-reductionist, patient-centred ethics should critically reflect on medically preformed problem definitions, ways of problem solution, and evaluations. The shortcomings of such preformed perceptions and interpretations are illustrated using the examples of dementia research, and the complexities of the notion of risk. A more comprehensive approach including the perceptions, interpretations, and evaluations of the patients' perspective necessitates a form of ethical reflection which takes into account the social and cultural contexts of clinical research, and which therefore relies on concepts and methods of the cultural sciences (in particular history, sociology, and cultural anthropology). The decision for a reductionist, or for a contextualising mode of ethical reflection represents in itself a value decision and needs to be explicitly justified.

  10. Issues and Ethical Problems of Stem Cell Therapy – Where is Hippocrates?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucie Rousková

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Stem cells and their therapeutic use present many questions associated with ethical problems in medicine. There is great effort on the part of physicians to help millions of patients while there are ethical problems with the use of new methods and technologies and all of these are affected by economic and political influences. How will the current generation deal with these problems? Medicine, in this begard, is experiencing a stormy evolution of human culture in the relationships between disease, patient and doctor. Philosophy approaches the same juncture of human culture, but seemingly from the other side. Both disciplines are facing a great problem: How to unite the content of current human morality and the desire for health? Both philosophers and physicians perceive this deficit in human culture as it does not provide immediately usable normatives, which the living generation of healthy and ill is waiting for. It may be said that medicine, as many times before, has reached a stage where it cannot rely only on the proved axiologic values from the past, ethical normatives or cultivated moral sense of its subjects. Medicine has no other alternative than to take an active part in resolution of interdisciplinary problems originating from philosophic-biologic or philosophic-medical inquiries of axiologic, ethical, and moral issues. Our paper indicates some ways of the search in forming ethical principles of the stem-cell therapy from the view of biologists and physicians. New ways are recommended in theoretical-methodological interdisciplinary research, especially, in theoretical and experimental biology, and theoretical and clinical medicine, as well as philosophy. In this paper important ethical problems are pointed out in order to find answers to some key problems connected with cell therapy and the use of stem cells.

  11. Obstacles and problems of ethical leadership from the perspective of nursing leaders: a qualitative content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkhordari-Sharifabad, Maasoumeh; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, Foroozan

    2017-01-01

    In the nursing profession, leadership plays a significant role in creating motivation and thus enabling nurses to provide high quality care. Ethics is an essential component of leadership qualifications and the ethical leader can help create an ethical atmosphere, offer ethical guidance, and ensure the occupational satisfaction of personnel through prioritizing moralities. However, some issues prevent the implementation of this type of leadership by nursing leaders. The aim of this study was to identify and describe some problems and obstacles in ethical leadership faced by nursing leaders, and to help them achieve more accurate information and broader perspective in this field. The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and content analysis. A total of 14 nursing managers and educators were selected purposefully, and deep and semi-structured interviews were conducted with them. Content analysis was performed using an inductive approach. Three main categories were obtained after data analysis: ethical, cultural and managerial problems. "Ethical problems" pertain to doubt in ethical actions, ethical conflicts and ethical distress; "cultural problems" include organizational and social culture; and "managerial problems" are connected to organizational and staff-related issues. Nursing leaders put forth various aspects of the problems associated with ethical leadership in the clinical setting. This style of leadership could be promoted by developing suitable programs and providing clear-cut strategies for removing the current obstacles and correcting the organizational structure. This can lead to ethical improvement in nursing leaders and subsequently the nurses.

  12. Beyond Science and Technology: The need to incorporate Environmental Ethics to solve Environmental Problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fesseha Mulu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The emergence and development of science and technology has been critical in improving the lives of mankind. It helps mankind to cope with a number of manmade and natural challenges and disasters. Science cannot totally diminish the level of human dependency on nature; but, with the existing availability of natural resources, science has increased our productivity. However, science and technology can also have its own negative impacts on the natural environment. For the purpose of increasing productivity and satisfying human needs, humans have been egoistically exploiting nature but disregarding the effects of their activities on nature. Science has also been trying its level best to mitigate the negative effects that results from mankind’s exploitation of nature. However, science alone is incapable of solving all environmental problems. This desk research employs secondary sources of data, and argues that environmental ethics should come to the fore in order to address the gap left by science with regard to resolving environmental problems that mankind faces today.

  13. Problems of professional ethics standards use in auditors’ practice in Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bondar V.P.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Significant problems of the professional ethics principles violation by auditors cause many problems not only in reliability of disclosed audit opinion, but also cause problems of global stakeholders’ mistrust to the audit profession. This generally creates the barriers for ensuring the transparency of mechanisms of disclosure and verification of Ukrainian business data and does not help form appropriate investment climate. The article finds that auditor’s ethical principles should be regulated and organized on all the levels of the audit quality control ensuring. According to the results of this study, the author highlights these four levels (international, national, local, personal and describes the contribution of each level of documents in the organization of the quality control (in part of ethical principles has been. The research proves the system of organizational support for creating ethical principles compliance environment during carrying out audit assignment based on identifying and eliminating threats to auditors’ independence. In this regard, the author proposes the structure and content of organizational and administrative documents, which are the part of the internal audit quality control system.

  14. Ethical dilemmas in personality assessment courses: using the classroom for in vivo training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yalof, J; Brabender, V

    2001-10-01

    In this article, we argue that the student's first lessons in ethical decision making in personality assessment are in those assessment courses that have a practice component. In these courses, the student has an opportunity to experience in vivo how ethical problems are identified, addressed, and resolved. The faculty member's demonstration of a process wherein the ethical principles activated are highlighted and explored, will enable students to internalize a model for addressing future dilemmas. Four particular ethical situations are considered: (a) the students' procurement of personal experience with personality testing, (b) the identification of assessment participants, (c) the development of informed consent procedures for assessment participants, and (d) classroom presentations. This discussion does not provide concrete solutions to ethical problems but offers a consideration of the relevant ethical principles that any adequate solution must encompass.

  15. Qualifications and ethics education: the views of ICT professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeslam Al-Saggaf

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Do information and communications technology (ICT professionals who have ICT qualifications believe that the ethics education they received as part of their ICT degrees helped them recognise ethical problems in the workplace and address them? If they do, are they also influenced by their personal ethics? What else helps them recognise ethical problems in the workplace and address them? And what are their views in relation to the impact of ethics education on professionalism in the ICT workplace? A quantitative survey of 2,315 Australian ICT professionals revealed that participants who reported having various levels of qualifications found ethics education or training, to a small degree, helpful for recognising ethical problems and addressing them; although it is those with Non-ICT qualifications, not those with ICT degrees, who were influenced more by ethics education or training. This suggests that educators need to consider how to better prepare ICT graduates for the workplace challenges and the types of situations they subsequently experience. The survey also found that participants who reported having various levels of qualifications were not influenced by their personal ethics or indeed any other factor making ethics education or training important for developing professionalism. The quantitative survey was followed by qualitative interviews with 43 Australian ICT professionals in six Australian capital cities. These interviews provided further empirical evidence that ethics education is crucial for enabling ICT professionals to recognise ethical problems and resolve them and that educators need to consider how to better prepare ICT graduates for the types of moral dilemmas that they are likely going to face in the workforce.

  16. Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Ethics Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkman, Robert

    2016-01-01

    I describe the first stages of a process of design research in which I employ problem-based learning in a course in engineering ethics, which fulfills a requirement for students in engineering degree programs. The aim of the course is to foster development of particular cognitive skills contributing to moral imagination, a capacity to notice,…

  17. Lecture-based versus problem-based learning in ethics education among nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khatiban, Mahnaz; Falahan, Seyede Nayereh; Amini, Roya; Farahanchi, Afshin; Soltanian, Alireza

    2018-01-01

    Moral reasoning is a vital skill in the nursing profession. Teaching moral reasoning to students is necessary toward promoting nursing ethics. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of problem-based learning and lecture-based methods in ethics education in improving (1) moral decision-making, (2) moral reasoning, (3) moral development, and (4) practical reasoning among nursing students. This is a repeated measurement quasi-experimental study. Participants and research context: The participants were nursing students in a University of Medical Sciences in west of Iran who were randomly assigned to the lecture-based (n = 33) or the problem-based learning (n = 33) groups. The subjects were provided nursing ethics education in four 2-h sessions. The educational content was similar, but the training methods were different. The subjects completed the Nursing Dilemma Test before, immediately after, and 1 month after the training. The data were analyzed and compared using the SPSS-16 software. Ethical considerations: The program was explained to the students, all of whom signed an informed consent form at the baseline. The two groups were similar in personal characteristics (p > 0.05). A significant improvement was observed in the mean scores on moral development in the problem-based learning compared with the lecture-based group (p ethics education enhances moral development among nursing students. However, further studies are needed to determine whether such method improves moral decision-making, moral reasoning, practical considerations, and familiarity with the ethical issues among nursing students.

  18. Resolvent approach for two-dimensional scattering problems. Application to the nonstationary Schroedinger problem and the KPI equation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boiti, M.; Pempinelli, F.; Pogrebkov, A.K.; Polivanov, M.C.

    1993-01-01

    The resolvent operator of the linear problem is determined as the full Green function continued in the complex domain in two variables. An analog of the known Hilbert identity is derived. The authors demonstrate the role of this identity in the study of two-dimensional scattering. Considering the nonstationary Schroedinger equation as an example, it is shown that all types of solutions of the linear problem, as well as spectral data known in the literature, are given as specific values of this unique function - the resolvent function. A new form of the inverse problem is formulated. 7 refs

  19. Ethical problems in radiation protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shrader-Frechette, K.; Persson, Lars

    2001-05-01

    In this report the authors survey existing international radiation-protection recommendations and standards of the ICRP, the IAEA, and the ILO. After outlining previous work on the ethics of radiation protection, professional ethics, and the ethics of human radiation experiments, the authors review ethical thinking on seven key issues related to radiation protection and ethics. They formulate each of these seven issues in terms of alternative ethical stances: (1) equity versus efficiency, (2) health versus economics, (3) individual rights versus societal benefits, (4) due process versus necessary sacrifice, (5) uniform versus double standards, (6) stake holder consent versus management decisions, and (7) environmental stewardship versus anthropocentric standards.

  20. Ethical problems in radiation protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shrader-Frechette, K.; Persson, Lars

    2001-05-01

    In this report the authors survey existing international radiation-protection recommendations and standards of the ICRP, the IAEA, and the ILO. After outlining previous work on the ethics of radiation protection, professional ethics, and the ethics of human radiation experiments, the authors review ethical thinking on seven key issues related to radiation protection and ethics. They formulate each of these seven issues in terms of alternative ethical stances: (1) equity versus efficiency, (2) health versus economics, (3) individual rights versus societal benefits, (4) due process versus necessary sacrifice, (5) uniform versus double standards, (6) stake holder consent versus management decisions, and (7) environmental stewardship versus anthropocentric standards

  1. An ethical approach to resolving value conflicts in child protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, E; Moynihan, S

    2010-01-01

    Child protection professionals working in diverse societies are regularly faced with value conflicts. Recognising these, and resolving them in the best interests of children, is a task that requires child protection specialists to make complex judgements and decisions. In this paper the philosophical concepts of absolutism and relativism to child abuse are applied, and it explores how this approach has practical relevance to solving ethical dilemmas in child protection. Children's interests are best served by erring towards an absolutist approach to the diagnosis and recognition of maltreatment and towards a relativistic approach in determining how services respond to a harmful incident or situation. Absolutism and relativism are not alternatives, but part of a continuous process of recognising and negotiating ever-changing community, national and global norms. At the service level the dichotomy transpires into the need to be culturally competent in handling the conflicting needs, rights and values of children, families, communities and professionals, whilst retaining the skill of child advocacy.

  2. THE POTENTIAL OF APPLYING UTILITARIANISM IN BUSINESS ETHICS: THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM

    OpenAIRE

    Ларионов, Larionov Igor, Игорь Юрьевич

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the use of utilitarianism in contemporary business ethics is described and the conditions under which it could be applied in business ethics most effectively are identified. In order to provide the conditions for its application the scope of problems that should be taken into account and solved are identified. The types of rationality in utilitarian ethics and utilitarian approach to the role of moral subject are also analyzed. Along with that the problem of moral motivation in...

  3. Justice: A Problem for Military Ethics during Irregular War

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bauer, John W

    2008-01-01

    ... is?" or "Justice according to whom?" The relative nature of the term "justice" creates a problem for military ethics, particularly when soldiers try to determine what actions are morally acceptable when they are engaged in irregular warfare...

  4. ETHICAL REVIEW OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN BELARUS: CURRENT STATUS, PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Famenka, Andrei

    2011-04-01

    The paper provides description of the system of ethical review for biomedical research in Belarus, with special emphasis on its historical background, legal and regulatory framework, structure and functioning. It concludes that the situation with research ethics in Belarus corresponds to the tendency of bureaucratic approach to establishment of systems of ethical review for biomedical research, observed in a number of countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Different social, economical and political factors of transition have major impact on capacities of the Belarusian RECs to ensure adequate protection of human subjects. Among the main problems identified are non-equivalent stringency of ethical review for different types of biomedical research; lack of independence, multidisciplinarity, pluralism and lay representation experienced by RECs; low level of research ethics education and transparency of RECs activities. Recommendations are made to raise the issue of research ethics on the national agenda in order to develop and maintain the research ethics system capable to effectively protect research participants and promote ethical conduct in research.

  5. The Principle-Based Method of Practical Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spielthenner, Georg

    2017-09-01

    This paper is about the methodology of doing practical ethics. There is a variety of methods employed in ethics. One of them is the principle-based approach, which has an established place in ethical reasoning. In everyday life, we often judge the rightness and wrongness of actions by their conformity to principles, and the appeal to principles plays a significant role in practical ethics, too. In this paper, I try to provide a better understanding of the nature of principle-based reasoning. To accomplish this, I show in the first section that these principles can be applied to cases in a meaningful and sufficiently precise way. The second section discusses the question how relevant applying principles is to the resolution of ethical issues. This depends on their nature. I argue that the principles under consideration in this paper should be interpreted as presumptive principles and I conclude that although they cannot be expected to bear the weight of definitely resolving ethical problems, these principles can nevertheless play a considerable role in ethical research.

  6. Problems in Information Ethics Researches%信息伦理学研究中若干问题的思考

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    郭卫真; 丛敬军

    2002-01-01

    The further development of information ethics needs to solve some important ethic problems involved with disciplinary construction. These problems include: the cause of the formation of information ethics; the research method,attribution and features of information ethics; the connotation and systematic structure of information ethics; the enlightenment we gain from the studies of the guiding principles of information ethics in foreign countries. The scientific analysis and exposition of these problems are helpful to the prosperity and perfection of information ethics and to the construction of social information ethics.

  7. The Ethics of Doing Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansson, Sven Ove

    2017-02-01

    Ethicists have investigated ethical problems in other disciplines, but there has not been much discussion of the ethics of their own activities. Research in ethics has many ethical problems in common with other areas of research, and it also has problems of its own. The researcher's integrity is more precarious than in most other disciplines, and therefore even stronger procedural checks are needed to protect it. The promotion of some standpoints in ethical issues may be socially harmful, and even our decisions as to which issues we label as "ethical" may have unintended and potentially harmful social consequences. It can be argued that ethicists have an obligation to make positive contributions to society, but the practical implications of such an obligation are not easily identified. This article provides an overview of ethical issues that arise in research into ethics and in the application of such research. It ends with a list of ten practical proposals for how these issues should be dealt with.

  8. The practice setting: site of ethical conflict for some mothers and midwives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Faye E

    2003-11-01

    Practitioners' ethical orientation and responses vary between practice settings. Yet, currently, the ethics for midwifery practice that is explicit in the literature and which provides the ideals of socialization into practice, is that of bio(medical)ethics. Traditional bioethics, developed because of World War II atrocities and increased scientific research, is based on moral philosophy, normative theory, abstract universal principles and objective problem solving, all of which focus on right and wrong 'action' for resolving dilemmas. They exclude context and relationship. Personal narratives of mothers and midwives contest the appropriateness of these accepted values and systems for childbirth because they induce conflict between workplace/service provider ethics and personal/professional midwifery ethics. In contrast to the disembedded and disembodied approach of biomedical ethics, an ethically adequate response in midwifery practice resonates more with the ethics of intimates, such as feminist virtue ethics.

  9. Exposure ethics: does HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis raise ethical problems for the health care provider and policy maker?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venter, Francois; Allais, Lucy; Richter, Marlise

    2014-07-01

    The last few years have seen dramatic progress in the development of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). These developments have been met by ethical concerns. HIV interventions are often thought to be ethically difficult. In a context which includes disagreements over human rights, controversies over testing policies, and questions about sexual morality and individual responsibility, PrEP has been seen as an ethically complex intervention. We argue that this is mistaken, and that in fact, PrEP does not raise new ethical concerns. Some of the questions posed by PrEP are not specific to HIV prophylaxis, but simply standard public health considerations about resource allocation and striking a balance between individual benefit and public good. We consider sexual disinhibition in the context of private prescriptions, and conclude that only unjustified AIDS-exceptionalism or inappropriate moralism about sex supports thinking that PrEP raises new ethical problems. This negative conclusion is significant in a context where supposed ethical concerns about PrEP have been raised, and in the context of HIV exceptionalism. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The Problem of Whistleblowing in Engineering Ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohishi, Toshihiro

    The purpose of this paper is to clarify the features of whistleblowing by considering the arguments about whistleblowing in engineering ethics. First, I analyze the concept of ‘whistleblowing’ by defining the word as clearly as possible. Second, I examine the standard justification theory of whistleblowing by showing the problems of the theory. Finally, I analyze the dilemma about whistleblowing by revealing a prospective whistleblower‧s struggle to choose moral value or non-moral value.

  11. IS ETHICAL HACKING ETHICAL?

    OpenAIRE

    MUHAMMAD NUMAN ALI KHAN; DANISH JAMIL,

    2011-01-01

    This paper explores the ethics behind ethical hacking and whether there are problems that lie with this new field of work. Since ethical hacking has been a controversial subject over the past few years, the question remains of the true intentions of ethical hackers. The paper also looks at ways in which future research could be looked intoto help keep ethical hacking, ethical.

  12. Resolvent approach for two-dimensional scattering problems. Application to the nonstationary Schrödinger problem and the KPI equation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boiti, M.; Pempinelli, F.; Pogrebkov, A. K.; Polivanov, M. C.

    1992-11-01

    The resolvent operator of the linear problem is determined as the full Green function continued in the complex domain in two variables. An analog of the known Hilbert identity is derived. We demonstrate the role of this identity in the study of two-dimensional scattering. Considering the nonstationary Schrödinger equation as an example, we show that all types of solutions of the linear problems, as well as spectral data known in the literature, are given as specific values of this unique function — the resolvent function. A new form of the inverse problem is formulated.

  13. Ethics, finance, and automation: a preliminary survey of problems in high frequency trading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Michael; Kumiega, Andrew; Van Vliet, Ben

    2013-09-01

    All of finance is now automated, most notably high frequency trading. This paper examines the ethical implications of this fact. As automation is an interdisciplinary endeavor, we argue that the interfaces between the respective disciplines can lead to conflicting ethical perspectives; we also argue that existing disciplinary standards do not pay enough attention to the ethical problems automation generates. Conflicting perspectives undermine the protection those who rely on trading should have. Ethics in finance can be expanded to include organizational and industry-wide responsibilities to external market participants and society. As a starting point, quality management techniques can provide a foundation for a new cross-disciplinary ethical standard in the age of automation.

  14. Experienced speech-language pathologists' responses to ethical dilemmas: an integrated approach to ethical reasoning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, Belinda; Lincoln, Michelle; Balandin, Susan

    2010-05-01

    To investigate the approaches of experienced speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to ethical reasoning and the processes they use to resolve ethical dilemmas. Ten experienced SLPs participated in in-depth interviews. A narrative approach was used to guide participants' descriptions of how they resolved ethical dilemmas. Individual narrative transcriptions were analyzed by using the participant's words to develop an ethical story that described and interpreted their responses to dilemmas. Key concepts from individual stories were then coded into group themes to reflect participants' reasoning processes. Five major themes reflected participants' approaches to ethical reasoning: (a) focusing on the well-being of the client, (b) fulfilling professional roles and responsibilities, (c) attending to professional relationships, (d) managing resources, and (e) integrating personal and professional values. SLPs demonstrated a range of ethical reasoning processes: applying bioethical principles, casuistry, and narrative reasoning when managing ethical dilemmas in the workplace. The results indicate that experienced SLPs adopted an integrated approach to ethical reasoning. They supported clients' rights to make health care choices. Bioethical principles, casuistry, and narrative reasoning provided useful frameworks for facilitating health professionals' application of codes of ethics to complex professional practice issues.

  15. Climate change as a three-part ethical problem: a response to Jamieson and Gardiner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kingston, Ewan

    2014-12-01

    Dale Jamieson has claimed that conventional human-directed ethical concepts are an inadequate means for accurately understanding our duty to respond to climate change. Furthermore, he suggests that a responsibility to respect nature can instead provide the appropriate framework with which to understand such a duty. Stephen Gardiner has responded by claiming that climate change is a clear case of ethical responsibility, but the failure of institutions to respond to it creates a (not unprecedented) political problem. In assessing the debate between Gardiner and Jamieson, I develop an analysis which shows a three-part structure to the problem of climate change, in which the problem Gardiner identifies is only one of three sub-problems of climate change. This analysis highlights difficulties with Jamieson's argument that the duty of respect for nature is necessary for a full understanding of climate ethics, and suggests how a human-directed approach based on the three-part analysis can avoid Jamieson's charge of inadequacy.

  16. [Problems of ethics, deontology and esthetics in pathology practice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shmurun, R I

    1997-01-01

    Relationships between pathologists on the one hand and clinicians, patients asking for histological slides, relatives of the deceased persons on the other are extremely complicated and need special attention. Pathology service should not be considered as second-rate. Ethic problems in the pathology service are not yet properly dealt in the literature.

  17. Ethics of reproductive technology: AFS recommendations, dissent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, R A

    1987-03-01

    The Ethics Committee of the American Fertility Society recently released its report, "Ethical Considerations of the New Reproductive Technologies." The report examines general ethical, legal, and biological aspects of and makes ethical recommendations on procreative technologies, from standard in vitro fertilization, through all its possible variations and accompaniments, including donor gametes and preembryos, surrogate mothers, and cryopreservation. The judgment of ethical acceptability of third-party involvement in reproductive technology is the report's weakest aspect. The potential impact of such participation was not sufficiently weighed because of primacy given to a single value: the provision of a baby to an individual couple, or even an individual, who could not otherwise have one. A dissent to the report is based on two analyses: Third-party involvement itself violates the marriage covenant, independent of any potential damaging effects or benefits, and relaxation of marital exclusivity could harm the marriage (and marriage in general) and the prospective child. The committee also failed to resolve the problem of preembryo status. Instead, it recommended that local programs offering reproductive assistance draw up their own policies.

  18. Is problem-based learning an ideal format for developing ethical decision skills?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter H. Harasym

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ethical decision making is a complex process, which involves the interaction of knowledge, skills, and attitude. To enhance the teaching and learning on ethics reasoning, multiple teaching strategies have to be applied. A medical ethical reasoning (MER model served as a framework of the development of ethics reasoning and their suggested instructional strategies. Problem-based learning (PBL, being used to facilitate students' critical thinking, self-directed learning, collaboration, and communication skills, has been considered effective on ethics education, especially when incorporated with experiential experience. Unlike lecturing that mainly disseminates knowledge and activates the left brain, PBL encourages “whole-brain” learning. However, PBL has several disadvantages, such as its inefficiency, lack of adequately trained preceptors, and the in-depth, silo learning within a relatively small number of cases. Because each school tends to utilize PBL in different ways, either the curriculum designer or the learning strategy, it is important to maximize the advantages of a PBL session, PBL then becomes an ideal format for refining students' ethical decisions and behaviors.

  19. Questioning the significance of the non-identity problem in applied ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawlor, Rob

    2015-11-01

    Authors such as Tony Hope and Julian Savulescu appeal to Derek Parfit's non-identity problem in relation to particular questions in applied ethics, and particularly in reproductive ethics. They argue that the non-identity problem shows that an individual cannot be harmed by being brought into existence, and therefore, we cannot say that the individual is harmed if, for example, we select an embryo in order to have a deaf child. Thus, they argue that an appeal to the non-identity problem blocks (or significantly reduces the force of) objections in a number of cases. I argue that these discussions often give the impression that this is a clear conclusion, shared by most philosophers, and largely beyond dispute. This is particularly significant because these discussions are often in journals or books with an interdisciplinary readership. My concern is that they give the impression of stating: 'philosophers have studied this issue, and this is the conclusion they have reached. Now I will emphasise the implications for medical ethics'. I argue that, far from being the consensus view, the view presented by Hope and Savulescu is rejected by many, including Parfit himself. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  20. Some ethical problems of hazardous substances in the working environment1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, W. R.

    1977-01-01

    ABSTRACT Exposure of persons to conditions at work may involve some risk to health. It is not possible always to ensure that exposure can be kept below a level from which it may be categorically stated that there is no risk. The decision that has to be made, what ought to be done, poses an ethical problem. What principles are available for examining such ethical problems? Two theories from the study of ethics seem relevant. On the one hand Intuitionism asserts that we possess a moral sense which, correctly applied, enables us to determine what is a right action. The familiar use of 'conscience' and the teachings of some of the influential Western religions follow this theory. On the other hand Utilitarianism (in particular Objective Utilitarianism) asserts that we may judge the rightness of an action by looking at its consequences. This theory, translated into legislative reform, has provided a substantial basis for much of the social reforming legislation of the last century. In economic terms it appears as cost benefit analysis. Despite its attraction and almost plausible objectivity, Utilitarianism requires the quantification and even costing of consequences which cannot always be measured (for example, emotions) but which from an important part of the totality of life. Decisions about the right course of action are required politically but cannot always be made objectively. They may require an element of judgement—a correct application of the moral sense—to use the Intuitionists' phrase. Doctors, used to making ethical decisions in the clinical setting, must examine carefully their role when contributing to ethical decisions in the industrial setting. PMID:588483

  1. Contentious problems in bioscience and biotechnology: a pilot study of an approach to ethics education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Roberta M; Borenstein, Jason; Butera, Robert J

    2013-06-01

    This manuscript describes a pilot study in ethics education employing a problem-based learning approach to the study of novel, complex, ethically fraught, unavoidably public, and unavoidably divisive policy problems, called "fractious problems," in bioscience and biotechnology. Diverse graduate and professional students from four US institutions and disciplines spanning science, engineering, humanities, social science, law, and medicine analyzed fractious problems employing "navigational skills" tailored to the distinctive features of these problems. The students presented their results to policymakers, stakeholders, experts, and members of the public. This approach may provide a model for educating future bioscientists and bioengineers so that they can meaningfully contribute to the social understanding and resolution of challenging policy problems generated by their work.

  2. About eco-ethical problems of Azerbaijan Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Sh. Mammadov

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Starting from the second half of the 20th century Ecological problems, that engulfed the world had an influence on our republic as well. Pollution of air and water basins and soils has reached for apogee, the process of degradation of winter and summer pastures has decreased, in some regions forests have been completely or partly destroyed. Consequences of fluctuation of sea level, problems related to ozone layer, global changes of climate being combined with other wide-scale processes have reached the extent at which they can not be neglected in Azerbaijan Republic. Where as global thinking and civilized relations between nations are being formed, international prestige of the state is starting to be estimated by its attitude to the nature and natural resources. Therefore at present time Azerbaijan Republic society pays incremental attention to its attitude towards environment, natural ecosystems, surface and underground minerals. In the article the approach aimed to solution of eco-ethical problems in Azerbaijan Republic has been used.

  3. COMMUNICATION ETHICS IBN MISKAWAIH AND ITS RELEVANCE TO THE SOLVING OF MORAL PROBLEMS IN INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Taufiq

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This research was in depth exploration of the concept of communication ethics and its relevance for the solving of the problems of Indonesian Moral formulated by IbnMiskawaih in his work The Tahdzib Al-Akhlak. In the study of communication science, these two things are interrelated. Communication ethics is an ethical standard for communicators and communicants in communication. From the topic above, there are several problems from the purpose of this study they are; knowing the views of IbnMiskawaih about ethics in terms of communication science perspective, knowing IbnMiskawaih's views on the ethics of verbal and non-verbal communication, knowing the view of IbnMiskawaih about the ethics of intrapersonal communication, Knowing IbnMiskawaih's views on the ethics of interpersonal communication, knowing IbnMiskawaih's view of the ethics of group communication, knowing IbnMiskawaih's view of the ethics of media communication, knowing IbnMiskawaih's view of the ethics of social communication, formulating the communication ethics of IbnMiskwaih and its Relevance for the solving of Moral problems in Indonesia. The research methodology was begun by putting the type of qualitative research with historical research and social research approaches to the study of excellent figures to explore the thoughts and views of a figure in the field. The figure intended here was IbnMaskawaih with descriptive method, which is a research procedure that produces the descriptive data in the form of written or oral words of the people and behave that can be observed directed at the background of individuals holistically that occurred in the past. The Tahdzib Al-Akhlak, the work of IbnMiskawaih contains and affirms communication ethics clearly and systematically. All the substance of the book was oriented to the communication ethics. The IbnMiskwaih writing has laid the verbal and nonverbal communication, intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication, group

  4. Science, ethics, and the "problems" of governing nanotechnologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogle, Linda F

    2009-01-01

    Commentators continue to weigh in on whether there are ethical, social, and policy issues unique to nanotechnology, whether new regulatory schemes should be devised, and if so, how. Many of these commentaries fail to take into account the historical and political environment for nanotechnologies. That context affects regulatory and oversight systems as much as any new metrics to measure the effects of nanoscale materials, or organizational changes put in place to facilitate data analysis. What comes to count as a technical or social "problem" says much about the sociotechnical and political-historical networks in which technologies exist. This symposium's case studies provide insight into procedural successes and failures in the regulation of novel products, and ethical or social analyses that have attended to implications of novel, disruptive technologies. Yet what may be needed is a more fundamental consideration of forms of governance that may not just handle individual products or product types more effectively, but may also be flexible enough to respond to radically new technological systems. Nanotechnology presents an opportunity to think in transdisciplinary terms about both scientific and social concerns, rethink "knowns" about risk and how best to ameliorate or manage it, and consider how to incorporate ethical, social, and legal analyses in the conceptualization, planning, and execution of innovations.

  5. Qualitative analysis of healthcare professionals' viewpoints on the role of ethics committees and hospitals in the resolution of clinical ethical dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcus, Brian S; Shank, Gary; Carlson, Jestin N; Venkat, Arvind

    2015-03-01

    Ethics consultation is a commonly applied mechanism to address clinical ethical dilemmas. However, there is little information on the viewpoints of health care providers towards the relevance of ethics committees and appropriate application of ethics consultation in clinical practice. We sought to use qualitative methodology to evaluate free-text responses to a case-based survey to identify thematically the views of health care professionals towards the role of ethics committees in resolving clinical ethical dilemmas. Using an iterative and reflexive model we identified themes that health care providers support a role for ethics committees and hospitals in resolving clinical ethical dilemmas, that the role should be one of mediation, rather than prescription, but that ultimately legal exposure was dispositive compared to ethical theory. The identified theme of legal fears suggests that the mediation role of ethics committees is viewed by health care professionals primarily as a practical means to avoid more worrisome medico-legal conflict.

  6. The Ethical Dilemmas and Ethical Choices in Atonement

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    陈晶

    2017-01-01

    Atonement, as the representative work of British writer Ian McEwan, is of high educational significance. This article wil adopt Ethical Literary Criticism to analyze the ethical dilemmas and ethical choices of two characters in the novel: Briony and Robbie. By putting the characters into diversified ethical problems, the writer has strengthened the necessity of reflection and atonement in real life, and also the moral responsibilities one should bear. The analysis of characters' ethical problems can better highlight the writer's moral value.

  7. Overview of psychiatric ethics V: utilitarianism and the ethics of duty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Michael; Morris, Kirsty; Walter, Garry

    2007-10-01

    The aim of this paper is to describe the ethical theories of utilitarianism and the ethics of duty (Kant's ethics) and to evaluate their value as theoretical bases of psychiatric ethics. Utilitarianism is a well-established moral philosophy and has significant instrumental value in dealing with common ethical problems faced by psychiatrists. Despite its capacity to generate solutions to ethical problems, utilitarianism requires a process of what Rawls described as 'reflective equilibrium' to avoid morally repugnant choices, based on utility. The criticisms of utilitarianism, such as the problems of quantifying utility and the responsibility for consequences, are very relevant for psychiatry. Singer's model of utilitarian thinking is particularly problematic for our profession. Kant's ethics provides the pretext for duty bound codes of ethics for psychiatrists, but suffers from problems of flawed claims to the universalizability prescribed by Kant's 'categorical imperative'. Kant's valorization of reason as the core of the autonomy of persons is a valuable insight in understanding psychiatrists' ethical obligations to their patients.

  8. Economics and industry do not mean ethical conduct in clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lexchin, Joel

    2013-01-01

    Clinical trials present an ethical dilemma for pharmaceutical companies. While companies may want to undertake and report these trials in an ethical manner, negative results can significantly affect product sales. There is accumulating evidence that company-financed trials are biased in favor of the product that the company makes. Ethical conduct in this article is defined as whether the trials are conducted in the best interests of the participants and/or reported in the best interests of patients. Nine examples of how clinical trials are violating multiple articles in the Declaration of Helsinki are discussed using concrete case reports from the literature. The recognition of ethical problems in company run trials is not something new, but to date no meaningful action has been taken to resolve this issue. What is necessary is to separate the financing of clinical trials from their conduct.

  9. 'Wicked' ethics: Compliance work and the practice of ethics in HIV research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimer, Carol A

    2013-12-01

    Using ethnographic material collected between 2003 and 2007 in five HIV clinics in the US, South Africa, Uganda, and Thailand, this article examines "official ethics" and "ethics on the ground." It compares the ethical conundrums clinic staff and researchers confront in their daily work as HIV researchers with the dilemmas officially identified as ethical issues by bioethicists and people responsible for ethics reviews and compliance with ethics regulations. The tangled relation between ethical problems and solutions invites a comparison to Rittel and Webber's "wicked problems." Official ethics' attempts to produce universal solutions often make ethics problems even more wickedly intractable. Ethics on the ground is in part a reaction to this intractability. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Liderazgo etico (Ethical Leadership). ERIC Digest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lashway, Larry

    Until very recently, ethical issues were given little attention in administrator-preparation programs. This digest in Spanish outlines the ethical responsibilities of school leaders and the dilemmas that they face. It offers the following suggestions for resolving ethical dilemmas: (1) Leaders should have and be willing to act on a definite sense…

  11. Analytic Approach to Resolving Parking Problems in Downtown Zagreb

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adolf Malić

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Parking issue is one of the major problems in Zagreb, andin relation to that Zagreb does not differ from other similar orbigger European cities. The problem the city is facing is beingpresented in the paper. It is complex and can be solved gradually,using operative and planning measures, by applying influentialparameters assessments based on which the appropriateparking-garage spaces assessment would be selected. Besides,all the knowledge learned from experiences of similar Europeancities should be used in resolving stationary traffic problem.Introduction of fast public urban transport would providepassengers with improved services (particularly in relation tothe travelling time introducing modern traffic system thatwould reduce the travelling time to below 30 minutes for the farthestrelations. Further improvement in reducing parking problemsin downtown as well as Zagreb broader area would not bepossible without t,nplementing th.s approach.

  12. Understanding ill-structured engineering ethics problems through a collaborative learning and argument visualization approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Michael; Borenstein, Jason

    2014-03-01

    As a committee of the National Academy of Engineering recognized, ethics education should foster the ability of students to analyze complex decision situations and ill-structured problems. Building on the NAE's insights, we report about an innovative teaching approach that has two main features: first, it places the emphasis on deliberation and on self-directed, problem-based learning in small groups of students; and second, it focuses on understanding ill-structured problems. The first innovation is motivated by an abundance of scholarly research that supports the value of deliberative learning practices. The second results from a critique of the traditional case-study approach in engineering ethics. A key problem with standard cases is that they are usually described in such a fashion that renders the ethical problem as being too obvious and simplistic. The practitioner, by contrast, may face problems that are ill-structured. In the collaborative learning environment described here, groups of students use interactive and web-based argument visualization software called "AGORA-net: Participate - Deliberate!". The function of the software is to structure communication and problem solving in small groups. Students are confronted with the task of identifying possible stakeholder positions and reconstructing their legitimacy by constructing justifications for these positions in the form of graphically represented argument maps. The argument maps are then presented in class so that these stakeholder positions and their respective justifications become visible and can be brought into a reasoned dialogue. Argument mapping provides an opportunity for students to collaborate in teams and to develop critical thinking and argumentation skills.

  13. Beyond Relativism to Ethical Decision-Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Keith D.; Donlevy, J. Kent

    2006-01-01

    This article examines the ethical conundrum of educational decision makers when faced with a plethora of conflicting value-based decisions. It offers an analysis of a well-known fable as the foil to demonstrate the problematic nature of ethical relativism and postmodern ethics in resolving that conundrum, while advocating the use of five core…

  14. Engineer Ethics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Dae Sik; Kim, Yeong Pil; Kim, Yeong Jin

    2003-03-01

    This book tells of engineer ethics such as basic understanding of engineer ethics with history of engineering as a occupation, definition of engineering and specialized job and engineering, engineer ethics as professional ethics, general principles of ethics and its limitation, ethical theory and application, technique to solve the ethical problems, responsibility, safety and danger, information engineer ethics, biotechnological ethics like artificial insemination, life reproduction, gene therapy and environmental ethics.

  15. Business Ethics: Some Theoretical Issues

    OpenAIRE

    Lluka, Valon

    2010-01-01

    Ethics can be defined as a process of evaluating actions according to moral principal of values. Throughout the centuries people were trying to choose between profit and moral. Perhaps, some of them obtain both, but every time it could have roused ethical issues. Those issues concern fairness, justice, rightness or wrongness; as a result it can only be resolved according to ethical standards. Setting the ethical standards for the way of doing business in corporation is primarily task of m...

  16. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.

    Science.gov (United States)

    American Psychologist, 2002

    2002-01-01

    Describes the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, focusing on introduction and applicability; preamble; general principles; and ethical standards (resolving ethical issues, competence, human relations, privacy and confidentiality, advertising and other public statements, record keeping and…

  17. Statement of Ethics in Neurosurgery of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umansky, Felix; Black, Peter L; DiRocco, Concenzio; Ferrer, Enrique; Goel, Atul; Malik, Ghaus M; Mathiesen, Tiit; Mendez, Ivar; Palmer, James D; Juanotena, Jorge Rodriguez; Fraifeld, Shifra; Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V

    2011-01-01

    This Statement of Ethics in Neurosurgery was developed by the Committee for Ethics and Medico-Legal Affairs of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies to help neurosurgeons resolve problems in the treatment of individual patients and meet obligations to the larger society. This document is intended as a framework rather than a set of rules. It cannot cover every situation and should be used with flexibility. However, it is our intent that the fundamental principles enunciated here should serve as a guide in the day-to-day practice of neurosurgery. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The problem of final storage of radioactive waste - ethical considerations of the goods and evils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korff, W.; Feldhaus, S.

    1996-01-01

    The handling of radioactive remains proves to be separate, by now increasingly dominating problem in the discussion about nuclear energy. The application of the practical and concrete-ethical methodology of deliberation on goods and evils to the problems of permanent disposal, which is systematically expounded in the text, was able to show the following: 1. In the judgement on permanent disposal of nuclear waste we have to do with a prcedural-ethical process of deliberation as well. A morally justifiable and therefore responsible handling of our options has to be carried out in context of the individual, social and ecological requirements of the day as a continuous process of optimisation. Everywhere findable, on principle orientated attitudes of refusal against deliberation don't constitute an adequate solution of the problem. 2. The problems of permanent disposal have to be considered in the all-embracing context of the problems of waste disposal, in that occasion the waste disposal form of reprocessing has to be included into deliberation apart from that one of interim diposal, which is normally placed before permanent disposal. 3. The issue of permanent disposal can be discussed only in the extensive context of nuclear energy use and the problems of its ethical legitimation. 4. The problems of social acceptance of the nuclear energy use, fixed today essentially to the issue of permanent disposal of radioactive remains, cannot be easily equated with the question for its ehtical justification. (orig.) [de

  19. The agency problem and medical acting: an example of applying economic theory to medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langer, Andreas; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Brink, Alexander; Eurich, Johannes

    2009-03-01

    In this article, the authors attempt to build a bridge between economic theory and medical ethics to offer a new perspective to tackle ethical challenges in the physician-patient encounter. They apply elements of new institutional economics to the ethically relevant dimensions of the physician-patient relationship in a descriptive heuristic sense. The principal-agent theory can be used to analytically grasp existing action problems in the physician-patient relationship and as a basis for shaping recommendations at the institutional level. Furthermore, the patients' increased self-determination and modern opportunities for the medical laity to inform themselves lead to a less asymmetrical distribution of information between physician and patient and therefore require new interaction models. Based on the analysis presented here, the authors recommend that, apart from the physician's necessary individual ethics, greater consideration should be given to approaches of institutional ethics and hence to incentive systems within medical ethics.

  20. Workplace Literacy: Ethical Issues through the Lens of Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folinsbee, Sue

    2009-01-01

    Even though principles to guide practice are crucial, there are no hard-and-fast rules for resolving ethical issues--dilemmas that are not easily resolvable because they present opposing values and outcomes that may harm to certain groups of people if not properly considered. This article describes a number of ethical dilemmas faced as a workplace…

  1. Ethical problems inherent in psychological research based on internet communication as stored information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Øhrstrøm, Peter; Dyhrberg, Johan

    2007-01-01

    This paper deals with certain ethical problems inherent in psychological research based on internet communication as stored information. Section 1 contains an analysis of research on Internet debates. In particular, it takes into account a famous example of deception for psychology research...... purposes. In section 2, the focus is on research on personal data in texts published on the Internet. Section 3 includes an attempt to formulate some ethical principles and guidelines, which should be regarded as fundamental in research on stored information....

  2. Ethical dilemmas experienced by clinical psychology trainee therapists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhola, Poornima; Sinha, Ananya; Sonkar, Suruchi; Raguram, Ahalya

    2015-01-01

    Ethical dilemmas are inevitable during psychotherapeutic interactions, and these complexities and challenges may be magnified during the training phase. The experience of ethical dilemmas in the arena of therapy and the methods of resolving these dilemmas were examined among 35 clinical psychologists in training, through an anonymous and confidential online survey. The trainees' responses to four open-ended questions on any one ethical dilemma encountered during therapy were analysed, using thematic content analysis. The results highlighted that the salient ethical dilemmas related to confidentiality and boundary issues. The trainees also raised ethical questions regarding therapist competence, the beneficence and non-maleficence of therapeutic actions, and client autonomy. Fifty-seven per cent of the trainees reported that the dilemmas were resolved adequately, the prominent methods of resolution being supervision or consultation and guidance from professional ethical guidelines. The trainees felt that the professional codes had certain limitations as far as the effective resolution of ethical dilemmas was concerned. The findings indicate the need to strengthen training and supervision methodologies and professional ethics codes for psychotherapists and counsellors in India.

  3. Ethical Concerns and Procedural Pathways for Patients Who are Incapacitated and Alone: Implications from a Qualitative Study for Advancing Ethical Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moye, Jennifer; Catlin, Casey; Kwak, Jennifer; Wood, Erica; Teaster, Pamela B

    2017-06-01

    Adults who are incapacitated and alone, having no surrogates, may be known as "unbefriended." Decision-making for these particularly vulnerable patients is a common and vexing concern for healthcare providers and hospital ethics committees. When all other avenues for resolving the need for surrogate decision-making fail, patients who are incapacitated and alone may be referred for "public guardianship" or guardianship of last resort. While an appropriate mechanism in theory, these programs are often under-staffed and under-funded, laying the consequences of inadequacies on the healthcare system and the patient him or herself. We describe a qualitative study of professionals spanning clinical, court, and agency settings about the mechanisms for resolving surrogate consent for these patients and problems therein within the state of Massachusetts. Interviews found that all participants encountered adults who are incapacitated and without surrogates. Four approaches for addressing surrogate needs were: (1) work to restore capacity; (2) find previously unknown surrogates; (3) work with agencies to obtain surrogates; and (4) access the guardianship system. The use of guardianship was associated with procedural challenges and ethical concerns including delays in care, short term gains for long term costs, inabilities to meet a patient's values and preferences, conflicts of interest, and ethical discomfort among interviewees. Findings are discussed in the context of resources to restore capacity, identify previously unknown surrogates, and establish improved surrogate mechanisms for this vulnerable population.

  4. Ethics in scientific communication: study of a problem case.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, R L

    1994-12-01

    The hypothermia experiments performed on humans during the Second World War at the German concentration camp in Dachau have been regarded as crimes against humanity, disguised as medical research. For almost 50 years, scientists maintained that the study produced valuable, even if not totally reliable, information. In recent years, the results from the Dachau hypothermia project were glamorized with life-saving potential and a heated ethical dialogue was activated about the use of life-saving but tainted scientific information. In the wake of the debate, an in-depth examination of the scientific rigour of the project was performed and revealed that neither the science nor the scientists from Dachau could be trusted and that the data were worthless. The body of medical opinion accepted the unfavourable determination but a few scientists and ethicists have continued to endorse the validity, of at least parts, of the Dachau hypothermia data. The conduct of the scientific communications about the Dachau hypothermia experiments by the scientific and ethical communities invites serious consideration of a possible ethical misadventure. It appears that for almost 50 years, the results of the study had been endorsed without careful examination of the scientific base of the experiments and that secondary citation of relevant original material may have been commonly employed. These infractions contributed to a myth that good science was practised by the Nazis at Dachau. The more recent emphasis on the life-saving potential of the Dachau data, without citation of credible supporting evidence, has also been misleading. Similarly, acceptance of a determination by an in-depth examination that the 'whole' Dachau project if flawed with simultaneous endorsement of the validity of 'parts' of the results, poses an ethical problem. It is advisable that before seeking ethical consultation about the use of unethically obtained data, scientists should examine the quality of science behind

  5. Mock Hospital Ethics Committee: An Innovative Simulation to Teach Prelicensure Nursing Students the Complexities of Ethics in Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagedorn Wonder, Amy

    Limited opportunities exist for prelicensure nursing students to observe the interprofessional process required to resolve complex ethical cases in practice. Therefore, a mock hospital ethics committee (MHEC) was assembled to teach the application of ethics in practice through simulation. The MHEC meeting is an example of how nursing education and practice can partner to create meaningful learning experiences.

  6. Nigerian Building Professionals’ Ethical Ideology and Perceived Ethical Judgement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Oko Ameh

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, Nigeria is often cited in the international media in connection with corruption and other unethical practices. The professionals in the Nigerian building industry are not immune from the national trend in ethical erosion. Moral philosophy or ethical ideology has been used to explain individuals’ reasoning about moral issues and consequent behaviour. This study examines building industry professionals’ ethical ideologies with a view to understanding their ethical behaviour in professional practice.  In carrying out this investigation, building professionals in clients’ organisations, contracting and consultancy organisations within the industry were asked to respond to the Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ designed by Forsyth in order to determine their idealism and relativism level. Subsequently, they were classified into one of four groups, representing different ethical ideologies. The result indicates that the dominant ethical ideology of building industry professionals is situationism. The study predicts that the attitude of building industry professionals in practice, given the current socio-political and economic situation of Nigeria would possibly be unethical because of the extreme influence situational factors have on their behaviour. This finding is a bold step and necessary benchmark for resolving ethical issues within the industry and should be of interest to policy makers. It is also useful for intra professional ethical comparison.

  7. Is There an Identity Crisis in Environmental Ethics?

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    YANG Tongjin

    2017-01-01

    Environmental ethics is both a moral philosophy and an applied ethics.This duality has led some people to feel confused about environmental ethics' identity and to cast doubts on its legitimacy.This paper,by distinguishing and exploding environmental ethics' two patterns of inquiry (the moral philosophy pattern and the applied ethics pattern) and their characteristics,tries to resolve the discipline's identity crisis and to argue for its legitimacy.

  8. Between universalism and relativism: a conceptual exploration of problems in formulating and applying international biomedical ethical guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tangwa, G B

    2004-02-01

    In this paper, the author attempts to explore some of the problems connected with the formulation and application of international biomedical ethical guidelines, with particular reference to Africa. Recent attempts at revising and updating some international medical ethical guidelines have been bedevilled by intractable controversies and wrangling regarding both the content and formulation. From the vantage position of relative familiarity with both African and Western contexts, and the privilege of having been involved in the revision and updating of one of the international ethical guidelines, the author reflects broadly on these issues and attempts prescribing an approach from both the theoretical and practical angles liable to mitigate, if not completely eliminate, some of the problems and difficulties.

  9. [Assessing bioethics education: Teaching to be virtuous doctors or just doctors with practical ethical skills].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esquerda, Montse; Pifarré, Josep; Roig, Helena; Busquets, Ester; Yuguero, Oriol; Viñas, Joan

    2018-04-04

    In the last decades, bioethics has been incorporated into the academic training of the Medical Schools. Some studies analyze the ethical-moral development of medical students and the effect of ethical education in other countries. This evaluation is done by measuring Kohlberg's moral reasoning (virtuous doctors), or ethical sensitivity to resolve clinical cases (physicians with ethical skills). The following study is proposed to assess the impact of bioethics training on these two variables, in Spanish medical students. Observational cross-sectional study. SITE: Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida. 175 students from third year of medicine (78 before bioethics and 97 after bioethics, in different courses) were conducted. Bioethics course. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the Rest Defining Issue test scale, and Problem Identification Test with clinical vignettes were administered. A consistent and significant correlation has been found between moral reasoning and ethical sensitivity. Women presented greater post-conventional reasoning. There were no changes in Kohlberg's stage of global moral reasoning with ethical training. There were changes in ethical sensitivity with bioethical training, with a significantly and globally improvement. In our study, training in bioethics does not improve moral development but rather the ethical problem solving skills. It is asked if this improvement is enough to train doctors prepared for the new challenges. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. Ethical and regulatory problems of molecular imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Jae Min

    2004-01-01

    As a molecular imaging is the most up-to-date technology in nuclear medicine, it has complicate ethical and regulatory problems. For animal experiment, we have to follow institutional animal care committee. For clinical experiment, we have to get approval of Institutional Review Board according to Helsinki declaration. In addition, approval from Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) is essential for manufacturing and commercialization. However, too much regulation would suppress development of new technology, which would result in the loss of national competitive power. In addition, most new radioactive ligands for molecular imaging are administered to human at sub-pharmacological and sub-toxicological level. In conclusion, a balanced regulation is essential for the safety of clinical application and development of new technology

  11. Ethical conflicts reported by Certified Nephrology Nurses (CNNs) practicing in dialysis settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redman, B K; Hill, M N; Fry, S T

    1997-02-01

    The purpose of the investigators was to describe and classify ethical conflicts experienced by Certified Nephrology Nurses (CNNs) practicing in dialysis settings in four eastern states and the District of Columbia, and to explore associated demographic, educational, and practice setting factors associated with these ethical conflicts. A descriptive survey design was used. All members of the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) who were CNNs working in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, and a random sample of those in New York State and Pennsylvania were contacted. Those CNNs working in dialysis settings were asked to complete the Demographic Data Form and the Moral Conflict Questionnaire developed by Fry (1990). Eighty-eight met inclusion criteria, agreed to participate, and described ethical conflicts. By far the most common practice context for the described ethical conflicts were decisions about discontinuation or initiation of dialysis (69%). Participants were clear about the moral problem and ethical principles involved. Participants reported being involved in serious ethical conflicts about patient care. Since two-thirds were not resolved, further research should investigate whether existing mechanisms in practice settings for resolution of ethical conflicts are not working or are not being used by nurses.

  12. A Problem With Aristotle’s Ethical Essentialism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tibor R. Machan

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Aristotelian ethics is still very promising, mainly because of its meta-ethical naturalism. As in medicine, what’s good versus bad is based on knowledge of the nature of something. With the addition of a strong doctrine of voluntary action, the morally good life is one within which one pursues one’s human flourishing (by means of practicing the virtues. An obstacle is Aristotle’s essentialism whereby he stresses what is distinctive about human beings, not what is a matter of their nature, as the standard of right versus wrong conduct. If this is amended in Aristotle what emerges is what some have called a genuine naturalist, biocentric ethical eudaimonism. Here I sketch the case for this amended Aristotelian ethical view.

  13. Teaching ethics to engineers: ethical decision making parallels the engineering design process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bero, Bridget; Kuhlman, Alana

    2011-09-01

    In order to fulfill ABET requirements, Northern Arizona University's Civil and Environmental engineering programs incorporate professional ethics in several of its engineering courses. This paper discusses an ethics module in a 3rd year engineering design course that focuses on the design process and technical writing. Engineering students early in their student careers generally possess good black/white critical thinking skills on technical issues. Engineering design is the first time students are exposed to "grey" or multiple possible solution technical problems. To identify and solve these problems, the engineering design process is used. Ethical problems are also "grey" problems and present similar challenges to students. Students need a practical tool for solving these ethical problems. The step-wise engineering design process was used as a model to demonstrate a similar process for ethical situations. The ethical decision making process of Martin and Schinzinger was adapted for parallelism to the design process and presented to students as a step-wise technique for identification of the pertinent ethical issues, relevant moral theories, possible outcomes and a final decision. Students had greatest difficulty identifying the broader, global issues presented in an ethical situation, but by the end of the module, were better able to not only identify the broader issues, but also to more comprehensively assess specific issues, generate solutions and a desired response to the issue.

  14. Activities of an ethics consultation service in a Tertiary Military Medical Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waisel, D B; Vanscoy, S E; Tice, L H; Bulger, K L; Schmelz, J O; Perucca, P J

    2000-07-01

    The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires hospitals to have a mechanism to address issues of medical ethics. Most hospitals, especially those in the military, have an ethics committee composed solely of members who serve as an additional duty. To enhance the ethics consultation service, the 59th Medical Wing created a position under the chief of the medical staff for a full-time, fellowship-trained, medical ethicist. After establishment of this position, the number of consultations increased, a systematic program for caregiver education was developed and delivered, and an organizational presence was achieved by instituting positions on the institutional review board, the executive committee of the medical staff, and the credentials committee. Issues in medical care are becoming increasingly complicated, due in large part to financial stresses and technological advancements. Ethics consultation can help prevent and resolve many of these problems. This report discusses the activities of the first year of a full-time ethicist in a tertiary military medical center.

  15. Developing organisational ethics in palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandman, Lars; Molander, Ulla; Benkel, Inger

    2017-03-01

    Palliative carers constantly face ethical problems. There is lack of organised support for the carers to handle these ethical problems in a consistent way. Within organisational ethics, we find models for moral deliberation and for developing organisational culture; however, they are not combined in a structured way to support carers' everyday work. The aim of this study was to describe ethical problems faced by palliative carers and develop an adapted organisational set of values to support the handling of these problems. Ethical problems were mapped out using focus groups and content analysis. The organisational culture were developed using normative analysis and focus group methodology within a participatory action research approach. Main participants and research context: A total of 15 registered nurses and 10 assistant nurses at a palliative unit (with 19 patient beds) at a major University Hospital in Sweden. Ethical considerations: The study followed standard ethics guidelines concerning informed consent and confidentiality. We found six categories of ethical problems (with the main focus on problems relating to the patient's loved ones) and five categories of organisational obstacles. Based on these findings, we developed a set of values in three levels: a general level, an explanatory level and a level of action strategies. The ethical problems found corresponded to problems in other studies with a notable exception, the large focus on patient loved ones. The three-level set of values is a way to handle risks of formulating abstract values not providing guidance in concrete care voiced in other studies. Developing a three-level set of values adapted to the specific ethical problems in a concrete care setting is a first step towards a better handling of ethical problems.

  16. Avoid Ethical Misconduct in Manuscript Preparation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, Rodney W; Harris, Ruth

    2016-01-01

    In order for nurses and other health care professionals to make important contributions to the literature, there must be an awareness of the many areas where unintentional ethical conflicts can arise. Leading ethical concerns include plagiarism, duplicate submission, authorship standards, bias, and conflicts of interest. Although many sources are available on the variety of ethical concerns, this article takes the position to identify the area of concern and describe why it is an ethical violation. Solutions are posed for resolving the conflict, including why medical librarians can help in the publishing process.

  17. Ethical considerations in geriatric neuropsychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Thomas A; Bush, Shane S

    2008-01-01

    The practice of geriatric neuropsychology demands specialized training and experience that enables the practitioner to appreciate the unique challenges and opportunities that are encountered when working with older adults. In addition to maintaining advanced knowledge regarding medical and psychological conditions, assessment issues, and treatment needs specific to older persons, clinicians working with older adults must be prepared to recognize and confront ethical dilemmas that arise. For example, ethical challenges related to professional competence, informed consent, assessment, and privacy and confidentiality may be prominent when working with older persons. Maintaining an emphasis on "positive ethics" and utilizing an ethical decision-making model will promote the practitioner's ability to avoid, identify, and resolve ethical challenges. The present article reviews (1) the concept of positive ethics, (2) a comprehensive ethical decision-making model, and (3) ethical issues that are commonly encountered by geriatric neuropsychologists. A case vignette is presented to illustrate the application of the aforementioned tools to promote ethical practice.

  18. [Ethic rounds in intensive care. Possible instrument for a clinical-ethical assessment in intensive care units].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheffold, N; Paoli, A; Gross, J; Riemann, U; Hennersdorf, M

    2012-10-01

    Ethical problems, such as medical end-of-life decisions or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment are viewed as an essential task in intensive care units. This article presents the ethics rounds as an instrument for evaluation of ethical problems in intensive care medicine units. The benchmarks of ethical reflection during the ethics rounds are considerations of ethical theory of principle-oriented medical ethics. Besides organizational aspects and the institutional framework, the role of the ethicist is described. The essential evaluation steps, as a basis of the ethics rounds are presented. In contrast to the clinical ethics consultation, the ethicist in the ethics rounds model is integrated as a member of the ward round team. Therefore ethical problems may be identified and analyzed very early before the conflict escalates. This preventive strategy makes the ethics rounds a helpful instrument in intensive care units.

  19. "Pedagogy of Discomfort" and Its Ethical Implications: The Tensions of Ethical Violence in Social Justice Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zembylas, Michalinos

    2015-01-01

    This essay considers the ethical implications of engaging in a pedagogy of discomfort, using as a point of departure Butler's reflections on ethical violence and norms. The author shows how this attempt is full of tensions that cannot, if ever, be easily resolved. To address these tensions, the author first offers a brief overview of the notion of…

  20. Thinking, Relating and Choosing: Resolving the issue of Faith ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Which is worse: Doing evil or being evil? If we are free to define ourselves through our choices, as existentialism posits, then the latter is worse. This paper attempts to resolve the issue of the difference between religious (group) ethics and the ethics of a person of faith that embraces individuals with an existential ...

  1. Perspectives on Applied Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    2007-01-01

    Applied ethics is a growing, interdisciplinary field dealing with ethical problems in different areas of society. It includes for instance social and political ethics, computer ethics, medical ethics, bioethics, envi-ronmental ethics, business ethics, and it also relates to different forms of professional ethics. From the perspective of ethics, applied ethics is a specialisation in one area of ethics. From the perspective of social practice applying eth-ics is to focus on ethical aspects and ...

  2. Pharmacists' Assessment of the Difficulty and Frequency of Ethical Issues Encountered in Community Pharmacy Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crnjanski, Tatjana; Krajnovic, Dusanka; Savic, Mirko

    2017-05-23

    Researching ethical problems and their frequency could give us a complex picture and greater insight into the types of ethical issues that pharmacists face in providing health care. The overall aim of this study was to assess the pharmacist's perception of difficulty and frequency of selected ethical issues encountered by the community pharmacists in their everyday practice. A quantitative cross sectional multicenter study was performed using a validated survey instrument - Ethical Issue Scale for Community Pharmacy (EISP). The results of the analysis of 690 completely filled out instruments (response rate 78.49%) showed the difference between the ethical issues which always occurred ("A pharmacist is prevented from dispensing a medicine to the patient due to an administrative error in the prescription"), and the ones that pharmacists found most difficult ("A pharmacist dispenses a medicine he/she personally considers inadequate for the therapeutic treatment of the patient, in order to avoid any conflicts with the physician" and "A pharmacist is considering violating the rules and regulations in order to perform an act of humanity"). The majority of respondents (84.78%) were familiar with the Code of Ethics but the correlation between the familiarity and the perceived usefulness of the code in resolving problems in everyday practice was negative (ρ = -0.17, p ethical issues and their occurrence. Further empirical research is recommended in order to systematically identify the ethical issues faced by community pharmacists.

  3. How Should Ethical Theories Be Dealt with in Engineering Ethics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohishi, Toshihiro

    Contemporary engineering ethics scholars deal with contesting several ethical theories without criticizing them radically and try to use them to solve ethical problems. In this paper I first show that a conflict between ethical theories is not superficial, and pragmatic methods are adopted in engineering ethics. Second, I claim that the way to deal with contesting ethical theories in contemporary engineering ethics has an unacceptable side which does not accord with my argument that a conflict between ethical theories is not superficial and pragmatic methods are adopted in engineering ethics. Finally, I conclude that this inconsistency in contemporary engineering ethics should be corrected to make contemporary engineering ethics consistent.

  4. Morality, ethics, and law: introductory concepts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horner, Jennifer

    2003-11-01

    The purpose of this article is to differentiate morality, ethics, and law. Morality refers to a set of deeply held, widely shared, and relatively stable values within a community. Ethics as a philosophical enterprise involves the study of values, and the justification for right and good actions, as represented by the classic works of Aristotle (virtue ethics), Kant (duty-based ethics), and Bentham and Mill (utilitarian and consequentialist ethics). Applied ethics, in contrast, is the use of ethics principles (e.g., respect for autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence, justice) in actual situations, such as in professional and clinical life. Finally, law is comprised of concrete duties established by governments that are necessary for maintaining social order and resolving disputes, as well as for distributing social resources according to what people need or deserve.

  5. Virtues and humanitarian ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Löfquist, Lars

    2017-01-01

    This paper analyses the contribution of virtue ethics, the study of good character traits, to the humanitarian context. It argues that a virtue ethics perspective paints a realistic picture of the use of ethical standards in morally complex circumstances. Virtuous relief workers can employ standards in their thinking, but they are also committed to professional excellence that goes beyond any formal code. The concept of virtue ethics places a stress on moral development, which can be facilitated by role models that impart modest and feasible ideals. However, virtue ethics cannot provide simple guidelines on how to resolve difficult situations. It is possible that two virtuous persons can disagree on what should be done in a particular instance. In addition, a virtue ethics perspective emphasises the need for both individuals and organisations to discuss the actual purpose of relief work in order to pinpoint the virtues of a good relief professional. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

  6. Resolving Ethical Dilemmas: Exploring the Role of Moral Principles

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Blais, Ann-Renee; Thompsom, Megan

    2008-01-01

    .... As part of a larger study on moral decision making, 64 participants read and reflected upon six ethical dilemmas, rated the extent to which 5 moral principles influenced their decisions regarding...

  7. From environmental to ecological ethics: toward a practical ethics for ecologists and conservationists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minteer, Ben A; Collins, James P

    2008-12-01

    Ecological research and conservation practice frequently raise difficult and varied ethical questions for scientific investigators and managers, including duties to public welfare, nonhuman individuals (i.e., animals and plants), populations, and ecosystems. The field of environmental ethics has contributed much to the understanding of general duties and values to nature, but it has not developed the resources to address the diverse and often unique practical concerns of ecological researchers and managers in the field, lab, and conservation facility. The emerging field of "ecological ethics" is a practical or scientific ethics that offers a superior approach to the ethical dilemmas of the ecologist and conservation manager. Even though ecological ethics necessarily draws from the principles and commitments of mainstream environmental ethics, it is normatively pluralistic, including as well the frameworks of animal, research, and professional ethics. It is also methodologically pragmatic, focused on the practical problems of researchers and managers and informed by these problems in turn. The ecological ethics model offers environmental scientists and practitioners a useful analytical tool for identifying, clarifying, and harmonizing values and positions in challenging ecological research and management situations. Just as bioethics provides a critical intellectual and problem-solving service to the biomedical community, ecological ethics can help inform and improve ethical decision making in the ecology and conservation communities.

  8. Ethical Judgments and Behaviors: Applying a Multidimensional Ethics Scale to Measuring ICT Ethics of College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Insung

    2009-01-01

    Assuming that ICT ethics are influenced by both moral and circumstantial factors, the study investigates Japanese college students' ethical judgments and behavioral intentions in three scenarios involving ICT-related ethical problems and explores why they make such decisions, relying on five moral philosophies: moral equity, relativism,…

  9. Overview on business ethics and human resources management ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prof. Ph.D. Cãtãlina Bonciu

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available In the contemporary business world ethics represents one of the most exciting challenges,precisely because there is still no universally valid modality for solving a problem of this kind. Adopting anethic personal behavior does not always ensure winning in the problems regarding the actual business, norin the organizational behavior itself. The personal values, either native or gained by an individual throughouthis socializing do not represent a support or advantage in the attitude towards the economic life. What is it that actually concerns the managers:to succeed in their activity or to have an ethic activity? A successful business is necessarily an ethic one, or one lacking ethics? In particular, should the human resources manager choose the human factor of solid moral and ethic grounds, or the one exclusively focused on money quantifiable performance?

  10. Ethical Issues in the Mental Health Treatment of Gender Dysphoric Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swann, Stephanie; Herbert, Sarah E.

    1999-01-01

    Examines ethical dilemmas arising when treating adolescents with gender dysphoria, discussing ethical and legal issues pertinent to treating any adolescent and highlighting gender dysphoric adolescents. Reviews legal decisions, existing data on adolescent decision making, and ethical principles for resolving complex situations. Illustrates ethical…

  11. Resolving legal, ethical, and human rights challenges in HIV vaccine research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, D

    2000-01-01

    In the absence of a cure for AIDS, attention has turned to the possibility of developing a preventive vaccine for HIV infection. Yet many scientific, ethical, legal, and economic obstacles remain. At the current rate, the development and production of an effective vaccine could take 15 to 20 years or longer. If tens of millions more HIV infections and deaths are to be avoided in the coming decades, vaccine research needs to be greatly expedited. Furthermore, it must be undertaken ethically, and the products of this research must benefit people in developing countries. This article, an edited and updated version of a paper presented at "Putting Third First," addresses challenges arising in HIV preventive vaccine research in developing countries. It does not address clinical research in developing countries relating to treatments or therapeutic vaccines. Nor does it address legal and ethical issues relating to HIV vaccine research in industrialized countries, although similar issues arise in both contexts. The article concludes that while ethical codes are silent on the obligation to undertake research and development, international law provides strong legal obligations--particularly with regard to industrialized states--that should be invoked to accelerate HIV vaccine development, and distribution.

  12. Evidence, Ethics & Social Policy Dilemmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven I. Miller

    1993-07-01

    Full Text Available Within the philosophy of the social sciences, the relationship between evidence, ethics, and social policy is in need of further analysis. The present paper is an attempt to argue that while important social policies can, and perhaps ought to be, grounded in ethical theory, they are seldom articulated in this fashion due to the ambiguity surrounding the "evidence condition." Using a consequentialist-utilitarian framework, and a case study of a policy dilemma, the authors analyze the difficulties associated with resolving policy-based dilemmas which must appeal to evidential support as a justification for an ethical stand. Implication for the relevance of ethics to social policy formulation are discussed in detail.

  13. Framing ethical acceptability: a problem with nuclear waste in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilding, Ethan T

    2012-06-01

    Ethical frameworks are often used in professional fields as a means of providing explicit ethical guidance for individuals and institutions when confronted with ethically important decisions. The notion of an ethical framework has received little critical attention, however, and the concept subsequently lends itself easily to misuse and ambiguous application. This is the case with the 'ethical framework' offered by Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), the crown-corporation which owns and is responsible for the long-term management of Canada's high-level nuclear fuel waste. It makes a very specific claim, namely that it is managing Canada's long-lived radioactive nuclear fuel waste in an ethically responsible manner. According to this organization, what it means to behave in an ethically responsible manner is to act and develop policy in accordance with its ethical framework. What, then, is its ethical framework, and can it be satisfied? In this paper I will show that the NWMO's ethical and social framework is deeply flawed in two respects: (a) it fails to meet the minimum requirements of a code of ethic or ethical framework by offering only questions, and no principles or rules of conduct; and (b) if posed as principles or rules of conduct, some of its questions are unsatisfiable. In particular, I will show that one of its claims, namely that it seek informed consent from individuals exposed to risk of harm from nuclear waste, cannot be satisfied as formulated. The result is that the NWMO's ethical framework is not, at present, ethically acceptable.

  14. On IS Students' Intentions to Use Theories of Ethics in Resolving Moral Conflicts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vartiainen, Tero; Siponen, Mikko

    2010-01-01

    It is widely agreed that ethics teaching should have an important role in Information Systems (IS) teaching. Yet, there are no studies exploring how students apply theories of ethics in their decision-making. This is unfortunate, because teaching ethics is of little practical use if the students do not utilise the acquired knowledge in practice.…

  15. In the Ethos of the Safety Net: An Expanded Role for Clinical Ethics Mediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGreevy, Jolion

    2015-01-01

    Clinical ethics mediation is invaluable for resolving intractable disputes in the hospital. But it is also a critical day-to-day skill for clinicians, especially those who serve a disproportionate number of vulnerable patients. While mediation is typically reserved for intractable cases, there are two important opportunities to expand its use. First is preventative mediation, in which clinicians incorporate clinical ethics mediation into their daily routine in order to address value-laden conflicts before they reach the point at which outside consultation becomes necessary. Second is guided mediation, in which clinical teams resolve conflicts with patients or surrogates with guidance from an ethics consultant, who operates at some distance from the conflict and, rather than recommending a single action, counsels clinicians on the process they can use to resolve the conflict on their own. These approaches build the capacity of all clinicians to use clinical ethics mediation to improve the care of vulnerable patients. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

  16. Medical Ethics in Contemporary Clinical Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John R. Williams

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available This review article describes and analyzes ethical issues in medical practice, particularly those issues encountered by physicians in their relationships with their patients. These relationships often involve ethical conflicts between 2 or more interests, which physicians need to recognize and resolve. The article deals with 4 topics in clinical practice in which ethical conflicts occur: physicians' duty of confidentiality in a digital environment, their responsibilities for dealing with abuses of the human rights of patients, their role in clinical research, and their relationships with commercial enterprises. The ethical policies of the World Medical Association provide the basis for determining appropriate physician conduct on these matters. The article concludes with reflections on the need for international standards of medical ethics.

  17. Health branding ethics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anker, Thomas Boysen; Sandøe, Peter; Kamin, Tanja

    2011-01-01

    into account the ethical dimensions of health branding: this article presents a conceptual analysis of potential ethical problems in health branding. The analysis focuses on ethical concerns related to the application of three health brand elements (functional claims, process claims, and health symbols...

  18. Level of Ethics, Ethical Frustration and Accountant Discretionary Practices

    OpenAIRE

    Tamminen, Rauno; Leskinen, Markku

    1996-01-01

    In this paper it is shown with the help of a small sample that accounting is ethically loaded; that there exists ethical frustration caused by situational factors related to accounting; and that most probably the situational pressures may also change the level of ethics in the Kohlbergian sense; and that in studying accounting-related ethical problems empirically, the paper-and pencil tests and interviewing may give biased results. The accountant's model of the world is supplemented with ...

  19. Non-equivalent stringency of ethical review in the Baltic States: a sign of a systematic problem in Europe?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gefenas, E; Dranseika, V; Cekanauskaite, A; Hug, K; Mezinska, S; Peicius, E; Silis, V; Soosaar, A; Strosberg, M

    2011-01-01

    We analyse the system of ethical review of human research in the Baltic States by introducing the principle of equivalent stringency of ethical review, that is, research projects imposing equal risks and inconveniences on research participants should be subjected to equally stringent review procedures. We examine several examples of non-equivalence or asymmetry in the system of ethical review of human research: (1) the asymmetry between rather strict regulations of clinical drug trials and relatively weaker regulations of other types of clinical biomedical research and (2) gaps in ethical review in the area of non-biomedical human research where some sensitive research projects are not reviewed by research ethics committees at all. We conclude that non-equivalent stringency of ethical review is at least partly linked to the differences in scope and binding character of various international legal instruments that have been shaping the system of ethical review in the Baltic States. Therefore, the Baltic example could also serve as an object lesson to other European countries which might be experiencing similar problems. PMID:20606000

  20. The business of ethics. Hospitals need to focus on managerial ethics as much as clinical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, L J

    1990-01-01

    Business ethics begins with the recognition of the various values and "goods" involved in judgements of what to do. Four key values are individual rights, individual self-interest, the company's best interest, and the public good. Often a company has to choose which of these goals or values should be subordinated to another. Business ethics, then, must clarify priorities among these values and establish priority principles to resolve conflicts. One approach to contemporary business ethics emphasizes personal integrity, focusing on conflicts of interest; another approach stresses social responsibility, focusing on the effect of company policy on groups and individuals in society. In business, most of the attention to conflicts of interest focuses on the conflict between employee self-interest and the firm's interest. Healthcare organizations may need to focus on potential conflicts between the patient's interest and the institution's or physician's interest. Physician referrals and pharmaceutical companies' marketing practices are two areas with potential conflicts. Not-for-profit organizations have been quicker than the business world to acknowledge social responsibility. In many ways, however, the social impact of healthcare policies and decisions has not been as carefully considered as it should be. Institutionalizing deliberation about clinical ethical issues has helped to raise awareness about the ethical dimensions of medical care. It would also be useful to institutionalize attention to business ethics in healthcare.

  1. A software platform to analyse the ethical issues of electronic patient privacy policy: the S3P example.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizani, M A; Baykal, N

    2007-12-01

    Paper-based privacy policies fail to resolve the new changes posed by electronic healthcare. Protecting patient privacy through electronic systems has become a serious concern and is the subject of several recent studies. The shift towards an electronic privacy policy introduces new ethical challenges that cannot be solved merely by technical measures. Structured Patient Privacy Policy (S3P) is a software tool assuming an automated electronic privacy policy in an electronic healthcare setting. It is designed to simulate different access levels and rights of various professionals involved in healthcare in order to assess the emerging ethical problems. The authors discuss ethical issues concerning electronic patient privacy policies that have become apparent during the development and application of S3P.

  2. Ethical dilemmas and nursing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helm, A

    1984-08-01

    Professional responsibilities, tradition, and personal conscience along with legal, philosophical, and religious convictions dictate nursing interventions. Inevitably, these factors embrace life-sustaining therapies; however, in view of complications, prognosis, pain and suffering, and their own views of quality of life, some patients express wishes inconsistent with life-sustaining measures. In other situations, the health care provider as well as the patient may view heroic efforts as more debilitating than resortative. Resolving the conflict while preserving the patient's best interests requires a confrontation with the status of "do-not resuscitate" policies within th e nurse's institution, informed consent, refusal, and competency as the necessary underpinnings for the development of an ethical and legal posture within the profession, with which to approach significant decisions regarding life-sustaining therapies. Literally every hour of every day nurses are immediately and directly involved with resolving ethical dilemmas based upon judgements and interpretations of oral or written orders, patient and family wishes, professional training, and an infinite number of other factors. When clear policies or orders are lacking, the nurse is left with the burden of making a life or death decision. It is imperative that professional nurses assess the administrative, legal, and ethical ramifications of their actions in terms of ethical codes of practice, patients' rights, institutional and personal liability, civil and criminal laws, and private conscience. An understanding of these issues, passive and active euthansia, state and national trends, and uniform legislation can assist in resolutions of the no-code dilemma. Nursing as a profession must strive to develop sound and consistent guidelines and rationale for the scope of practice in ethical dilemmas.

  3. Advancing an ethical framework for long-term care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Mary Whelan

    2002-02-01

    This article represents an effort to formulate an ethical framework for long-term care with the explicit purpose of providing a catalyst to promote further discourse and expand consideration of what an ethic of long-term care might entail. Grounding the discussion, an introduction to traditional ethical philosophy is presented, focusing mainly on the fundamentals of deontological and teleological ethical theories. Attention then shifts to a review of the more frequently cited principles found in the long-term care ethics literature, followed by a critique of the current reliance upon principlism to resolve ethical dilemmas in long-term care. In response to this criticism, an agent-driven ethical framework stressing dignity and respect for personhood, drawn from the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, is advanced.

  4. The mixed boundary value problem, Krein resolvent formulas and spectral asymptotic estimates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grubb, Gerd

    2011-01-01

    For a second-order symmetric strongly elliptic operator A on a smooth bounded open set in Rn, the mixed problem is defined by a Neumann-type condition on a part Σ+ of the boundary and a Dirichlet condition on the other part Σ−. We show a Kreĭn resolvent formula, where the difference between its...... to the area of Σ+, in the case where A is principally equal to the Laplacian...

  5. Ethical dilemmas among nurses as they transition to hospital case management: implications for organizational ethics, part I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Lolita T

    2007-01-01

    To describe the experiences of ethical concerns by clinical nurses as they transitioned into their new role in hospital case management. Through this study, an attempt was made to explore experiences of ethical concerns and identify the implications for organizational ethics. In this study, nurse case managers practicing in the acute hospital setting, military, not-for-profit community, and teaching hospitals were interviewed. The majority of the nurse case manager participants were engaged in hospital discharge planning and utilization review activities. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to identify the themes inherent in ethical concerns and articulate them within the context of hospital nurse case management. Fifteen participants were interviewed to obtain a qualitative description of the nurse case managers' lived experiences of ethical dilemmas and how they were resolved. Nurse case managers' perceptions of solutions/options to resolve such ethical dilemmas were explored. As nurses transition into the expanded role of case management in the present healthcare delivery system, they frequently face situations demanding ethical choices and judgments to accommodate diverse patient interests and needs. These ethical decisions required in daily practice in case management represent ethical dilemmas to nurses. The insights derived from the analysis of the interviews have implications for nursing practice, education, policy, ethics, and research; recommendations for organizations employing nurse case managers in terms of recruitment, orientation, training, and continued need for educational support are identified. 1. The clinical decisions required in daily practice of case management represented challenges to the nurses. This highlights the critical role of adequate educational orientation to case management for beginning case managers. 2. Nurse case managers should be cognizant of the "disconnect" that could occur between their obligations to the

  6. Ethical dilemmas among nurses as they transition to hospital case management: implications for organizational ethics, part II.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Lolita T

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of ethical concerns by clinical nurses as they transitioned into their new role in hospital case management. Through this study, an attempt was made to explore experiences of ethical concerns and identify the implications for organizational ethics. In this study, nurse case managers practicing in the acute care setting, military, not-for-profit community, and teaching hospitals were interviewed. The majority of the nurse case manager participants were engaged in hospital discharge planning and utilization review activities. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to identify the themes inherent in ethical concerns and articulate them within the context of hospital nurse case management. Fifteen participants were interviewed to obtain a qualitative description of the nurse case managers' lived experiences of ethical dilemmas and how they were resolved. Nurse case managers' perceptions of solutions/options to resolve such ethical dilemmas were explored. As nurses transition into the expanded role of case management in the present healthcare delivery system, they frequently face situations demanding ethical choices and judgments to accommodate diverse patient interests and needs. These ethical decisions required in daily practice of case management represent ethical dilemmas to nurses. The insights derived from the analysis of the interviews have implications for nursing practice, education, policy, ethics, and research; recommendations for organizations employing nurse case managers in terms of recruitment, orientation, training, and continued need for educational support are identified. 1. The clinical decisions required in daily practice of case management represented challenges to the nurses. This highlights the critical role of adequate educational orientation to case management for beginning case managers. 2. Nurse case managers should be cognizant of the "disconnect" that could occur between

  7. Ethical problems in radiology: radiological consumerism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnavita, N; Bergamaschi, A

    2009-10-01

    One of the causes of the increasing request for radiological examinations occurring in all economically developed countries is the active role played by the patient-consumer. Consumerism places the radiologist in an ethical dilemma, between the principle of autonomy on the one hand and the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice on the other. The choice made by radiologists in moral dilemmas is inspired by an adherence to moral principles, which in Italy and elsewhere refer to the Judaeo-Christian tradition or to neo-Darwinian relativism. Whatever the choice, the radiologist is bound to adhere to that choice and to provide the patient with all the relevant information regarding his or her state of health.

  8. Suffering, compassion and 'doing good medical ethics'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Zulueta, Paquita C

    2015-01-01

    'Doing good medical ethics' involves attending to both the biomedical and existential aspects of illness. For this, we need to bring in a phenomenological perspective to the clinical encounter, adopt a virtue-based ethic and resolve to re-evaluate the goals of medicine, in particular the alleviation of suffering and the role of compassion in everyday ethics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. The new framework for resolving the energy problem and its application to the utilization of nuclear technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurata, Kenji

    2002-01-01

    Until recently, the energy problem in Japan had been the problem of how enough energy could be supplied to various sectors in society under Japan's conditions of only a few energy resources existing within its territory. However, recently new environmental and social conditions are arising. These new conditions strongly affect not only concrete measures for solving the energy problem but also the characteristics of the energy problem itself. Nowadays, it seems to be impossible to resolve the energy problem without taking these conditions into consideration. For this reason, a new framework, which enables various social values to be reflected in concrete measures, is urgently needed to resolve the energy problem. This thesis uses the ISO14001 framework to consider a possible solution over the energy problem. In the first part of this thesis, an examination shows that the ISO14001 framework should be generalized beyond the original objective of dealing with environmental problems to accommodate any kind of problems caused by newly arising social values. This generalized framework is defined as a 'Social measure' and expected to enhance the resolution of the problem in socially appropriate manner. In the second part, this paper uses the idea of the Social measure to consider a possible solution to recover public trust on the utilization of nuclear technology, which is regarded as a typical energy problem under the social condition. (author)

  10. Medical ethics and ethical dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyalomhe, G B S

    2009-01-01

    Ethical problems routinely arise in the hospital and outpatient practice settings and times of dilemma do occur such that practitioners and patients are at cross-roads where choice and decision making become difficult in terms of ethics. This paper attempts a synopsis of the basic principles of medical ethics, identifies some ethical dilemmas that doctors often encounter and discusses some strategies to address them as well as emphasizes the need for enhanced ethics education both for physicians and patients particularly in Nigeria. Literature and computer programmes (Medline and PsychoInfo databases) were searched for relevant information. The search showed that the fundamental principles suggested by ethicists to assist doctors to evaluate the ethics of a situation while making a decision include respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. Although the above principles do not give answers as to how to handle a particular situation, they serve as a guide to doctors on what principles ought to apply to actual circumstances. The principles sometimes conflict with each other leading to ethical dilemmas when applied to issues such as abortion, contraception, euthanasia, professional misconduct, confidentiality truth telling, professional relationship with relatives, religion, traditional medicine and business concerns. Resolution of dilemmas demand the best of the doctor's knowledge of relevant laws and ethics, his training and experience, his religious conviction and moral principles as well as his readiness to benefit from ethics consultation and the advice of his colleagues. Ethics education should begin from the impressionable age in homes, continued in the medical schools and after graduation to ensure that doctors develop good ethical practices and acquire the ability to effectively handle ethical dilemmas. Also, education of patients and sanction of unethical behaviour will reduce ethical dilemmas.

  11. Ethical dilemmas in the care of cancer patients near the end of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ong, W Y; Yee, C M; Lee, A

    2012-01-01

    By definition, an ethical dilemma involves the need to choose from among two or more morally acceptable options or between equally unacceptable courses of action, when one choice prevents selection of the other. Advances in medicine, increasing economic stress, rise of patient self-determination and differing values between healthcare workers and patients are among the many factors contributing to the frequency and complexity of ethical issues in healthcare. In the cancer patient near the end of life, common ethical dilemmas include those dealing with artificial nutrition and hydration, truth-telling and disagreements over management plans. It would stand the clinician in good stead to be aware of these issues and have an approach toward dealing with such problems. In addition, organisations have a responsibility to ensure that systems are in place to minimise its occurrence and ensure that staff are supported through the process of resolving dilemmas and conflicts that may arise.

  12. Ethical psychiatry in an uncertain world: conversations and parallel truths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lepping Peter

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Psychiatric practice is often faced with complex situations that seem to pose serious moral dilemmas for practitioners. Methods for solving these dilemmas have included the development of more objective rules to guide the practitioner such as utilitarianism and deontology. A more modern variant on this objective model has been 'Principlism' where 4 mid level rules are used to help solve these complex problems. In opposition to this, there has recently been a focus on more subjective criteria for resolving complex moral dilemmas. In particular, virtue ethics has been posited as a more sensitive method for helping doctors to reason their way through difficult ethical issues. Here the focus is on the character traits of the practitioner. Bloch and Green advocated another way whereby more objective methods such as Principlism and virtue ethics are combined to produce what they considered sound moral reasoning in psychiatrists. This paper points out some difficulties with this approach and instead suggests that a better model of ethical judgment could be developed through the use of narratives or stories. This idea puts equal prima facie value on the patient's and the psychiatrist's version of the dilemma they are faced with. It has the potential to lead to a more genuine empathy and reflective decision-making.

  13. Different views on ethics: how animal ethics is situated in a committee culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ideland, M

    2009-04-01

    Research that includes non-human animal experimentation is fundamentally a dilemmatic enterprise. Humans use other animals in research to improve life for their own species. Ethical principles are established to deal with this dilemma. But despite this ethical apparatus, people who in one way or another work with animal experimentation have to interpret and understand the principles from their individual points of view. In interviews with members of Swedish animal ethics committees, different views on what the term ethics really means were articulated. For one member, the difficult ethical dilemma of animal experimentation is the lack of enriched cages for mice. For another, the ethical problem lies in regulations restraining research. A third member talks about animals' right not to be used for human interests. These different views on "ethics" intersect once a month in the animal ethics committee meetings. There is no consensus on what constitutes the ethical problem that the members should be discussing. Therefore, personal views on what ethics means, and hierarchies among committee members, characterise the meetings. But committee traditions and priorities of interpretation as well are important to the decisions. The author discusses how "ethics" becomes situated and what implications this may have for committees' decisions.

  14. Cultural and hierarchical influences: ethical issues faced by Taiwanese nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Mei-Yu; Wu, Shu-Mei; Che, Hui-Lian

    2010-05-01

    OBJECTIVES Improving nurses' competence in resolving clinical ethical issues must start with ethics education in training and clinical practice. However, many students complain that they cannot apply classroom learning to actual clinical scenarios. This study explored ethical issues and dilemmas, and their impact experienced by student nurses in clinical practice. METHODS Focus groups were conducted with 44 first-year student nurses from a 2-year college course in northern Taiwan. Interviews were tape-recorded and verbatim transcripts were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS Students expressed and discussed their views in eight focus groups. Analysis of interviews revealed five themes: frustration at inability to help some patients; oppression caused by lower status; lack of honesty and ethical courage; powerlessness, and self-encouragement in adversity. CONCLUSIONS Taiwanese nurse ethics training was only recently introduced and the curriculum has not addressed the clinical reality in Taiwan. This reality includes limitations arising from the medical hierarchy and the socio-cultural role of families in medical decision making, which may inhibit ethical judgements and decision making. In clinical dilemmas, the most common problems faced by Taiwanese nursing students involved not knowing how to handle some situations, inability to abide by principles, and a lack of appropriate role models. Hence, we suggest that nursing ethics education should: (i) integrate scenarios involving ethical dilemmas into daily routines; (ii) give students opportunities to discuss their feelings about their experiences; (iii) allow teachers and students to talk about scenarios with ethical implications, and (iv) provide students with opportunities to reflect on clinical scenarios in order to clarify their values and learn how to respect the value of life.

  15. Neuroethics: the pursuit of transforming medical ethics in scientific ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueroa, Gustavo

    2016-02-20

    Ethical problems resulting from brain research have given rise to a new discipline termed neuroethics, representing a new kind of knowledge capable of discovering the neural basis for universal ethics. The article (1) tries to evaluate the contributions of neuroethics to medical ethics and its suitability to outline the foundations of universal ethics, (2) critically analyses the process of founding this universal ethic. The potential benefits of applying neuroimaging, psychopharmacology and neurotechnology have to be carefully weighed against their potential harm. In view of these questions, an intensive dialogue between neuroscience and the humanities is more necessary than ever.

  16. Neuroethics: the pursuit of transforming medical ethics in scientific ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo Figueroa

    Full Text Available Ethical problems resulting from brain research have given rise to a new discipline termed neuroethics, representing a new kind of knowledge capable of discovering the neural basis for universal ethics. The article (1 tries to evaluate the contributions of neuroethics to medical ethics and its suitability to outline the foundations of universal ethics, (2 critically analyses the process of founding this universal ethic. The potential benefits of applying neuroimaging, psy-chopharmacology and neurotechnology have to be carefully weighed against their potential harm. In view of these questions, an intensive dialogue between neuroscience and the humanities is more necessary than ever.

  17. Transplant Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altınörs, Nur; Haberal, Mehmet

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to review and discuss the great variety of ethical issues related to organ donation, organ procurement, transplant activities, and new ethical problems created as a result of technologic and scientific developments. An extensive literature survey was made, and expert opinions were obtained. The gap between demand and supply of organs for transplant has yielded to organ trafficking, organ tourism, and commercialism. This problem seems to be the most important issue, and naturally there are ethical dilemmas related to it. A wide number of ideas have been expressed on the subject, and different solutions have been proposed. The struggle against organ trafficking and commercialism should include legislation, efforts to increase deceased-donor donations, and international cooperation. China's policy to procure organs from prisoners sentenced to death is unethical, and the international community should exert more pressure on the Chinese government to cease this practice. Each particular ethical dilemma should be taken separately and managed.

  18. "Broken covenant": healthcare aides' "experience of the ethical" in caring for dying seniors in a personal care home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClement, Susan; Lobchuk, Michelle; Chochinov, Harvey Max; Dean, Ruth

    2010-01-01

    Canada's population is aging, and seniors constitute the fastest growing demographic in the nation. The chronic health conditions, limited social support, functional decline, and cognitive impairment experienced by seniors may necessitate admission to a personal care home (PCH) setting up until the time of their death. The ethical problems that arise in the care of dying patients are numerous and complicated. The care of dying seniors in PCHs, however, is largely provided by frontline workers such as healthcare aides (HCAs), who usually have little training in palliative care or ethics. Research examining the identification and resolution of ethical problems in care of the dying has been conducted from the perspectives of nurses and physicians in various clinical settings, but the voice of HCAs in PCHs is virtually absent from clinical ethics. Given that the inability to satisfactorily resolve ethical issues in clinical practice is associated with feelings of guilt, powerlessness, avoiding contact with patients, failing to provide good physical care, and increased staff turnover, an empirical examination of HCAs' experiences of ethically challenging situations is warranted. We conducted a phenomenological study to access the lived experience of HCAs (N = 12) working in proprietary and nonproprietary care homes as they encountered situations they deemed ethically challenging in providing end-of-life care to dying seniors. The findings reported here explicate: (1) the types of situations that are ethically problematic for HCAs; (2) the meanings they assign to these situations, and (3) the impact such situations have on the provision of end-of-life care.

  19. Scepticism about the virtue ethics approach to nursing ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Stephen

    2010-07-01

    Nursing ethics centres on how nurses ought to respond to the moral situations that arise in their professional contexts. Nursing ethicists invoke normative approaches from moral philosophy. Specifically, it is increasingly common for nursing ethicists to apply virtue ethics to moral problems encountered by nurses. The point of this article is to argue for scepticism about this approach. First, the research question is motivated by showing that requirements on nurses such as to be kind, do not suffice to establish virtue ethics in nursing because normative rivals (such as utilitarians) can say as much; and the teleology distinctive of virtue ethics does not transpose to a professional context, such as nursing. Next, scepticism is argued for by responding to various attempts to secure a role for virtue ethics in nursing. The upshot is that virtue ethics is best left where it belongs - in personal moral life, not professional ethics - and nursing ethics is best done by taking other approaches.

  20. Ethics Management: How to Achieve Ethical Organizations and Management?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carita Lilian Snellman

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The last decades’ serious organizational scandals that mainly stem from corruption and conflicting interests but also from bribery, favoritism and other wrongdoings have ac-centuated the need for finding instruments for achieving more ethical organizations and management. Ethics management is particularly important in the public sector because public employees and holders of public office are responsible for increasing wellbeing and providing common good for all citizens. Only accountable management striving for integrity through ethical practices and decision making will guarantee ethical organiza-tional behavior. In spite of increasing research on ethics in general and ethics manage-ment in particular, increase in organizational scandals indicates that there is knowledge gap concerning ethical instruments that help to solve ethical problems. The aim of this paper is to shed light on ethical theories and instruments, and wrongdoings in public sec-tor organizations. The main questions are; why is there so much wrongdoing; how can it be reduced; and how can more ethical organization and management be achieved. This is a review paper aiming to provide a review of ethical theories and instruments and dis-cuss serious wrongdoings and the role of ethics in the public sector. The paper contrib-utes to the fields of management and organization, ethics, and public management.

  1. Resolving Ethical Dilemmas in Suicide Prevention: The Case of Telephone Helpline Rescue Policies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishara, Brian L.; Weisstub, David N.

    2010-01-01

    The ethical basis of suicide prevention is illustrated by contrasting helpline emergency rescue policies of the Samaritans and the AAS and the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. We contrast moralist, relativist, and libertarian ethical premises and question whether suicide can be rational. Samaritans respect a caller's right to…

  2. The role of veterinarians in equestrian sport: a comparative review of ethical issues surrounding human and equine sports medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Madeleine L H

    2013-09-01

    Veterinarians have a key role in providing medical care for sports horses during and between competitions, but the standard client:veterinarian relationship that exists in companion and production animal medicine is distorted by the involvement of third parties in sports medicine, resulting in distinct ethical dilemmas which warrant focused academic attention. By comparing the existing literature on human sports medicine, this article reviews the ethical dilemmas which face veterinarians treating equine athletes, and the role of regulators in contributing to or resolving those dilemmas. Major ethical dilemmas occur both between and during competitions. These include conflicts of responsibility, conflicts between the need for client confidentiality and the need to share information in order to maximise animal welfare, and the need for an evidence base for treatment. Although many of the ethical problems faced in human and equine sports medicine are similar, the duty conferred upon a veterinarian by the licensing authority to ensure the welfare of animals committed to his or her care requires different obligations to those of a human sports medicine doctor. Suggested improvements to current practice which would help to address ethical dilemmas in equine sports medicine include an enhanced system for recording equine injuries, the use of professional Codes of Conduct and Codes of Ethics to establish acceptable responses to common ethical problems, and insistence that treatment of equine athletes is evidence-based (so far as possible) rather than economics-driven. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  3. Ethical difficulties in nursing, educational needs and attitudes about using ethics resources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leuter, Cinzia; Petrucci, Cristina; Mattei, Antonella; Tabassi, Gianpietro; Lancia, Loreto

    2013-05-01

    Ethical difficulties arise in healthcare practices. However, despite extensive research findings that demonstrate that most nurses are involved in recurrent ethical problems, institutions are not always able to effectively support nursing care professionals. The limited availability of ethics consultation services and traditional nursing training fails to meet the frequent and strong requests by health workers to support their ethical dilemmas. A questionnaire was administered to 374 nurses attending a specialist training and a lifetime learning programme in Italy. The respondents reported a high frequency of ethically sensitive situations, and they described the poor development of ethics support and a scarcity of ethics training programmes. The results suggest the importance of promoting ethics services that include consultation and ethics training. A need for systematic ethics educational activities was identified for improving the capacity of nurses to manage ethical issues in patient care.

  4. Ethical Issues in Public Health Practice in Michigan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gollust, Sarah E.; Goold, Susan D.; Jacobson, Peter D.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to ascertain the types of ethical challenges public health practitioners face in practice and to identify approaches used to resolve such challenges. Methods. We conducted 45 semistructured interviews with public health practitioners across a range of occupations (e.g., health officers, medical directors, sanitarians, nurses) at 13 health departments in Michigan. Results. Through qualitative analysis, we identified 5 broad categories of ethical issues common across occupations and locations: (1) determining appropriate use of public health authority, (2) making decisions related to resource allocation, (3) negotiating political interference in public health practice, (4) ensuring standards of quality of care, and (5) questioning the role or scope of public health. Participants cited a variety of values guiding their decision-making that did not coalesce around core values often associated with public health, such as social justice or utilitarianism. Public health practitioners relied on consultations with colleagues to resolve challenges, infrequently using frameworks for decision-making. Conclusions. Public health practitioners showed a nuanced understanding of ethical issues and navigated ethical challenges with minimal formal assistance. Decision-making guides that are empirically informed and tailored for practitioners might have some value. PMID:19059850

  5. Navigating Bioethical Waters: Two Pilot Projects in Problem-Based Learning for Future Bioscience and Biotechnology Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Roberta M; Levine, Aaron D; Kirkman, Robert; Blake, Laura Palucki; Drake, Matthew

    2016-12-01

    We believe that the professional responsibility of bioscience and biotechnology professionals includes a social responsibility to contribute to the resolution of ethically fraught policy problems generated by their work. It follows that educators have a professional responsibility to prepare future professionals to discharge this responsibility. This essay discusses two pilot projects in ethics pedagogy focused on particularly challenging policy problems, which we call "fractious problems". The projects aimed to advance future professionals' acquisition of "fractious problem navigational" skills, a set of skills designed to enable broad and deep understanding of fractious problems and the design of good policy resolutions for them. A secondary objective was to enhance future professionals' motivation to apply these skills to help their communities resolve these problems. The projects employed "problem based learning" courses to advance these learning objectives. A new assessment instrument, "Skills for Science/Engineering Ethics Test" (SkillSET), was designed and administered to measure the success of the courses in doing so. This essay first discusses the rationale for the pilot projects, and then describes the design of the pilot courses and presents the results of our assessment using SkillSET in the first pilot project and the revised SkillSET 2.0 in the second pilot project. The essay concludes with discussion of observations and results.

  6. Neither Pollyanna nor Chicken Little: Thoughts on the Ethics of Automation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holloway, C. Michael; Knight, John C.; McDermid, John A.

    2014-01-01

    This paper has raised issues concerning the ethics of automation in aviation systems, and outlined ways of thinking about the issues that may help in ethical decision making. It is very easy to be carried along by technology and the Pollyanna view, but just because we can do something, doesn't mean we should - which is perhaps a little milder than the Chicken Little view. Both views have merits, and we would view ethical decisions as ones that more appropriately balance or reconcile these conflicting viewpoints. We have set out some of the background to the problems of automation in aviation systems, but are aware that there is much more that could be said (considering military UAS, for example). We hope, however, that the brief introduction provides a foundation for the ethical questions that we have set out. The underlying aim in proposing ESCs is to make understanding ethical issues easier so that ethically-informed decisions can be made. Whilst we have not linked the discussion directly back to specific ethical decisions, we believe that making explicit those issues on which such judgments are based is a contribution to ethically informed decision making. We also believe that the four principles set out by the RAEng are reflected in this approach. We acknowledge that what we have set out, especially the ideas of ESC, goes some way beyond current practice and principles and there are significant technical issues to resolve before such an approach could be implemented. It is hoped, however, that the ideas will help improve the production and presentation of safety cases in a range of industries not just aviation - a Pollyanna view, of course!

  7. Current ethical and other problems in the practice of African traditional medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omonzejele, Peter

    2003-01-01

    Medicine in Africa is regarded as possessing its own "life force", not just using a system of prescribing. This is because health problems are not only attributed to pathological explanations alone, but also to other "forces". Hence, traditional healers utter incantations to take care of negative forces which militate against achieving cure. Treatment in African traditional medicine (ATM) is holistic. It seeks to strike a balance between the patients' body, soul and spirit. The problems arise from the infiltration of charlatans into the field, the practice of using mystical explanations for ill-health, and inadequate knowledge of the properties and clinical use of herbal remedies. Despite its problems, ATM can work in parallel with orthodox medicine using its strengths rather than its weaknesses. ATM has to be applied within a uniform ethical system. Practitioners of ATM must follow the principles of autonomy and confidentiality.

  8. Moral experience and ethical challenges in an emergency department in Pakistan: emergency physicians' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zafar, Waleed

    2015-04-01

    Emergency departments (ED) are often stressful environments posing unique ethical challenges-issues that primarily raise moral rather than clinical concerns-in patient care. Despite this, there are very few reports of what emergency physicians find ethically challenging in their everyday work. Emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively young but rapidly growing specialty that is gaining acceptance worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of EM residents and physicians regarding the common ethical challenges they face during patient care in one of only two academic EM departments in Pakistan. These challenges could then be addressed in residents' training and departmental practice guidelines. A qualitative research design was employed and in-depth interviews were conducted with ED physicians. Participants were encouraged to think of specific examples from their work, to highlight the particular ethical concerns raised and to describe in detail the process by which those concerns were addressed or left unresolved. Transcripts were analysed using grounded theory methods. Thirteen participants were interviewed and they described four key challenges: how to provide highest quality care with limited resources; how to be truthful to patients; what to do when it is not possible to provide or continue treatment to patients; and when (and when not) to offer life-sustaining treatments. Participants' accounts provided important insights into how physicians tried to resolve these challenges in the 'local moral world' of an ED in Pakistan. The study highlights the need for developing systematic and contextually appropriate mechanisms for resolving common ethical challenges in the EDs and for training residents in moral problem solving. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. Ethical Leadership and Reporting of Ethical Problems: The Roles of Moral Potency and Moral Identity%伦理型领导与伦理问题报告:道德效力与道德认同的作用

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    章发旺; 廖建桥

    2017-01-01

    组织中的非伦理行为不仅普遍存在而且具有隐蔽性,鼓励员工报告身边的伦理问题成为组织强化伦理管理的重要方式.基于社会学习理论和道德意动能力视角,探讨伦理型领导对员工伦理问题报告的影响,尤其是道德效力在二者间的中介作用与道德认同的调节效应.采用两阶段问卷调查方式收集多个企业的326名员工样本,运用层级线性回归和Bootstrapping方法对假设进行检验.结果显示,伦理型领导显著正向影响员工的伦理问题报告,道德效力在二者间起部分中介作用.当员工的道德认同较高时,伦理型领导对伦理问题报告具有更强的正向作用;当员工的道德认同较低时,伦理型领导对道德效力具有更强的正向影响,并且通过道德效力对伦理问题报告的间接作用更强.研究结果为理解伦理型领导如何激发员工报告伦理问题提供了新的视角,对于加强组织的伦理管理具有重要的现实意义.%Given the prevalence and concealment of unethical behaviors in organizations,reporting of ethical problems to management represents an important ethical management resource for organizations.Based on social learning theory and moral conation perspective,we examine the relationship between ethical leadership and followers' reporting of ethical problems,and especially explore the mediating role of moral potency and the moderating effect of moral identity between them.Through a two-stage survey-based study of 326 employees in multiple organizations,hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap are applied to test our hypotheses.The results reveal that ethical leadership has a positive effect on employees' reporting of ethical problems and moral potency partially mediates the relationship between the two.When employee has higher moral identity,ethical leadership is more positively related to reporting of ethical problems.For the employee with low moral identity,ethical

  10. Methods and Tools for Ethical Usability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavathatzopoulos, Iordanis; Kostrzewa, Agata; Laaksoharju, Mikael

    The objectives of the tutorial are to provide knowledge of basic ethical, psychological and organizational theories that are relevant to consider ethical aspects during design and use of IT systems; knowledge and skills about handling and solving ethical problems in connection with design and use of IT-systems; and skills in using questionnaires, surveys, interviews and the like in connection with software development and IT-use. It contains lectures, workshop and exercises; use of special tools to identify and consider IT ethical issues during planning, construction, installation and use of IT systems; and group exercises where the participants train their ethical skills on IT ethical conflicts and problems. Intended participants are system developers, purchasers, usability experts, academics, HCI teachers.

  11. Justice and Caring and the Problem of Moral Relativism: Reframing the Gender Question in Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brell, Carl D., Jr.

    1989-01-01

    Examines the issue of moral relativism as it pertains to conceptualizations of gender effect on moral development. Reviews positions of theorists regarding the importance of formal and contextually relative criteria to the development of moral reasoning. Argues that neither a justice nor a caring ethic alone can solve the problem of moral…

  12. Extension Theory and Krein-type Resolvent Formulas for Nonsmooth Boundary Value Problems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abels, Helmut; Grubb, Gerd; Wood, Ian Geoffrey

    2014-01-01

    The theory of selfadjoint extensions of symmetric operators, and more generally the theory of extensions of dual pairs, was implemented some years ago for boundary value problems for elliptic operators on smooth bounded domains. Recently, the questions have been taken up again for nonsmooth domains....... In the present work we show that pseudodifferential methods can be used to obtain a full characterization, including Kreĭn resolvent formulas, of the realizations of nonselfadjoint second-order operators on View the MathML source

  13. Ethics and Epistemology in Big Data Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipworth, Wendy; Mason, Paul H; Kerridge, Ian; Ioannidis, John P A

    2017-12-01

    Biomedical innovation and translation are increasingly emphasizing research using "big data." The hope is that big data methods will both speed up research and make its results more applicable to "real-world" patients and health services. While big data research has been embraced by scientists, politicians, industry, and the public, numerous ethical, organizational, and technical/methodological concerns have also been raised. With respect to technical and methodological concerns, there is a view that these will be resolved through sophisticated information technologies, predictive algorithms, and data analysis techniques. While such advances will likely go some way towards resolving technical and methodological issues, we believe that the epistemological issues raised by big data research have important ethical implications and raise questions about the very possibility of big data research achieving its goals.

  14. Motivators for resolving or seeking help for gambling problems: a review of the empirical literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suurvali, Helen; Hodgins, David C; Cunningham, John A

    2010-03-01

    This literature review summarizes recent empirical research on the reasons disordered gamblers try, through treatment or otherwise, to resolve or reduce their gambling problems. Relevant databases and bibliographies were searched for English-language studies, published since 1998, that asked gamblers themselves about motivators for action. Found were ten studies addressing reasons for trying to resolve or reduce gambling problems, five addressing reasons for seeking help and four addressing reasons for requesting self-exclusion from casinos. Help-seeking occurred largely in response to gambling-related harms (especially financial problems, relationship issues and negative emotions) that had already happened or that were imminent. Resolution was often motivated by the same kinds of harms but evaluation/decision-making and changes in lifestyle or environment played a more prominent role. Self-exclusion was motivated by harms, evaluation/decision-making and a wish to regain control. Awareness and educational materials could incorporate messages that might encourage heavy gamblers to make changes before harms became too great. Intervention development could also benefit from more research on the motivators leading to successful (vs. failed) resolution, as well as on the ways in which disordered gamblers are able to overcome specific barriers to seeking help or reaching resolution.

  15. Steps to strengthen ethics in organizations: research findings, ethics placebos, and what works.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pope, Kenneth S

    2015-01-01

    Research shows that many organizations overlook needs and opportunities to strengthen ethics. Barriers can make it hard to see the need for stronger ethics and even harder to take effective action. These barriers include the organization's misleading use of language, misuse of an ethics code, culture of silence, strategies of justification, institutional betrayal, and ethical fallacies. Ethics placebos tend to take the place of steps to see, solve, and prevent problems. This article reviews relevant research and specific steps that create change.

  16. On using ethical theories to teach engineering ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouville, Mathieu

    2008-03-01

    Many engineering ethics classes and textbooks introduce theories such as utilitarianism and Kantianism (and most others draw from these theories without mentioning them explicitly). Yet using ethical theories to teach engineering ethics is not devoid of difficulty. First, their status is unclear (should one pick a single theory or use them all? does it make a difference?) Also, textbooks generally assume or fallaciously 'prove' that egoism (or even simply accounting for one's interests) is wrong. Further, the drawbacks of ethical theories are underestimated and the theories are also otherwise misrepresented to make them more suitable for engineering ethics as the authors construe it, viz. the 'moral reasoning' process. Stating in what various theories disagree would allow the students to frame the problem more productively in terms of motive-consequence or society-individual dichotomies rather than in terms of Kant-utilitarian.

  17. BUSINESS ETHICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Branko MIHAILOVIC

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper researches a role of business ethics in the environment protection, along with respect of the sustainable development modern concept. The modern industry (and agro-industry and a factory (farm work development, together with great migrations of people across the oceans and continents, especially during the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, has led to great changes in a way the people have worked and done business. The economy has surpassed from agriculture and family cooperatives to urban, industrial organizations. These changes impact to individuals, workers, families, a community and the environment, as well as an ascent of a new class of wealthy business leaders, but also new poverty zones, have led to an occurrence of an enhanced ethical debate, not just among an academic community, but among writers, politicians, priests, poets and populists, too. The sustainability fundamental principles in perspective of a man's environment protection comprise an effective management of physical resources, in a way they to be preserved for the future. All bio-systems observe as the one with limited resources and a final capacity, and thereby also the sustainable human activity must act at the level which does not jeopardize the endangered species health.

  18. Resolving Ethical Disputes Through Arbitration: An Alternative to Code Penalties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barwis, Gail Lund

    Arbitration cases involving journalism ethics can be grouped into three major categories: outside activities that lead to conflicts of interest, acceptance of gifts that compromise journalistic objectivity, and writing false or misleading information or failing to check facts or correct errors. In most instances, failure to adhere to ethical…

  19. Synthetic biology ethics: a deontological assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heavey, Patrick

    2013-10-01

    In this article I discuss the ethics of synthetic biology from a broadly deontological perspective, evaluating its morality in terms of the integrity of nature, the dignity of life and the relationship between God and his creation. Most ethical analyses to date have been largely consequentialist in nature; they reveal a dual use dilemma, showing that synbio has potential for great good and great evil, possibly more so than any step humanity has taken before. A deontological analysis may help to resolve this dilemma, by evaluating whether synbio is right or wrong in itself. I also assess whether deontology alone is a sufficient methodological paradigm for the proper evaluation of synbio ethics. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. The Role of Ethics Committees and Ethics Consultation in Allocation Decisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strech, Daniel; Hurst, Samia; Danis, Marion

    2013-01-01

    Background Decisions about the allocation and rationing of medical interventions likely occur in all health care systems worldwide. So far very little attention has been given to the question of what role ethics consultation and ethics committees could or should play in questions of allocation at the hospital level. Objectives and Methods This article argues for the need for ethics consultation in rationing decisions using empirical data about the status quo and the inherent nature of bedside rationing. Subsequently, it introduces a 4-stage process for establishing and conducting ethics consultation in rationing questions with systematic reference to core elements of procedural justice. Results Qualitative and quantitative findings show a significant demand for ethics consultation expressed directly by doctors, as well as additional indirect evidence of such a need as indicated by ethically challenging circumstances of inconsistent and structurally disadvantaging rationing decisions. To address this need, we suggest 4 stages for establishing and conducting ethics consultation in rationing questions we recommend: (1) training, (2) identifying actual scarcity-related problems at clinics, (3) supporting decision-making, and (4) evaluation. Conclusion This process of ethics consultation regarding rationing decisions would facilitate the achievement of several practical goals: (i) encouragement of an awareness and understanding of ethical problems in bedside rationing, (ii) encouragement of achieving efficiency along with rationing, (iii) reinforcement of consistency in inter- and intraindvidual decision-making, (iv) encouragement of explicit reflection and justification of the prioritization criteria taken into consideration, (v) improvement in internal (in-house) and external transparency, and (vi) prevention of the misuse of the corresponding consulting structures. PMID:20706163

  1. Reflections on Ethics and Humanity in Pediatric Neurology: the Value of Recognizing Ethical Issues in Common Clinical Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronen, Gabriel M; Rosenbaum, Peter L

    2017-05-01

    Our goals in this reflection are to (i) identify the ethical dimensions inherent in any clinical encounter and (ii) bring to the forefront of our pediatric neurology practice the myriad of opportunities to explore and learn from these ethical questions. We highlight specifically Beauchamp and Childress's principles of biomedical ethics. We use the terms ethics in common clinical practice and an ethical lens to remind people of the ubiquity of ethical situations and the usefulness of using existing ethical principles to analyze and resolve difficult situations in clinical practice. We start with a few common situations with which many of us tend to struggle. We describe what we understand as ethics and how and why developments in technology, novel potential interventions, policies, and societal perspectives challenge us to think about and debate ethical issues. Individual patients are not a singular population; each patient has their own unique life situations, culture, goals, and expectations that need to be considered with a good dose of humanity and humility. We believe that using an ethical lens-by which we mean making an explicit effort to identify and consider these issues openly-will help us to achieve this goal in practice, education, and research.

  2. Ethical Problems in Teaching: "Paramedic" Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, Donald W.

    1994-01-01

    Discusses ethical dilemmas that professors face in the classroom, drawing on three examples involving students: (1) discussing the illegal activities of an employer; (2) participating in politically controversial military activities; and (3) making racist comments. Argues that academic and professional organizations should issue codes of ethics…

  3. The Challenge of Social Ethics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Øjvind

    Modern global society has seen dramatic changes that throw us into impenetrable ethical problems of a kind never before witnessed in history. By this means, ethical problems constitute the locus of our confrontation with our own life situation. It is this condition that I take to be of fundamental...... importance when one undertakes to reflect upon the meaning of ethics today. If we approach the issue from the point of view of the history of ideas, we find that throughout the whole of the history of philosophy there have been a series of different attempts to articulate an ethics. Most of them address our...

  4. Comparing Two Training Strategies to Increase Competence in Solving Ethical Dilemmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Jorge; Froehlic, Robert; McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Rejiester, Nicole

    2009-01-01

    This study examined which of two training models delivered through the internet led to better cultural competence in resolving ethical dilemmas with a sample of rehabilitation professionals. One type of training involved teaching a transcultural integrative model of ethical decision-making while the other training involved using the same…

  5. The Value of Environmental Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hargrove, Eugene C.

    1987-01-01

    Discusses some of the views of environmentalists toward the study of environmental ethics. Addresses the problem that environmental ethics literature is difficult to read and argues that certain opinions about the value of the study of environmental ethics are rooted in misconceptions. (TW)

  6. Cultural conundrums: the ethics of epidemiology and the problems of population in implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiereck, Kirk

    2015-04-01

    The impending implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has prompted complicated bioethical and public health ethics concerns regarding the moral distribution of antiretroviral medications (ARVs) to ostensibly healthy populations as a form of HIV prevention when millions of HIV-positive people still lack access to ARVs globally. This manuscript argues that these questions are, in part, concerns over the ethics of the knowledge production practices of epidemiology. Questions of distribution, and their attendant cost-benefit calculations, will rely on a number of presupposed, and therefore, normatively cultural assumptions within the science of epidemiology specifically regarding the ability of epidemiologic surveillance to produce accurate maps of HIV throughout national populations. Specifically, ethical questions around PrEP will focus on who should receive ARVs given the fact that global demand will far exceed supply. Given that sexual transmission is one of the main modes of HIV transmission, these questions of 'who' are inextricably linked to knowledge about sexual personhood. As a result, the ethics of epidemiology, and how the epidemiology of HIV in particular conceives, classifies and constructs sexual populations will become a critical point of reflection and contestation for bioethicists, health activists, physicians, nurses, and researchers in the multi-disciplinary field of global health. This paper examines how cultural conundrums within the fields of bioethics and public health ethics are directly implicated within the ethics of PrEP, by analyzing the problems of population inaugurated by the construction of the men who have sex with men (MSM) epidemiologic category in the specific national context of South Africa. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Introducing the Medical Ethics Bowl.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrick, Allison; Green, Rochelle; Cunningham, Thomas V; Eisenberg, Leah R; Hester, D Micah

    2016-01-01

    Although ethics is an essential component of undergraduate medical education, research suggests that current medical ethics curricula face considerable challenges in improving students' ethical reasoning. This article discusses these challenges and introduces a promising new mode of graduate and professional ethics instruction for overcoming them. We begin by describing common ethics curricula, focusing in particular on established problems with current approaches. Next, we describe a novel method of ethics education and assessment for medical students that we have devised: the Medical Ethics Bowl (MEB). Finally, we suggest the pedagogical advantages of the MEB when compared to other ethics curricula.

  8. Applying Rawlsian Approaches to Resolve Ethical Issues : Inventory and Setting of a Research Agenda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Doorn, N.

    2009-01-01

    Insights from social science are increasingly used in the field of applied ethics. However, recent insights have shown that the empirical branch of business ethics lacks thorough theoretical grounding. This article discusses the use of the Rawlsian methods of wide reflective equilibrium and

  9. Conjoined Twins: Philosophical Problems and Ethical Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savulescu, Julian; Persson, Ingmar

    2016-02-01

    We examine the philosophical and ethical issues associated with conjoined twins and their surgical separation. In cases in which there is an extensive sharing of organs, but nevertheless two distinguishable functioning brains, there are a number of philosophical and ethical challenges. This is because such conjoined twins: 1. give rise to puzzles concerning our identity, about whether we are identical to something psychological or biological; 2. force us to decide whether what matters from an ethical point of view is the biological life of our organisms or the existence of our consciousness or mind; 3. raise questions concerning when, if ever, it is morally acceptable to sacrifice one of us to save another; 4. force us to reflect on the conditions for ownership of organs and the justification of removal of organs for transplantation which causes the death of the donor; 5. raise questions about who should take decisions about life-risking treatments when this cannot be decided by patients themselves. We examine and suggest answers to these questions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Moritz Schlick – ethics from a meta-theoretical perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihina František

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Moritz Schlick was the leader of an influential group of scientists, logicians and philosophers. The content of his book “Problems of Ethics” is the application of the method of logical analysis of language to some of traditional ethical problems. Schlick offers many topics in his book Problems of Ethics – what are the motives of human conduct, what is egoism, what is the meaning of “moral”, etc. In this article, focus will be on the explanation of only one of many areas of Schlick’s ethics – the meta-theoretical perspective describing the main aims of his ethical magnum opus – Problems of Ethics.

  11. Business ethics in E-commerce

    OpenAIRE

    Nguyen, Khanh

    2016-01-01

    The thesis studies about business ethics generally and business ethics implementation in E-commerce particularly. The main objective of the thesis is to explore how ethics is implemented in electronic business, hence research problems are those following: which kinds of ethical issues organizations have to deal with when doing online commerce; what are opportunities and challenges regards to ethics they have and how they manage them. The thesis is inclined to exploit aspects from organization...

  12. Business ethics education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaias Rivera

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper makes the review of the literature dedicated to relevant social issues that have been addressed by business practices and the business ethics literature, especially during the past century. The review of practical literature is undertaken from the perspective of the practitioner and demonstrates that the business ethics literature has been lax in the sense that it mostly addresses specific managerial problems and personal ethics within the business environment.

  13. Reexamining the Ethics of Nuclear Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrianov, Andrei; Kanke, Victor; Kuptsov, Ilya; Murogov, Viktor

    2015-08-01

    This article analyzes the present status, development trends, and problems in the ethics of nuclear technology in light of a possible revision of its conceptual foundations. First, to better recognize the current state of nuclear technology ethics and related problems, this article focuses on presenting a picture of the evolution of the concepts and recent achievements related to technoethics, based on the ethics of responsibility. The term 'ethics of nuclear technology' describes a multidisciplinary endeavor to examine the problems associated with nuclear technology through ethical frameworks and paradigms. Second, to identify the reasons for the intensification of efforts to develop ethics in relation to nuclear technology, this article presents an analysis of the recent situation and future prospects of nuclear technology deployment. This includes contradictions that have aggravated nuclear dilemmas and debates stimulated by the shortcomings of nuclear technology, as well as the need for the further development of a nuclear culture paradigm that is able to provide a conceptual framework to overcome nuclear challenges. Third, efforts in the field of nuclear technology ethics are presented as a short overview of particular examples, and the major findings regarding obstacles to the development of nuclear technology ethics are also summarized. Finally, a potential methodological course is proposed to overcome inaction in this field; the proposed course provides for the further development of nuclear technology ethics, assuming the axiological multidisciplinary problematization of the main concepts in nuclear engineering through the basic ethical paradigms: analytical, hermeneutical, and poststructuralist.

  14. Ethical problems in an era where disasters have become a part of daily life: A qualitative study of healthcare workers in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Background Natural disasters, armed conflict, migration, and epidemics today occur more frequently, causing more death, displacement of people and economic loss. Their burden on health systems and healthcare workers (HCWs) is getting heavier accordingly. The ethical problems that arise in disaster settings may be different than the ones in daily practice, and can cause preventable harm or the violation of basic human rights. Understanding the types and the determinants of ethical challenges is crucial in order to find the most benevolent action while respecting the dignity of those affected people. Considering the limited scope of studies on ethical challenges within disaster settings, we set upon conducting a qualitative study among local HCWs. Methods Our study was conducted in six cities of Turkey, a country where disasters are frequent, including armed conflict, terrorist attacks and a massive influx of refugees. In-depth interviews were carried out with a total of 31 HCWs working with various backgrounds and experience. Data analysis was done concurrently with ongoing interviews. Results Several fundamental elements currently hinder ethics in relief work. Attitudes of public authorities, politicians and relief organizations, the mismanagement of impromptu humanitarian action and relief and the media's mindset create ethical problems on the macro-level such as discrimination, unjust resource allocation and violation of personal rights, and can also directly cause or facilitate the emergence of problems on the micro-level. An important component which prevents humanitarian action towards victims is insufficient competence. The duty to care during epidemics and armed conflicts becomes controversial. Many participants defend a paternalistic approach related to autonomy. Confidentiality and privacy are either neglected or cannot be secured. Conclusion Intervention in factors on the macro-level could have a significant effect in problem prevention. Improving

  15. Ethical problems in an era where disasters have become a part of daily life: A qualitative study of healthcare workers in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Civaner, M Murat; Vatansever, Kevser; Pala, Kayihan

    2017-01-01

    Natural disasters, armed conflict, migration, and epidemics today occur more frequently, causing more death, displacement of people and economic loss. Their burden on health systems and healthcare workers (HCWs) is getting heavier accordingly. The ethical problems that arise in disaster settings may be different than the ones in daily practice, and can cause preventable harm or the violation of basic human rights. Understanding the types and the determinants of ethical challenges is crucial in order to find the most benevolent action while respecting the dignity of those affected people. Considering the limited scope of studies on ethical challenges within disaster settings, we set upon conducting a qualitative study among local HCWs. Our study was conducted in six cities of Turkey, a country where disasters are frequent, including armed conflict, terrorist attacks and a massive influx of refugees. In-depth interviews were carried out with a total of 31 HCWs working with various backgrounds and experience. Data analysis was done concurrently with ongoing interviews. Several fundamental elements currently hinder ethics in relief work. Attitudes of public authorities, politicians and relief organizations, the mismanagement of impromptu humanitarian action and relief and the media's mindset create ethical problems on the macro-level such as discrimination, unjust resource allocation and violation of personal rights, and can also directly cause or facilitate the emergence of problems on the micro-level. An important component which prevents humanitarian action towards victims is insufficient competence. The duty to care during epidemics and armed conflicts becomes controversial. Many participants defend a paternalistic approach related to autonomy. Confidentiality and privacy are either neglected or cannot be secured. Intervention in factors on the macro-level could have a significant effect in problem prevention. Improving guidelines and professional codes as well as

  16. Fieldwork and ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kilianova Gabriela

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The Slovak Association of Social Anthropologists initiated recently a discussion about the ethics in the ethnology, social and cultural anthropology. In January 2009 the association organized the seminar “Ethics in ethnology/social anthropology which brought vivid response in the academic community in Slovakia. The paper will deal with the question which are the most frequent ethic problems in field work such as for example the selection of research topic from the ethic point of view, ethic regulations during the conducting of field work, the protection of respondent’s personal data during the elaboration of data and archiving, the publication of research data etc. The author will inform about approaches and react to the current discussion about the possibilities how to solve the ethic questions in the field work.

  17. Preface. Current Issues in Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    Holy-Luczaj Magdalena

    2017-01-01

    This interdisciplinary volume consist of papers on various problems in contemporary ethics. It presents the following issues: equalizing the level of positive liberty, the phenomenon of human cooperation, ethical questions related to artificial intelligence, extending ethical obligations toward artifacts, and soteriological threads of alienation criticism of religion.

  18. Computer Ethics and Neoplatonic Virtue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stamatellos, Giannis

    2011-01-01

    attempts for application to computer ethics and cyberethics. In this paper, the author argues that current trends and behaviours in online communication require an ethics of self-care found in Plotinus’ self-centred virtue ethics theory. The paper supports the position that Plotinus’ virtue ethics......n normative ethical theory, computer ethics belongs to the area of applied ethics dealing with practical and everyday moral problems arising from the use of computers and computer networks in the information society. Modern scholarship usually approves deontological and utilitarian ethics...... as appropriate to computer ethics, while classical theories of ethics, such as virtue ethics, are usually neglected as anachronistic and unsuitable to the information era and ICT industry. During past decades, an Aristotelian form of virtue ethics has been revived in modern philosophical enquiries with serious...

  19. Black boxes on wheels: research challenges and ethical problems in MEA-based robotics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzen, Martin Mose

    2016-01-01

    Robotic systems consisting of a neuron culture grown on a multielectrode array (MEA) which is connected to a virtual or mechanical robot have been studied for approximately 15 years. It is hoped that these MEA-based robots will be able to address the problem that robots based on conventional...... and that they are not likely to be solved within the field. After that, I discuss whether MEA-based robotics should be considered pop science. Finally, I investigate the ethical aspects of this research....

  20. The Environmental Education on the Ethical Development Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Humberto González-Escobar

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this literature review is to understand the complexity of the environmental issue in a context of civilizational crisis generated by the scientific paradigm and the prevailing forms of knowledge. From this research, the objective is to evaluate the pedagogical exercise and the role of the environmental education in the supreme task of forming a cognitive, ethical, political, and historical subject capable of taking the new planetary challenges on. The structural order of this essay focuses on a critical reflection on the environmental crisis; it also questions the restrictions of the environmental education, and, from the complexity, the reasons for trying to incorporate new fields of study with a transdisciplinary approach. This paper analyzes the structural causes of the discourse of development as factors that generate the social, political and environmental conflict in Colombia. These causes are reflected in an institutional crisis, absence of the State, and, therefore, in governability; for which education makes possible a pedagogical exercise in a critical formation that leads to a configuration of democracy and public management. The exercise of power, the decision-making and the role of human subjects must be accomplished in a conscious and ethical way (integrative values. In order to achieve this, an ethics of development is essential to understand and assume responsibility for environmental issues. It is understood, then, that the development supports an ethical dimension promoting sustainable interactions between the society and the nature.

  1. Managed care and ethical conflicts: anything new?

    OpenAIRE

    Meyers, C

    1999-01-01

    Does managed care represent the death knell for the ethical provision of medical care? Much of the current literature suggests as much. In this essay I argue that the types of ethical conflicts brought on by managed care are, in fact, similar to those long faced by physicians and by other professionals. Managed care presents new, but not fundamentally different, factors to be considered in medical decision making. I also suggest ways of better understanding and resolving these conflicts, in p...

  2. Petroleum and ethics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henn, N.; Train, E.; Chagnoux, H.; Heinzle, P.; Daubresse, M.; Bret-Rouzaut, N.; Fradin, J.

    2000-01-01

    7 articles in this data sheet, they concern: political stakes and stakes of the industrial petroleum sector towards ethical questions; establishment of associations attending to human and environmental questions; examples of of ethical, environmental and safety policy in an industrialized country (ExxonMobil) and in a developing country (TotalFina); synthesis of the ethical problems that the petroleum industry encounter in industrialized and developing countries; considerations on the communication stakes in petroleum companies with the general public. (O.M.)

  3. Contentious Conversations: Using Mediation Techniques in Difficult Clinical Ethics Consultations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiester, Autumn

    2015-01-01

    Mediators utilize a wide range of skills in the process of facilitating dialogue and resolving conflicts. Among the most useful techniques for clinical ethics consultants (CECs)-and surely the least discussed-are those employed in acrimonious, hostile conversations between stakeholders. In the context of clinical ethics disputes or other bedside conflicts, good mediation skills can reverse the negative interactions that have prevented the creation of workable treatment plans or ethical consensus. This essay lays out the central framework mediators use in distinguishing positions from interests and describes a set of strategies for managing contentious ethics consultations or working with "difficult" patients, families, or patient-careprovider interactions. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

  4. On the Design Concept in Engineering Ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohishi, Toshihiro

    The purpose of this study is to clarify the meaning of the trendy concept in engineering ethics education that ethical problems should be comprehended from the viewpoint of design. First, I present two objections against the concept and the content of it. Second, I examine the concept and show that the essence of it is pragmatic methods. That is, we should understand ethical problems and design problems pragmatically. Finally, I point out that the objections are not true of this pragmatic understanding.

  5. The ethical challenges of animal research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferdowsian, Hope R; Gluck, John P

    2015-10-01

    In 1966, Henry K. Beecher published an article entitled "Ethics and Clinical Research" in the New England Journal of Medicine, which cited examples of ethically problematic human research. His influential paper drew attention to common moral problems such as inadequate attention to informed consent, risks, and efforts to provide ethical justification. Beecher's paper provoked significant advancements in human research policies and practices. In this paper, we use an approach modeled after Beecher's 1966 paper to show that moral problems with animal research are similar to the problems Beecher described for human research. We describe cases that illustrate ethical deficiencies in the conduct of animal research, including inattention to the issue of consent or assent, incomplete surveys of the harms caused by specific protocols, inequitable burdens on research subjects in the absence of benefits to them, and insufficient efforts to provide ethical justification. We provide a set of recommendations to begin to address these deficits.

  6. The ethical cycle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poel, van de I.R.; Royakkers, L.M.M.

    2007-01-01

    Arriving at a moral judgment is not a straightforward or linear process in which ethical theories are simply applied to cases. Instead it is a process in which the formulation of the moral problem, the formulation of possible "solutions", and the ethical judging of these solutions go hand in hand.

  7. Multiculturalism and the Problems of Ethical Relativism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehoe, John

    1977-01-01

    Discusses the increasing activity among scholars and teachers to develop multicultural textbooks and curriculum materials. Recommends that teachers encourage students to be cultural relativists on all cultural issues except ethical ones. (Author/DB)

  8. Teacher’s Professional Ethics

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    岑文玲

    2014-01-01

    Teachers play an important role in society, whose career is considered to be the most glorious one under the sun. They have deep and lifelong influence on students and the prosperity of a country and even the bright future of the whole world. Teacher should be a person with great virtue that sets good examples for the students. However, nowadays, there exist various problems about teacher’s ethics due to complex social, economical, cultural or personal issues. It’s urgent and imperative for teachers to learn and improve professional ethics to be a better mentor. This paper begins with the definition of ethics, emphasizes the importance of teachers’professional ethics, talks about current situation in this area, analyzes the reasons why there are im-moral problems about teachers and suggests some practical strategies on how to improve it.

  9. Nurses' ethical conflicts in performance of utilization reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Sue Ellen

    2003-09-01

    This article describes the ethical conflicts that a sample of US nurse utilization reviewers faced in their work, and also each nurse's self-reported ethical orientation that was used to resolve the dilemmas. Data were collected from a sample of 97 registered nurses who were working at least 20 hours per week as utilization reviewers. Respondents were recruited from three managed care organizations that conduct utilization reviews in a large midwestern city. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect demographic data and to ask closed-response, short-answer and open-ended questions. Ethical conflicts reported by nurses were similar across utilization review settings and many were justice orientated. Self-reported ethical orientations were similar across organizations, with beneficence dominating. Implications of these findings are discussed.

  10. Preface. Current Issues in Ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holy-Luczaj Magdalena

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This interdisciplinary volume consist of papers on various problems in contemporary ethics. It presents the following issues: equalizing the level of positive liberty, the phenomenon of human cooperation, ethical questions related to artificial intelligence, extending ethical obligations toward artifacts, and soteriological threads of alienation criticism of religion.

  11. NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. Revised = Codigo de Conducta Etica. Revisada

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), 2005

    2005-01-01

    This document presents a code of ethics for early childhood educators that offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth a common basis for resolving ethical dilemmas encountered in early education. It represents the English and Spanish versions of the revised code. Its contents were approved by the NAEYC Governing Board in April 2005…

  12. Ethical issues in radiation protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Persson, Lars

    2000-03-01

    Ethical theories are relevant to the current recommendations and standards for radiation protection. Radiation protection is not only a matter for science. It is also a problem of philosophy. In order for protection regulations to be respected, it must correspond to widely accepted ethical values among those who are affected by the regulations. The workshop covered the following issues: Problems in Present Protection Policy, ICRP Protection Policy - A Historical Perspective, Radiation Risk - What we know and what we believe, Present ICRP Recommendations, Ethical Values in the Context of ICRP Recommendations, Collective Responsibility for Invisible Harm, Environmental Protection - Ethical Issues, The Global Change of Values, and Procedural justice and Radiation Protection. Six workshop contributions and a workshop summary are presented in this report

  13. Ethical issues in radiation protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Persson, Lars (ed.)

    2000-03-15

    Ethical theories are relevant to the current recommendations and standards for radiation protection. Radiation protection is not only a matter for science. It is also a problem of philosophy. In order for protection regulations to be respected, it must correspond to widely accepted ethical values among those who are affected by the regulations. The workshop covered the following issues: Problems in Present Protection Policy, ICRP Protection Policy - A Historical Perspective, Radiation Risk - What we know and what we believe, Present ICRP Recommendations, Ethical Values in the Context of ICRP Recommendations, Collective Responsibility for Invisible Harm, Environmental Protection - Ethical Issues, The Global Change of Values, and Procedural justice and Radiation Protection. Six workshop contributions and a workshop summary are presented in this report.

  14. Ethical challenges in nursing homes--staff's opinions and experiences with systematic ethics meetings with participation of residents' relatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bollig, Georg; Schmidt, Gerda; Rosland, Jan Henrik; Heller, Andreas

    2015-12-01

    Many ethical problems exist in nursing homes. These include, for example, decision-making in end-of-life care, use of restraints and a lack of resources. The aim of the present study was to investigate nursing home staffs' opinions and experiences with ethical challenges and to find out which types of ethical challenges and dilemmas occur and are being discussed in nursing homes. The study used a two-tiered approach, using a questionnaire on ethical challenges and systematic ethics work, given to all employees of a Norwegian nursing home including nonmedical personnel, and a registration of systematic ethics discussions from an Austrian model of good clinical practice. Ninety-one per cent of the nursing home staff described ethical problems as a burden. Ninety per cent experienced ethical problems in their daily work. The top three ethical challenges reported by the nursing home staff were as follows: lack of resources (79%), end-of-life issues (39%) and coercion (33%). To improve systematic ethics work, most employees suggested ethics education (86%) and time for ethics discussion (82%). Of 33 documented ethics meetings from Austria during a 1-year period, 29 were prospective resident ethics meetings where decisions for a resident had to be made. Agreement about a solution was reached in all 29 cases, and this consensus was put into practice in all cases. Residents did not participate in the meetings, while relatives participated in a majority of case discussions. In many cases, the main topic was end-of-life care and life-prolonging treatment. Lack of resources, end-of-life issues and coercion were ethical challenges most often reported by nursing home staff. The staff would appreciate systematic ethics work to aid decision-making. Resident ethics meetings can help to reach consensus in decision-making for nursing home patients. In the future, residents' participation should be encouraged whenever possible. © 2015 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring

  15. International Conference on Robot Ethics

    CERN Document Server

    Sequeira, Joao; Tokhi, Mohammad; Kadar, Endre; Virk, Gurvinder

    2017-01-01

    This book contains the Proceedings of the International Conference on Robot Ethics, held in Lisbon on October 23 and 24, 2015. The conference provided a multidisciplinary forum for discussing central and evolving issues concerning safety and ethics that have arisen in various contexts where robotic technologies are being applied. The papers are intended to promote the formulation of more precise safety standards and ethical frameworks for the rapidly changing field of robotic applications. The conference was held at Pavilhão do Conhecimento/Ciência Viva in Lisbon and brought together leading researchers and industry representatives, promoting a dialogue that combines different perspectives and experiences to arrive at viable solutions for ethical problems in the context of robotics. The conference topics included but were not limited to emerging ethical, safety, legal and societal problems in the following domains: • Service/Social Robots: Robots performing tasks in human environments and involving close ...

  16. Power and the teaching of medical ethics.

    OpenAIRE

    Nicholas, B

    1999-01-01

    This paper argues that ethics education needs to become more reflective about its social and political ethic as it participates in the construction and transmission of medical ethics. It argues for a critical approach to medical ethics and explores the political context in medical schools and some of the peculiar problems in medical ethics education.

  17. Ethics and the industrial society

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ratz, E.

    1992-01-01

    Technical developments, both good and bad, today have much further-reaching implications than in former times. Against this background, it is only natural that decision-makers in industry and economics should discuss problems of ethics while the guardians of ethics have discovered their interest in technology. The problems now arising can only be solved in a well-founded dialogue. (orig./HP) [de

  18. Perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists toward professional ethics and ethical dilemmas in the workplace.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vuković Rodríguez, Jadranka; Juričić, Živka

    2018-05-01

    Formal training in pharmacy ethics is relatively new in Croatia, and the professional code of ethics is more than 20 years old. Very little is known about how practicing pharmacists implement ethical considerations and relevant professional guidelines in their work. This study aimed to provide the first description of the perceptions and attitudes of Croatian community pharmacists toward ethics in pharmacy practice, how often they face certain ethical dilemmas and how they resolve them. A cross-sectional survey of 252 community pharmacists, including community pharmacists and pre-licensing trainees, was conducted in Zagreb, Croatia. This group accounts for 18% of licensed pharmacists in Croatia. The survey questions included four sections: general sociodemographic information, multiple-choice questions, pre-defined ethical scenarios, and ethical scenarios filled in by respondents. More than half of pharmacists (62.7%) face ethical dilemmas in everyday work. Nearly all (94.4%) are familiar with the current professional code of ethics in Croatia, but only 47.6% think that the code reflects the changes that the pharmacy profession faces today. Most pharmacists (83.3%) solve ethical dilemmas on their own, while nearly the same proportion (75.4%) think that they are not adequately trained to deal with ethical dilemmas. The pre-defined ethical scenarios experienced by the largest proportion of pharmacists are being asked to dispense a drug to someone other than the patient (93.3%), an unnecessary over-the-counter medicine (84.3%), a generic medicine clinically equivalent to the prescribed one (79.4%), or hormonal contraception over the counter (70.4%). The results demonstrate a need to improve formal pharmacy ethics education and training in how to assess ethical issues and make appropriate decisions, which implies the need for stronger collaboration between pharmacists and their professional association. Our results also highlight an urgent need to revise and update the

  19. Problem solving, contention, and struggle: how siblings resolve a conflict of interests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ram, A; Ross, H S

    2001-01-01

    In a laboratory setting, 48 sibling dyads age 4 and 6 or 6 and 8 years negotiated the division of six toys. Findings revealed that, in general, children reached divisions while using a preponderance of constructive problem-solving strategies, rather than contentious tactics. The degree of conflict of interests and the quality of sibling relationships predicted the children's use of problem-solving and contentious negotiation strategies, and was related to the types of resolutions achieved. Dyads experiencing low conflict of interests resolved their differences quickly. High conflict of interests coupled with positive relationships and constructive negotiation resulted in longer negotiations and creative, agreeable resolutions. High conflict of interests coupled with more negative relationships and destructive negotiations resulted in children's failures to reach agreement. Developmental differences indicated that older siblings within the pairs took the lead in negotiation, and benefited slightly more from the divisions. Furthermore, children in older dyads were more sophisticated and other oriented in their negotiations.

  20. Analysis of junior high school students' difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utami, Aliksia Kristiana Dwi; Mardiyana, Pramudya, Ikrar

    2017-08-01

    Geometry is one part of the mathematics that must be learned in school and it has important effects on the development of creative thinking skills of learners, but in fact, there are some difficulties experienced by the students. This research focuses on analysis difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems among junior high school students in every creative thinking skills level. This research used a descriptive method aimed to identify the difficulties and cause of the difficulties experienced by five students. The difficulties are associated with rectangular shapes and related problems. Data collection was done based on students' work through test, interview, and observations. The result revealed that student' difficulties in understanding the rectangular concept can be found at every creative thinking skills level. The difficulties are identifying the objects rectangular in the daily life except for a rectangle and square, analyzing the properties of rectangular shapes, and seeing the interrelationships between figures.

  1. Qualifications and ethics education: the views of ICT professionals

    OpenAIRE

    Yeslam Al-Saggaf; Oliver K. Burmeister; Michael Schwartz

    2017-01-01

    Do information and communications technology (ICT) professionals who have ICT qualifications believe that the ethics education they received as part of their ICT degrees helped them recognise ethical problems in the workplace and address them? If they do, are they also influenced by their personal ethics? What else helps them recognise ethical problems in the workplace and address them? And what are their views in relation to the impact of ethics education on professionalism in the ICT workpl...

  2. [Medical ethics and patient responsibility].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajda, Z

    1998-01-01

    When we say "medical ethics" we understand the responsibility of the physician for his medical education and his attitude to his patient. But Hippocrates is known to have said that the efficiency and good results of the treatment depends not only on the physician but on the patient and his engagement, his observance of the doctors' advice, his attitude to his own psyche and body, both in health as in illness. This is an ethical problem known to every practitioner, the problem of ethics of the patient, which ought to be more widely disseminated in society.

  3. Ethical Leadership: Successfully Communicating Institutional Values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, John R.; Ebbs, Susan L.

    1993-01-01

    College leaders can be symbols of moral unity for their institutions. The leader must have a vision of the institution's ethical life, then be able to create and sustain it in the campus community. Strategic planning can help resolve conflicts constructively, based on values expressed in the mission statement. (MSE)

  4. [Ethics, science and utilitarianism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, T

    1997-11-01

    We begin this article with the distinction between Deontology, Moral and Ethics. We also review the concept and the relevance of Bioethics, as the "science of survival", and as part of Ethics, a section of Philosophy. We tried to answer two further questions considering the role of Science in orienting Ethics, or the possible place of utilitarianism in controlling Ethics. The author discusses some new aspects of the doctor/patient relationship, and their evolution in the last 100 years, as well as the relations between patients and Health care institutions. Some ethical problems were also raised related to the beginning and the end of life. Finally the author reflects on the difficulties of defining ethical concepts in the near future.

  5. Sensemaking Strategies for Ethical Decision-making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caughron, Jay J; Antes, Alison L; Stenmark, Cheryl K; Thiel, Chaise E; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D

    2011-01-01

    The current study uses a sensemaking model and thinking strategies identified in earlier research to examine ethical decision-making. Using a sample of 163 undergraduates, a low fidelity simulation approach is used to study the effects personal involvement (in causing the problem and personal involvement in experiencing the outcomes of the problem) could have on the use of cognitive reasoning strategies that have been shown to promote ethical decision-making. A mediated model is presented which suggests that environmental factors influence reasoning strategies, reasoning strategies influence sensemaking, and sensemaking in turn influences ethical decision-making. Findings were mixed but generally supported the hypothesized model. Interestingly, framing the outcomes of ethically charged situations in terms of more global organizational outcomes rather than personal outcomes was found to promote the use of pro-ethical cognitive reasoning strategies.

  6. The rose of Sharon: what is the ideal timing for palliative care consultation versus ethics consultation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Via, Jennifer; Schiedermayer, David

    2012-01-01

    Ethics committees and palliative care consultants can function in a complementary fashion, seamlessly and effectively. Ethics committees can "air" and help resolves issues, and palliative care consultants can use a low-key, longitudinal approach.

  7. Information technology ethics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hongladarom, Soraj; Ess, Charles

    This book was the first publication to take a genuinely global approach to the diverse ethical issues evoked by Information and Communication Technologies and their possible resolutions. Readers will gain a greater appreciation for the problems and possibilities of genuinely global information...... ethics, which are urgently needed as information and communication technologies continue their exponential growth...

  8. AN AGENDA OF MORALITY FOR BUSINESS ETHICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANCA PUP

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper work is to conclude a short confirmation for business ethics. A redundant argument for business ethics, should, in our opinion start from the philosophical field. A major problem with business ethics is the foreclosing of philosophy, society and politics from its debate area. Before understanding the common sense for business ethics, we have to know how to act in a moral way. It is important to understand the identity of the human being, its signification and goals. Therefore the first part of this research enclose to philosophy, pointing out three aspects concerted to morality. We consider that only after a proper analyze of the human being, we can argue for business ethics and its implication in different area. Otherwise “business” becomes a problem for “ethics” and “ethics” become a problem for “business”.

  9. Six Challenges for Ethical Conduct in Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemi, Petteri

    2016-08-01

    The realities of human agency and decision making pose serious challenges for research ethics. This article explores six major challenges that require more attention in the ethics education of students and scientists and in the research on ethical conduct in science. The first of them is the routinization of action, which makes the detection of ethical issues difficult. The social governance of action creates ethical problems related to power. The heuristic nature of human decision making implies the risk of ethical bias. The moral disengagement mechanisms represent a human tendency to evade personal responsibility. The greatest challenge of all might be the situational variation in people's ethical behaviour. Even minor situational factors have a surprisingly strong influence on our actions. Furthermore, finally, the nature of ethics itself also causes problems: instead of clear answers, we receive a multitude of theories and intuitions that may sometimes be contradictory. All these features of action and ethics represent significant risks for ethical conduct in science. I claim that they have to be managed within the everyday practices of science and addressed explicitly in research ethics education. I analyse them and suggest some ways in which their risks can be alleviated.

  10. Lithuanian health care in transitional state: ethical problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Žekas Romualdas

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Throughout the economic and political reforms in post-communist countries, significant changes have also occurred in public morality. One of the tasks of the Lithuanian health policy is to create mechanisms for strengthening the significance of ethical considerations in the decision-making processes concerning health care of individuals and groups of individuals, as well as considering the positions of physicians and the health care system itself in a general way. Thus, health care ethics could be analyzed at two levels: the micro level (the ethics of doctor-patient relationships and the macro level (the ethics of health policy-making, which can be realized by applying the principles of equal access, reasonable quality, affordable care and shared responsibilities. To date, the first level remains dominant, but the need arises for our attention to refocus now from the micro level to the patterns of managing and delivering care, managing the health care resources, and conducting business practices. Discussion In attempting to increase the efficiency of health services in Lithuania, a common strategy has been in place for the last fifteen years. Decentralization and privatization have been implemented as part of its policy to achieve greater efficiency. Although decentralization in theory is supposed to improve efficiency, in practice the reform of decentralization has still to be completely implemented in Lithuania. Debates on health policy in Lithuania also include the issue of private versus public health care. Although the approach of private health care is changing in a positive way, it is obvious that reduced access to health services is the most vulnerable aspect. In the Lithuanian Health Program adopted in July 1998, the target of equity was stressed, stating that by 2010, differences in health and health care between various socio-economic groups should be reduced by 25%. Summary The restructuring of health care system

  11. Lithuanian health care in transitional state: ethical problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakusovaite, Irayda; Darulis, Zilvinas; Zekas, Romualdas

    2005-11-09

    Throughout the economic and political reforms in post-communist countries, significant changes have also occurred in public morality. One of the tasks of the Lithuanian health policy is to create mechanisms for strengthening the significance of ethical considerations in the decision-making processes concerning health care of individuals and groups of individuals, as well as considering the positions of physicians and the health care system itself in a general way. Thus, health care ethics could be analyzed at two levels: the micro level (the ethics of doctor-patient relationships) and the macro level (the ethics of health policy-making, which can be realized by applying the principles of equal access, reasonable quality, affordable care and shared responsibilities). To date, the first level remains dominant, but the need arises for our attention to refocus now from the micro level to the patterns of managing and delivering care, managing the health care resources, and conducting business practices. In attempting to increase the efficiency of health services in Lithuania, a common strategy has been in place for the last fifteen years. Decentralization and privatization have been implemented as part of its policy to achieve greater efficiency. Although decentralization in theory is supposed to improve efficiency, in practice the reform of decentralization has still to be completely implemented in Lithuania. Debates on health policy in Lithuania also include the issue of private versus public health care. Although the approach of private health care is changing in a positive way, it is obvious that reduced access to health services is the most vulnerable aspect. In the Lithuanian Health Program adopted in July 1998, the target of equity was stressed, stating that by 2010, differences in health and health care between various socio-economic groups should be reduced by 25%. The restructuring of health care system in Lithuania should be based on a balance between

  12. Educational Leadership: Key Challenges and Ethical Tensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duignan, Patrick

    2007-01-01

    "Educational Leadership" is a major research book on contemporary leadership challenges for educational leaders. In this groundbreaking new work, educational leaders in schools, including teachers, are provided with ways of analysing and resolving common but complex leadership challenges. Ethical tensions inherent in these challenges are…

  13. Issues and Problems in Ethical Practices amongst Takaful Agents

    OpenAIRE

    Aziz, Nor a Abdul; Ghani, Abdullah Haji Abdul; Shaari, Hasnizam

    2016-01-01

    This paper discusses contributing factors pertaining to the ethical behaviour of Takaful agents in Malaysia. Perspective of sales, selling pressure and the level of competitiveness are identified as factors, influencing ethical behaviour of Takaful agents. This study is conducted through focus group and formed a personal interview among branch managers, executives and Takaful agents. It revealed that unethical behaviour is evident among the Takaful agents in meeting the sales target. These fa...

  14. Resolving ethical issues in stem cell clinical trials: the example of Parkinson disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, Bernard; Parham, Lindsay

    2010-01-01

    Clinical trials of stem cell transplantation raise ethical issues that are intertwined with scientific and design issues, including choice of control group and intervention, background interventions, endpoints, and selection of subjects. We recommend that the review and IRB oversight of stem cell clinical trials should be strengthened. Scientific and ethics review should be integrated in order to better assess risks and potential benefits. Informed consent should be enhanced by assuring that participants comprehend key aspects of the trial. For the trial to yield generalizable knowledge, negative findings and serious adverse events must be reported.

  15. Commentary on Fiester's "Ill-placed democracy: ethics consultations and the moral status of voting".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubler, Nancy Neveloff

    2011-01-01

    Autumn Fiester identifies an important element in clinical ethics consultation (CEC) that she labels, from the Greek, aporia, "state of perplexity," evidenced in CEC as ethical ambiguity. Fiester argues that the inherent difficulties of cases so characterized render them inappropriate for voting and more amenable to mediation and the search for consensus. This commentary supports Fiester's analysis and adds additional reasons for rejecting voting as a process for resolving disputes in CEC including: it distorts the analysis by empowering individual voters preferences and biases rather than focusing on the interests and wishes of the patient and family; it offers an insufficiently sensitive model for resolving the awesome, nuanced, conflicted, and ethically complex issues surrounding life and death; it marginalizes minority opinions that may have moral validity.

  16. A waste of time: the problem of common morality in Principles of Biomedical Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlsen, Jan Reinert; Solbakk, Jan Helge

    2011-10-01

    From the 5th edition of Beauchamp and Childress' Principles of Biomedical Ethics, the problem of common morality has been given a more prominent role and emphasis. With the publication of the 6th and latest edition, the authors not only attempt to ground their theory in common morality, but there is also an increased tendency to identify the former with the latter. While this stratagem may give the impression of a more robust, and hence stable, foundation for their theoretical construct, we fear that it comes with a cost, namely the need to keep any theory in medical ethics open to, and thereby aware of, the challenges arising from biomedical research and clinical practice, as well as healthcare systems. By too readily identifying the moral life of common morality with rule-following behaviour, Beauchamp and Childress may even be wrong about the nature of common morality as such, thereby founding their, by now, classic theory on quicksand instead of solid rock.

  17. Resolving a Conflict between APA Learning Goals and APA Ethical Principles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corty, Eric W.

    2008-01-01

    Although American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Standards make it clear that instructors cannot require students to disclose personal information in class-related activities, an APA learning goal for undergraduate psychology students is that they reflect on their experiences to develop insight into their behavior and mental processes.…

  18. IRSN Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Annex VII [TSO Mission Statement and Code of Ethics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2018-01-01

    IRSN has adopted, in 2013, a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, the contents of which are summarized. As a preamble, it is indicated that the Code, which was adopted in 2013 by the Ethics Commission of IRSN and the Board of IRSN, complies with relevant constitutional and legal requirements. The introduction to the Code presents the role and missions of IRSN in the French system, as well as the various conditions and constraints that frame its action, in particular with respect to ethical issues. It states that the Code sets principles and establishes guidance for addressing these constraints and resolving conflicts that may arise, thus constituting references for the Institute and its staff, and helping IRSN’s partners in their interaction with the Institute. The stipulations of the Code are organized in four articles, reproduced and translated.

  19. [China's population policies: attempting to "resolve the wrong problem"?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratcliffe, J W

    1989-03-01

    This work argues that international efforts to resolve the population problem have failed primarily because they have been based on misconceptions concerning the definition of the problem and the relationship between population growth and development. The demographic experience of the People's Republic of China since the Revolution is used to illustrate these commonly shared misconceptions. The difficulty of defining the population problem results from differing interpretations of the basic fact that poor population groups tend to have higher fertility rates and faster growth than wealthier population groups. The Western industrial nations maintain that peoples or countries are poor because they have many children; the solution to the problem would require that they be provided access to modern contraception and associated services such as population and family planning education. Many Third World countries argue on the other hand that people have many children because they are poor, a view implying that greater social and economic development will provide the solution. The disagreement as to whether rapid population growth is a cause or a consequence of underdevelopment results in part from viewing overpopulation and underdevelopment as separate and distinct problems. Results of several carefully conducted evaluation studies have demonstrated that very little of the world fertility decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s was attributable to national family planning programs. Research has shown that equitable division of national wealth, education--especially of women, some employment factors such as a lack of opportunities for children, and a reliable social security system are the most powerful determinants of fertility. The studies indicate that fertility declines are induced by models of development that stress widespread social progress rather than provision of contraceptives and associated services. Examination of the Chinese demographic experience suggests

  20. Everyday ethics: ethical issues and stress in nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulrich, Connie M; Taylor, Carol; Soeken, Karen; O'Donnell, Patricia; Farrar, Adrienne; Danis, Marion; Grady, Christine

    2010-11-01

    This paper is a report of a study of the type, frequency, and level of stress of ethical issues encountered by nurses in their everyday practice. Everyday ethical issues in nursing practice attract little attention but can create stress for nurses. Nurses often feel uncomfortable in addressing the ethical issues they encounter in patient care. A self-administered survey was sent in 2004 to 1000 nurses in four states in four different census regions of the United States of America. The adjusted response rate was 52%. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and Pearson correlations. A total of 422 questionnaires were used in the analysis. The five most frequently occurring and most stressful ethical and patient care issues were protecting patients' rights; autonomy and informed consent to treatment; staffing patterns; advanced care planning; and surrogate decision-making. Other common occurrences were unethical practices of healthcare professionals; breaches of patient confidentiality or right to privacy; and end-of-life decision-making. Younger nurses and those with fewer years of experience encountered ethical issues more frequently and reported higher levels of stress. Nurses from different regions also experienced specific types of ethical problems more commonly. Nurses face daily ethical challenges in the provision of quality care. To retain nurses, targeted ethics-related interventions that address caring for an increasingly complex patient population are needed. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Global Ethics Applied: Global Ethics, Economic Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    Stückelberger, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Global Ethics Applied’ in four volumes is a reader of 88 selected articles from the author on 13 domains: Vol. 1 Global Ethics, Economic Ethics; Vol. 2 Environmental Ethics; Vol. 3 Development Ethics, Political Ethics, Dialogue and Peace Ethics, Innovation and Research Ethics, Information and Communication Ethics; Vol. 4 Bioethics and Medical Ethics, Family Ethics and Sexual Ethics, Leadership Ethics, Theological Ethics and Ecclesiology, Methods of Ethics. It concludes with the extended Bibli...

  2. On a New Approach to Education about Ethics for Engineers at Meijou University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukaya, Minoru; Morimoto, Tsukasa; Kimura, Noritsugu

    We propose a new approach to education of so called “engineering ethics”. This approach has two important elements in its teaching system. One is “problem-solving learning”, and the other is “discussion ability”. So far, engineering ethics started at the ethical standpoint. But we put the viewpoint of problem-solving learning at the educational base of engineering ethics. Because many problems have complicated structures, so if we want to solve them, we should discuss each other. Problem-solving ability and discussion ability, they help engineers to solve the complex problems in their social everyday life. Therefore, Meijo University names engineering ethicsethics for engineers”. At Meijou University about 1300 students take classes in both ethics for engineers and environmental ethics for one year.

  3. Medical Ethics in Plastic Surgery: A Mini Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nejadsarvari, Nasrin; Ebrahimi, Ali; Ebrahimi, Azin; Hashem-Zade, Haleh

    2016-09-01

    Currently, cosmetic surgery is spread around the world. Several factors are involved in this rapidly evolving field such as socio-economic development, changes in cultural norms, globalization and the effects of Western culture, advertising, media, and mental disorders. Nowadays the cosmetic surgery is becoming a profitable business, which deals exclusively with human appearance and less from the perspective of beauty based on physical protests and considering factors such as sex, age, and race. The morality of plastic surgery subspecialty has undergone many moral dilemmas in the past few years. The role of the patient regardless of his unrealistic dreams has questionable ethical dimension. The problem is the loss of human values and replacing them with false values, of pride and glory to a charismatic person of higher status, that may underlie some of the posed ethical dilemmas. Cosmetic surgery has huge difference with the general principle of legal liability in professional orientation, because the objective for cosmetic surgeries is different from common therapeutic purposes. To observe excellence in the medical profession, we should always keep in mind that these service providers, often as a therapist (healer) must maintain a commitment and priority for patient safety and prior to any action, a real apply for this service recipient should be present. Also, patient-physician confidentiality is the cornerstone of medical ethics. In this review, we study the issues addressed and the ways that they can be resolved.

  4. Can Neuroscience Contribute to Practical Ethics? A Critical Review and Discussion of the Methodological and Translational Challenges of the Neuroscience of Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Racine, Eric; Dubljević, Veljko; Jox, Ralf J; Baertschi, Bernard; Christensen, Julia F; Farisco, Michele; Jotterand, Fabrice; Kahane, Guy; Müller, Sabine

    2017-06-01

    Neuroethics is an interdisciplinary field that arose in response to novel ethical challenges posed by advances in neuroscience. Historically, neuroethics has provided an opportunity to synergize different disciplines, notably proposing a two-way dialogue between an 'ethics of neuroscience' and a 'neuroscience of ethics'. However, questions surface as to whether a 'neuroscience of ethics' is a useful and unified branch of research and whether it can actually inform or lead to theoretical insights and transferable practical knowledge to help resolve ethical questions. In this article, we examine why the neuroscience of ethics is a promising area of research and summarize what we have learned so far regarding its most promising goals and contributions. We then review some of the key methodological challenges which may have hindered the use of results generated thus far by the neuroscience of ethics. Strategies are suggested to address these challenges and improve the quality of research and increase neuroscience's usefulness for applied ethics and society at large. Finally, we reflect on potential outcomes of a neuroscience of ethics and discuss the different strategies that could be used to support knowledge transfer to help different stakeholders integrate knowledge from the neuroscience of ethics. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. ETHICAL ASPECTS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN NURSING

    OpenAIRE

    Kaya, Nurten; Turan, Nuray; Ozdemir Aydin, Gulsun

    2017-01-01

    Ethics is one of the characteristics of contemporary civilization.Health care system faces uniquely complex ethical problems. Many points of seriousconcern need to be raised under the concept of ethics. For nurse entrepreneursto be professionally credible they have to be competent and accountable. Whilefundamental responsibility lies with the individual nurse entrepreneur, theprofessions have to evidently improve these essential attributes as well. Thecode of nursing ethics would constitute s...

  6. Designing Online Marketplace To Resolve Marketing Problem For Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aditya Hermawan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The study aims to design an online marketplace to provide solutions to problems faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs, the difficulty to market their products online. One of the problems faced by SMEs is difficult to market their products online. One of the solutions that we provide is by designing an online marketplace to solve marketing problems effectively. We found that SMEs have attempted to market their products through social media such as facebook, twitter and others. In addition, some SMEs also have a website and advertise their products through online advertising. However, many of those who did not know how to market products online in order to increase sales. We designed an online marketplace for SMEs based on the concept of e-commerce to resolve the problems faced by SMEs, the effective marketing. The online market design is made taking into account the needs of SMEs as well as customer needs. Therefore, this study was conducted to SMEs in Malang, East Java, Indonesia  and the people who often make purchases online.With the existence of the online market, SMEs can increase sales lead to increased profits for SMEs. Keyword: Online market, E-Commerce, Maketing

  7. [Selected ethical problems of oncologic patients during the terminal period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwaszczyszyn, J; Kwiecińska, A

    2001-01-01

    Patient suffering from terminal disease is depended on his environment more than any other one. He often suffers from nervous break down, anxiety and fear and he is usually unprotected from the environment. Fast development of medical science and its technicisation can lead towards dehumanization and lack of psychological and spiritual care, which should be based on clear ethical principles. Main lines of ethical principles of Health Service which are included in Deontological Code of Physicians and Collection of ethical principles for a qualified nurse are the main rules how to proceed as to fulfill the rule: "benefit of a patient is the superior law." According to its speciality Palliative Medicine introduces also four general ethical principles: 1. Patient will is a rule of treatment. 2. The principle of proportion--benefits from the treatment should be higher than losses and suffering from iatrogenic acting. 3. The principle of equality--stop taking a cure does not differ from not undertaking treatment. 4. The principle of relativity--life is not an absolute good, death is not an absolute evil. Holistic acts of Palliative Medicine determines also specific ethical attitudes, especially in the following: 1. Communication between a therapist and a patient and his family (interpersonal attitudes). 2. Procedures how to lessen suffering and its interpretation according to culture, tradition and religion ("nonsense and significance of suffering"). 3. Negation of euthanasia. 4. Spiritual, psychological and social care of patients.

  8. Good and bad in business : an ethical perspective on stakeholder relations

    OpenAIRE

    Nylén, Ulrica

    1996-01-01

    Ethical issues and problems in business are receiving increasing attention, both in terms of criticism of examples of "bad" behaviour of business actors and in terms of the development of ethical codes of conduct in certain companies, ethical visions for businesses etc. In general, ethical problems seem to be increasingly prevalent in business, but ethics tend to be disre­garded by traditional organisational and managerial theory. This calls for the development of an ethical perspective on bu...

  9. Ethics, culture and nursing practice in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donkor, N T; Andrews, L D

    2011-03-01

    This paper describes how nurses in Ghana approach ethical problems. The International Council of Nurses' (ICN) Code for Nurses (2006) that serves as the model for professional code of ethics worldwide also acknowledges respect for healthy cultural values. Using the ICN's Code and universal ethical principles as a benchmark, a survey was conducted in 2009 to ascertain how nurses in Ghana respond to ethical and cultural issues in their practice. The study was qualitative with 200 participant nurses. Data were obtained through anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Nurses' approaches to ethical problems in Ghana do not always meet expectations of the ICN Code for Nurses. They are also informed by local ethical practices related to the institutional setting and cultural environment in the country. While some cultural values complemented the ICN's Code and universal ethical principles, others conflicted with them. These data can assist nurses to provide culturally competent solutions to ethical dilemmas in their practice. Dynamic communication between nurses and patients/clients, intentional study of local cultural beliefs, and the development of ethics education will improve the conformity between universal ethical standards and local cultural values. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

  10. Ethics and radioactive waste. Ethical actions in the face of uncertainty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Persson, L.

    1995-01-01

    Seen in the general frame of environmental impact, the problem of nuclear waste disposal seems of minor importance. As a model, however, for early consideration of long-term ethical aspects it deserves our full attention. From the ethical point of view, the waste storage should not be irreversible. It must be left to future generations to decide how to deal with the nuclear material. (orig.) [de

  11. Relational ethics and psychosomatic assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, António

    2012-01-01

    The main ethical perspective in the clinical relationship takes into consideration the vulnerability of the clinical condition before threats and risks that can undermine the integrity and dignity of the person. Psychosomatic medicine faces complex cases whose ethical problems cannot only be solved by applying top-down deontological or utilitarian approaches, principlism, which is limited mainly to easing ethical tensions, or a bottom-up approach, the casuistic model, case-based reasoning. In introducing vulnerability as the core of ethical questioning as a principle ontological priority over other principles, relational ethics refers to the appreciation of the responsibility of health professionals through which a health care professional and the patient 'together' can construct more reasonable and prudential courses of action with, for, and by the patient. The model of relational ethics is based on three main aspects, clinically integrated approach, science/philosophy partnership, and deliberative process, that when taken together, form an intermediate model that ensures prudent and reasonable decision-making. The three structural elements and characteristics of relational ethics create and maintain a responsible relationship between the professional and the patient being aware that the mutual vulnerability of health professional and the patient has a moral value and recognizing that their relationship will allow for personal development of each. I conceptualized the model of relational ethics as one that embraces the meta-ethical principles of vulnerability, dignity, responsibility, and respect for autonomy as they are considered by many international declarations or conventions. This model integrates three key polarities: ensure conditions of authenticity, facilitate a process of cooperative mutuality, and promote opportunities for growth and development. Relational ethics can be used to solve major ethical problems in psychosomatic medicine, capacity

  12. Relationships between organizational and individual support, nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poikkeus, Tarja; Suhonen, Riitta; Katajisto, Jouko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2018-03-12

    Organizations and nurse leaders do not always effectively support nurses' ethical competence. More information is needed about nurses' perceptions of this support and relevant factors to improve it. The aim of the study was to examine relationships between nurses' perceived organizational and individual support, ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses (n = 298) working in specialized, primary, or private health care in Finland. Descriptive statistics, multifactor analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis were used to test the relationships. The nurses reported low organizational and individual support for their ethical competence, whereas perceptions of their ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction were moderate. There were statistically significant positive correlations between both perceived individual and organizational support, and ethical competence, nurses' work satisfaction, and nurses' ethical safety. Organizational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence should be strengthened, at least in Finland, by providing more ethics education and addressing ethical problems in multiprofessional discussions. Findings confirm that organizational level support for ethical competence improves nurses' work satisfaction. They also show that individual level support improves nurses' sense of ethical safety, and both organizational and individual support strengthen nurses' ethical competence. These findings should assist nurse leaders to implement effective support practices to strengthen nurses' ethical competence, ethical safety, and work satisfaction.

  13. [Ethics in clinical practice and in health care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pintor, S; Mennuni, G; Fontana, M; Nocchi, S; Giarrusso, P; Serio, A; Fraioli, A

    2015-01-01

    The clinical ethics is the identification, analysis and solution of moral problems that can arise during the care of a patient. Given that when dealing with ethical issues in health care some risks will be encountered (talking about ethics in general, or as a problem overlapped with others in this area, or by delegation to legislative determinations) in the text certain important aspects of the topic are examined. First of all ethics as human quality of the relationship between people for the common good, especially in health services where there are serious problems like the life and the health. It is also necessary a "humanizing relationship" between those who work in these services in order to achieve quality and efficiency in this business. It is important a proper training of health professionals, especially doctors, so that they can identify the real needs and means of intervention. It is also important that scientific research must respect fundamental ethical assumptions. In conclusion, ethics in health care is not a simple matter of "cookbook" rules, but involves the responsibility and consciousness of individual operators.

  14. The Role of Moral Reasoning and Order Effects on Ethical Decision Making Ability: Novice vs. Experienced Accounting Students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pillalamarri, Sudarshan Kumar; Holm, Claus

    that novice accounting students cannot differentiate between these two types of reasoning, but would exhibit order effects while making ethical decisions. One hundred forty graduate accounting students from universities in Denmark respond to an audit-specific DIT instrument, measuring prescriptive...... investigates the order effects of presentation of dilemmas on ethical decision making ability of novice and experienced accounting students. Rest (1979, 1983, 1991) categorizes moral reasoning into prescriptive reasoning i.e. consideration of what should ideally be done to resolve a particular ethical dilemma...... and deliberative reasoning i.e. consideration of what would actually be done in resolving ethical dilemmas. Because of lack of work experience, novice accounting students often do not face scenarios where there is a difference between their prescriptive and deliberative reasoning. This study hypothesizes...

  15. RESOLVING THE LUMINOSITY PROBLEM IN LOW-MASS STAR FORMATION

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dunham, Michael M. [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, P.O. Box 208101, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); Vorobyov, Eduard I., E-mail: michael.dunham@yale.edu, E-mail: eduard.vorobiev@univie.ac.at [Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Vienna 1180 (Austria)

    2012-03-01

    We determine the observational signatures of protostellar cores by coupling two-dimensional radiative transfer calculations with numerical hydrodynamical simulations that predict accretion rates that both decline with time and feature short-term variability and episodic bursts caused by disk gravitational instability and fragmentation. We calculate the radiative transfer of the collapsing cores throughout the full duration of the collapse, using as inputs the core, disk, protostellar masses, radii, and mass accretion rates predicted by the hydrodynamical simulations. From the resulting spectral energy distributions, we calculate standard observational signatures (L{sub bol}, T{sub bol}, L{sub bol}/L{sub smm}) to directly compare to observations. We show that the accretion process predicted by these models reproduces the full spread of observed protostars in both L{sub bol}-T{sub bol} and L{sub bol}-M{sub core} space, including very low luminosity objects, provides a reasonable match to the observed protostellar luminosity distribution, and resolves the long-standing luminosity problem. These models predict an embedded phase duration shorter than recent observationally determined estimates (0.12 Myr versus 0.44 Myr), and a fraction of total time spent in Stage 0 of 23%, consistent with the range of values determined by observations. On average, the models spend 1.3% of their total time in accretion bursts, during which 5.3% of the final stellar mass accretes, with maximum values being 11.8% and 35.5% for the total time and accreted stellar mass, respectively. Time-averaged models that filter out the accretion variability and bursts do not provide as good of a match to the observed luminosity problem, suggesting that the bursts are required.

  16. A contribution to raise awareness on ethical problems related to radiological protection in future health physicists

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cantone, M.C.; Birattari, C.; Merzagora, M.

    2006-01-01

    It is widely accepted that Radiological Protection has a real social dimension and it is not restricted to the pure scientific and quantitative aspects. The quality in radiation protection is not reached by simply complying with current technical standards or by enforcing an improved or restricted regulation, but must also be pursued by promoting a culture of radiation protection. An effective dissemination of a radiation protection culture has to include education and training for those students who will become researchers in the involved fields, or who will be called in risk management and, as protection managers, will be asked to inform and train workers or to communicate with the public. Today, in most universities the education in ethics is a significant part of the training in medical, biological and biotechnological curricula but, it is still of poor consideration in those curricula which are traditionally related to Physical Science and even in those areas, like Health Physics, where implementation of interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies are important sources for progress. Moreover, recent advances in the research field of risk perception and communication are very rarely included in those courses. At the Health Physics post-graduate School of Milano State University, within the course of Radiation Protection, a new subject has been recently introduced facing the question of ethical problems and risk perception in radiation protection, and dealing with the activity of international organisations aimed to establish ethical principles for protection against ionising radiation. By referring to this context, students realize how the analysis of radiological risk includes both technological and ethical aspects. The hope is that a new generation of experts in heath physics will promote a dynamic development of knowledge and a higher degree of awareness even in ethical aspects within the academic, institutional or professional fields of radiation

  17. Ill-placed democracy: ethics consultations and the moral status of voting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiester, Autumn M

    2011-01-01

    As groups around the country begin to craft standards for clinical ethics consultations, one focus of that work is the proper procedure for conducting ethics consults. From a recent empirical look into the workings of ethics consult services (ECSs), one worrisome finding is that some ECSs rely on a committee vote when making a recommendation. This article examines the practice of voting and its moral standing as a procedural strategy for arriving at a clinical ethics recommendation. I focus here on the type of clinical ethics conflicts that are most likely to lead an ECS to vote, namely, conflicts involving ethical uncertainty--or, in the Greek, aporia. I argue that in cases of aporia, voting on an ethics conflict is not a morally justifiable procedure. Then on the same grounds that I use to show that voting is ethically problematic, I raise broader concerns about the common practice of making recommendations by other procedures. In contrast to the standard approach of adjudicating between moral claims, I argue that ECSs can best resolve aporetic conflict through the process of clinical ethics mediation.

  18. Institutional ethical review and ethnographic research involving injection drug users: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Small, Will; Maher, Lisa; Kerr, Thomas

    2014-03-01

    Ethnographic research among people who inject drugs (PWID) involves complex ethical issues. While ethical review frameworks have been critiqued by social scientists, there is a lack of social science research examining institutional ethical review processes, particularly in relation to ethnographic work. This case study describes the institutional ethical review of an ethnographic research project using observational fieldwork and in-depth interviews to examine injection drug use. The review process and the salient concerns of the review committee are recounted, and the investigators' responses to the committee's concerns and requests are described to illustrate how key issues were resolved. The review committee expressed concerns regarding researcher safety when conducting fieldwork, and the investigators were asked to liaise with the police regarding the proposed research. An ongoing dialogue with the institutional review committee regarding researcher safety and autonomy from police involvement, as well as formal consultation with a local drug user group and solicitation of opinions from external experts, helped to resolve these issues. This case study suggests that ethical review processes can be particularly challenging for ethnographic projects focused on illegal behaviours, and that while some challenges could be mediated by modifying existing ethical review procedures, there is a need for legislation that provides legal protection of research data and participant confidentiality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The ethics of biomedical big data

    CERN Document Server

    Mittelstadt, Brent Daniel

    2016-01-01

    This book presents cutting edge research on the new ethical challenges posed by biomedical Big Data technologies and practices. ‘Biomedical Big Data’ refers to the analysis of aggregated, very large datasets to improve medical knowledge and clinical care. The book describes the ethical problems posed by aggregation of biomedical datasets and re-use/re-purposing of data, in areas such as privacy, consent, professionalism, power relationships, and ethical governance of Big Data platforms. Approaches and methods are discussed that can be used to address these problems to achieve the appropriate balance between the social goods of biomedical Big Data research and the safety and privacy of individuals. Seventeen original contributions analyse the ethical, social and related policy implications of the analysis and curation of biomedical Big Data, written by leading experts in the areas of biomedical research, medical and technology ethics, privacy, governance and data protection. The book advances our understan...

  20. The virtue ethics approach to bioethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Stephen

    2011-05-01

    This paper discusses the viability of a virtue-based approach to bioethics. Virtue ethics is clearly appropriate to addressing issues of professional character and conduct. But another major remit of bioethics is to evaluate the ethics of biomedical procedures in order to recommend regulatory policy. How appropriate is the virtue ethics approach to fulfilling this remit? The first part of this paper characterizes the methodology problem in bioethics in terms of diversity, and shows that virtue ethics does not simply restate this problem in its own terms. However, fatal objections to the way the virtue ethics approach is typically taken in bioethics literature are presented in the second section of the paper. In the third part, a virtue-based approach to bioethics that avoids the shortcomings of the typical one is introduced and shown to be prima facie plausible. The upshot is an inviting new direction for research into bioethics' methodology. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Ethical Implications of Technological Advances on Business Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herschel, Richard T.; Andrews, Patricia Hayes

    1997-01-01

    Explores ethical issues heightened by use of technology, and examines a means for managing these ethical concerns. Argues that ethical problems are not inherent in technological advances, but rather it is how human beings choose to use these new tools that may lead to ethical dilemmas in business contexts. (SR)

  2. EFFECT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AND MODEL CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY TO PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Unita S. Zuliani Nasution

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this research were to analyze the different between physic resolving problem ability by using problem based learning model and direct instruction model, the different of physic resolving problem ability between the students that have critical thinking ability upper the average and the students that have critical thinking ability under the average, and the interaction of problem based learning model toward critical thinking ability and students’ physic resolving problem ability. This research was quasy experimental research that use critical thinking ability tests and physic resolving problem ability tests as the instruments. Result of the research showed that the students’ physic resolving problem ability by using problem based learning model was better than by using direct instruction model, students’ physic resolving problem ability and critical thinking ability upper the average showed better different and result than students’ critical thinking ability under the average, besides there was an interaction between problem based learning model and critical thinking ability in improving students’ physic resolving problem ability.

  3. Ethical issues in action-oriented research in Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachmawaty, Rini

    2017-09-01

    Action-oriented research is one of the most frequent research types implemented to transform community health in Indonesia. Three researchers and 11 graduate students from a developed country in East Asia conducted a fieldwork program in a remote area in South Sulawesi Province. Although the project was completed, whether or not the international standards for human subject research were applied into that study remains unclear. This study aimed to examine ethical issues raised from that case, analyze constraints to the problems, and recommend alternatives to protect vulnerable populations from being exploited by local/international researchers. A problem-solving approach was used in this study. It began with problem identification, evaluation of the action-oriented research goal, investigation of the constraints to the problem, and recommendation of some relevant alternatives to address the central issue. Ethical Consideration: The approval for conducting the action-oriented research that being investigated in this work was only obtained from the Head of local district. Some ethical issues were found in this case. No special protection for this population, no informed consent was obtained from the participants, exposure to social and economic risks, no future benefits for the subjects, and conflict of interests. Lack of control from the local research ethics committee and lack of competence of local researchers on human subject research were considered as the constraints to the problems. Creating an independent research ethics committee, providing research ethics training to the local researchers, obtaining written/video consents from underserved populations, and meeting local health needs were recommended alternatives to solve these problems. Indonesian government bodies should reform their international collaborative system on research involving human subjects. Exploitation may not occur if all participants as well as all local and national governing bodies

  4. Making an Ethical Decision: A Utilitarian Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Sandra J.

    1992-01-01

    By identifying and weighing the effects of an act on each constituency, a matrix based on John Stuart Mill's theories of utilitarianism illuminates and helps resolve complex ethical dilemmas. Application of the approach is illustrated with a simulated case study concerning the issue of reputation in a small private college. (Author/MSE)

  5. Ombud's corner: Use of sensemaking* in ethical decisions

    CERN Multimedia

    Vincent Vuillemin

    2012-01-01

    In this series, the Bulletin aims to explain the role of the Ombuds at CERN by presenting practical examples of misunderstandings that could have been resolved by the Ombuds if he had been contacted earlier. Please note that, in all the situations we present, the names are fictitious and used only to improve clarity.   Taking ethical decisions can often be a dilemma - one that requires recognition and proper representation of multiple pieces of complex information, as well as an intuitive judgment about potential consequences. Pressure is particularly placed on organizational leaders, who are tasked with projects, partnerships and individuals. Constraining forces - be they personal, situational or environmental - can negatively influence any decision by decreasing ethical awareness, ethical sensitivity and ethical judgment. By creating mental compensatory models, the Sensemaking* technique serves to counteract these constraining forces that narrow the search and evaluation of&nbs...

  6. On the Origin of Ethics: is Ethics Dependent on Religion?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mindaugas Briedis

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the historical and intellectual linkage between two fundamental spheres of culture – religion and ethics. The theistic ethical perspective and its most radical “supranaturalistic” form are explored. On the other hand, the atheistic position is also revised and the notion of anti-theism is introduced. After that critical analysis is presented on a substantial question concerning the kind of relation between religion and ethics: subordination, assimilation, complementarity or opposition. This question, in turn, demands a careful observance of various religious and secular perspectives, concerning the sources of morality, and poses the problem of faith and knowledge in a new light. Ethical norms constitute crucial part of various religious doctrines and to a certain degree correlate with major shifts in the history of secular culture. However, are these historical and theoretical testimonies sufficient for maintaining that ethics depends on religion and if so, what kind of dependence is it? In the last part of the paper the author formulates a sketch of an answer to a major theoretical concern on the way of reconciling religion and ethics beyond subordination or assimilation. 

  7. Media Ethics: Some Specific Problems. ERIC Digest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, Stephen S.

    This digest identifies some of the ethical issues which appeared in the mass media in the 1980s and discusses the implications which these issues have for the law and for those who already work in or study the mass media, as well as for those college students contemplating a career in journalism or broadcasting. (NKA)

  8. Herbal medicine research and global health: an ethical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilburt, Jon C; Kaptchuk, Ted J

    2008-08-01

    Governments, international agencies and corporations are increasingly investing in traditional herbal medicine research. Yet little literature addresses ethical challenges in this research. In this paper, we apply concepts in a comprehensive ethical framework for clinical research to international traditional herbal medicine research. We examine in detail three key, underappreciated dimensions of the ethical framework in which particularly difficult questions arise for international herbal medicine research: social value, scientific validity and favourable risk-benefit ratio. Significant challenges exist in determining shared concepts of social value, scientific validity and favourable risk-benefit ratio across international research collaborations. However, we argue that collaborative partnership, including democratic deliberation, offers the context and process by which many of the ethical challenges in international herbal medicine research can, and should be, resolved. By "cross-training" investigators, and investing in safety-monitoring infrastructure, the issues identified by this comprehensive framework can promote ethically sound international herbal medicine research that contributes to global health.

  9. Doping w sporcie jako problem etyczno-społeczny = Doping in sport as a problem ethical and social

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandra Lewandowska

    2016-07-01

      Streszczenie: Celem pracy jest omówienie zagadnienia dopingu stosowanego w sporcie w kontekście prawdopodobnych konsekwencji społecznych związanych z jego stosowaniem, jak również na płaszczyźnie biomedycznej związanej z dynamicznym rozwojem technologii biomedycznych w obszarze wzmocnień ludzkiego organizmu. Poza analizą zagadnienia jakości „zdopingowanego sportu” w perspektywie rozstrzygnięć bioetycznych w tekście przywołane zostały statystyki ukazujące zastosowanie dopingu w sporcie, w ujęciu tak czasowym, jak również przestrzennym.   Słowa kluczowe: sport, doping, doping genetyczny, etyka w sporcie, jakość w sporcie.   Abstract: The article presents the issues of doping in sport used in the context of possible social consequences associated with its use, as well as at the level of biomedical related to the rapid development of biomedical technologies in area of human  body enhancement. In addition to the analysis of quality issues "sport enhancement" in the perspective of bioethical resolving, in the text refers to statistics showing the use of doping in sport, in terms both time as well as spatial.   Key words: sports, doping, gene doping, ethics in sport, quality in sport.

  10. Ethical issues in radiology: Perspectives from the Christian tradition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hogan, L.

    2009-01-01

    The Christian ethical tradition introduces a number of key values into the clinical context. Moreover, although some denominational differences exist, these are essentially differences of emphasis rather than of substance. Among the central values which the Christian tradition promotes are: the dignity of the person, the individual as embodied spirit and the importance of the common good. Within the evolving discourse, social justice considerations have come to the fore as a critical concern within bio-ethics. In radiology, like most fields of clinical practice, practitioners frequently encounter conflicts and tensions of an ethical nature. Moreover, the manner in which these conflicts are articulated, conceptualised and ultimately resolved will depend, not only on how the scientific data are analysed and interpreted, but also on how different ethical frameworks are invoked in these disputes. The concern in this brief paper is to discuss the Christian ethical tradition as it is expressed in Roman Catholic and 'Protestant' denominations in the western church, considering the values and norms that underlie Christian ethical engagements with applied questions. (authors)

  11. Ethical issues in research in low-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benatar, S R; Fleischer, T E

    2007-06-01

    During the twentieth century, spectacular developments in science, technology and medical practice coupled with economic growth have transformed health care and improved the lives of many people. Despite such progress, the world today is more inequitable than it was 50 years ago: disparities in wealth and health are widening inexorably, and infectious diseases are again becoming a major scourge and pose a threat to the lives of all. Hundreds of millions of people live in degrading poverty, with little, if any, access to health care. Recognition of this context in which much research takes place should sharpen our focus on the ethical requirements for research that could improve the health of a greater proportion of the world's population--one of the most pressing moral problems of our time. The intense debate on ethical dilemmas associated with an expanding programme of clinical research in developing countries has revealed much common ground, but has also left a residuum of controversy. We suggest that contested issues could be resolved by paying greater attention to different world views on the relationship between research and clinical care and by defining policies that both progressively improve the standard of care in research and link research to improved delivery of health care in developing countries.

  12. Ethics and technology design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Albrechtslund, Anders

    2007-01-01

    This article offers a discussion of the connection between technology and values and, specifically, I take a closer look at ethically sound design. In order to bring the discussion into a concrete context, the theory of Value Sensitive Design (VSD) will be the focus point. To illustrate my argument...... concerning design ethics, the discussion involves a case study of an augmented window, designed by the VSD Research Lab, which has turned out to be a potentially surveillance-enabling technology. I call attention to a "positivist problem" that has to do with the connection between the design context...... of design ethics, is intended as a constructive criticism, which can hopefully contribute to the further development of design ethics....

  13. [Is a strategy of bio-socio-ethic necessary?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso Trujillo, Federico; López Medel, Raquel; Asensio Fernández, Inmaculada; Pinzón Pulido, Sandra; González Montero, M Carmen

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to assess the need for a common ethics strategy shared by 2 of the cornerstones of human welfare: the healthcare and social services sectors. An observational cross-sectional descriptive study was performed by surveying social services and healthcare professionals. A purposive sampling technique was used. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions about ethical conflicts in professional practice and respondents' views on a proposed shared approach to bioethics and ethics in social intervention. 124 professionals completed the questionnaire, 56% of the health sector and 44% of the social services sector. About 90% professionals surveyed had had to make difficult ethical decisions in their work and would welcome a common approach to ethics in the social services and healthcare sectors. 75% said that conflicts are occurring more frequently in both sectors simultaneously and that they were resolved preferably individually and independently. The survey respondents believe that a common approach to tackling ethical conflicts in professional practice is required. Nevertheless, it is still rare for ethics committees to intervene in the conflict resolution process and for decision-making support and evaluation tools to be used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. THE PROBLEM OF CORRUPTION OF BASIC SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS IN PARTICULAR: FORMAL-ETHIC AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. O. Lobovikov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to carry out historical-philosophical andlinguistic analysis of ethical and metaphysical doctrine of Aristotle on corruption in general; to discuss of formal-ethical view on the problem of corruption in basic scientific researches; to define the place and role of fundamental scientific researches in knowledge-based economy taken as a whole, and Boston Chart, in particular.Methods. The methods involve the historical-philosophical and logical-linguistic analysis of texts; creation and studying of the elementary discrete mathematical model of the researched moral phenomenon at the level of artificial language of two-digit algebra of the natural right and morals; use of such conceptual and figurative tool of the economic theory as Boston Chart.Results and scientific novelty. The definition of the concept «basic scientific research» is given for the first time; the concept includes time parameter and knowledge of utility (the practical importance of results of this research.Practical significance. The submitted definition (criterion gives a possibility to establish at any moment of time definite borderline between the basic and the applied scientific search (the line undergoes change in the flow of time. The effective criterion of basic scientific researches offered by the author, and also exact specifying of their place and role in lifecycle of knowledge as goods in market economy (at the conceptual level of the Boston Chart allow to designate an urgent problem of corruption of the scientific sphere in a new perspective. Along with some additional conditions, this new evidence could help to solve the problem.

  15. [Ethical dilemmas in health].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boléo-Tomé, J

    2009-01-01

    It is difficult to speak of ethic dilemmas in a society that has relativism as the oficial philosophical and political doctrine, i.e., stable values and behavior references, are denied, both in health care and in any other area of human knowledge. In the field of medical sciences it is even pretended to pass from the observational methodology to a field of manipulation and manipulability. It is the very Ethic that is presented as a dilemma. In these conditions one needs to know the lines of thought that are defended, to replace and make disappear the stable ethic references: ecletism, historicism, scientificism, pragmatism, and nihilism itself, that lead to the 'new ethic paradigm', that has created by itself a pseudo-spirituality. The truth is we are adrift in the 'Ethic of Convenience' which changes according to the majorities. In this setting the way to go is to rediscover the abandoned ethic values: only with an objective ethic, with sound references and foundations, it is possible to re-establish and perfect the patient-physician relationship, for a better social health. And this begins with the ethic problem of human life.

  16. Pediatric palliative care and pediatric medical ethics: opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feudtner, Chris; Nathanson, Pamela G

    2014-02-01

    The fields of pediatric palliative care (PPC) and pediatric medical ethics (PME) overlap substantially, owing to a variety of historical, cultural, and social factors. This entwined relationship provides opportunities for leveraging the strong communication skills of both sets of providers, as well as the potential for resource sharing and research collaboration. At the same time, the personal and professional relationships between PPC and PME present challenges, including potential conflict with colleagues, perceived or actual bias toward a palliative care perspective in resolving ethical problems, potential delay or underuse of PME services, and a potential undervaluing of the medical expertise required for PPC consultation. We recommend that these challenges be managed by: (1) clearly defining and communicating clinical roles of PPC and PME staff, (2) developing questions that may prompt PPC and PME teams to request consultation from the other service, (3) developing explicit recusal criteria for PPC providers who also provide PME consultation, (4) ensuring that PPC and PME services remain organizationally distinct, and (5) developing well-defined and broad scopes of practice. Overall, the rich relationship between PPC and PME offers substantial opportunities to better serve patients and families facing difficult decisions.

  17. Virtue ethics - an old answer to a new dilemma? Part 1. Problems with contemporary medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misselbrook, David

    2015-02-01

    The commonest practical model used in contemporary medical ethics is Principlism. Yet, while Principlism is a widely accepted consensus statement for ethics, the moral theory that underpins it faces serious challenges in its attempt to provide a coherent and accepted system of moral analysis. This inevitably challenges the stability of such a consensus statement and makes it vulnerable to attack by competitors such as preference consequentialism. This two-part paper proposes an inclusive version of virtue theory as a more grounded system of moral analysis. © The Royal Society of Medicine.

  18. A consideration of the ethics of brain death--what are the ethical guidelines for physician, family and society in dealing with brain death?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, C M

    1985-06-01

    There is at present considerable confusion with respect to ethical guidelines that should govern the behavior of society and the physician confronted by problems resulting from recent attainments of medicine and science. The use of life supporting devices raises the problem of determining when death has occurred and what is proper ethical procedure in dealing with the deficient half life caused by "Brain Death." Some guidance is obtained from a consideration of the nature of life, the nature of death, the nature of man, and the essence lost in death of man. A parallel consideration of the nature of ethics, the bases of ethics and of ethical decision can be helpful. An individual may have ideals which control behavior, even elevate ethical standards; others entertain concepts that destroy social ethics. Ethics control and direct social interactions; ethics determine the quality of social behavior--ethics are established by societies not by individuals. Numerous commissions have endeavored to define the requirements of physicians for diagnosing brain death and for appropriate subsequent actions. The rationales presented, however, are not invariably accepted by lay society. The problem is created by numerous trends. Among them are the "rightest" movement which, though possessing many virtues, has its excesses such as expressed in the "right to life movement." These have not been beneficial and have necessitated "right to death movements." Opposition is also due to the fact that society's concepts of the medical profession have changed. The practice of organ transplantation has created problems. Finally, the concept of death as other than evil is no longer generally accepted. As more biological manipulations are possible ever more difficult ethical problems will arise. It is a certainty, however, that when brain death has occurred life of man and that of the individual has ended. Although others might not agree, our ethic requires us to use life assist techniques to

  19. Moritz Schlick – ethics from a meta-theoretical perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Mihina František

    2016-01-01

    Moritz Schlick was the leader of an influential group of scientists, logicians and philosophers. The content of his book “Problems of Ethics” is the application of the method of logical analysis of language to some of traditional ethical problems. Schlick offers many topics in his book Problems of Ethics – what are the motives of human conduct, what is egoism, what is the meaning of “moral”, etc. In this article, focus will be on the explanation of only one of many areas of Schlick’s ethics –...

  20. The relationship between political ideology and ethical consumption

    OpenAIRE

    Cronk, Bradley; Not applicable.

    2017-01-01

    Problem definition and research questions\\ud \\ud The determinants of ethical consumption behaviour are largely unknown. This research explores the effectiveness of political ideology as a predictor of ethical consumption. Increasing the understanding of ethical consumption will create opportunities for organisations to supply consumer segments with products that address the ethical consumption issues that are most important to them. The issues that form overall ethical consumption include: (1...

  1. [Hunger striking in prisons: ethics and the ethical and legal aspects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Guerrero, J

    2013-01-01

    Hunger strike is a common form of protest in prisons and is a potential cause of many types of problems, both for the prison administration and the doctors who care for prisoners who participate in one. Issues of conflict of rights and obligations involved, and how to treat people who are subject to the Administration, which in this case takes the position of guarantor, have created major controversies over doctrine. Conscientious objection and the conflict of dual loyalty of doctors working in prisons are also issues closely linked to a prison hunger strike. In this paper we review the solution given to the problem of treatment of a prison hunger strike from three perspectives: ethics, ethical and legal.

  2. A minimally-resolved immersed boundary model for reaction-diffusion problems

    OpenAIRE

    Pal Singh Bhalla, A; Griffith, BE; Patankar, NA; Donev, A

    2013-01-01

    We develop an immersed boundary approach to modeling reaction-diffusion processes in dispersions of reactive spherical particles, from the diffusion-limited to the reaction-limited setting. We represent each reactive particle with a minimally-resolved "blob" using many fewer degrees of freedom per particle than standard discretization approaches. More complicated or more highly resolved particle shapes can be built out of a collection of reactive blobs. We demonstrate numerically that the blo...

  3. Diagnostic ultrasound in pregnancy - ethical problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sande, H.A.

    1991-01-01

    Foetal diagnostics has changed prenatal checkups beyond the point of no return. The practice of offering ultrasound screening involves great responsibility. Routine ultrasound screening requires a high level of competency. Four main ethical issues are discussed; life or death, malformations, the foetus as patient, and the feotus as donor. Other issues discussed are verifying the diagnosis of death, how to inform the parents, procedures in connection with pathological findings, procedures in connection with stillbirth, and the legal rights of the foetus, as well as three recommendations focussing on the above-mentioned issues. 9 refs

  4. Ethical decision-making in forensic psychology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Swanepoel

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to develop a comprehensive process for identifying and addressing primarily ethical issues related to the psychology profession in South Africa. In fulfilling this purpose, research was conducted of relevant ethical and to a lesser extent, legal aspects pertaining to the psychology profession. In an attempt to prevent unprofessional conduct claims against psychologists from succeeding and to alert psychologists to the concurrent ethical problems that may lead to malpractice suits, this article offers material on some important issues – in the context of forensic psychology – such as ethical decision-making and principles, professional ethics, the regulation of psychology as a profession, the Ethical Code of Professional Conduct to which a psychologist should adhere, ethical aspects and issues pertaining to forensic psychology in general, some ethical issues pertaining to child forensic psychology, summary guidelines for ethical decision-making and some steps to follow to ensure sound ethical decisionmaking.

  5. Ethical-Economic Dilemmas in Business Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Remišová

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the article is to support the idea of institutionalizing business ethics education at all business schools. Further, the article stresses the importance of using ethical-economic dilemmas in business ethics education. It argues that business students should learn that managerial work is too complex to make do with expertise and experience and help them to acquire the skill of ethical reflection of economic activity. Solving ethical-economic dilemmas in business ethics courses helps to develop cognitive skills in considering economic or managerial problems on the basis of ethical and economic interaction. In order to support the main purpose stated above, we aimed at getting a picture of how respondents assess and solve an ethical-economic dilemma. Hence, this article presents results of an empirical investigation of the ethical decision-making (EDM process on a sample of Slovak students of Management.

  6. Ethics in research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bevan, Joan C

    2007-04-01

    This review will examine research ethics in the context of globalization of clinical trials and recent rapid developments in bioscience. It will focus on international ethical guidelines and the functions of research ethics review boards in research governance. Consent issues in genetic research, which must comply with privacy laws by protecting confidentiality and privacy of personal health data, will be discussed. There has been a rapid expansion of genomic and proteonomic research and biotechnology in the last decade. International ethical guidelines have been updated and the bioscience industry has developed ethics policies. At the same time, problems in academic anesthesia in the US and UK have been identified, leading to recommendations to train physician-scientists in anesthesia to stimulate research activity in the future. Anesthesiologists are joining interdisciplinary research teams and the concept of evidence-based translational research is emerging. Anesthesiologists are moving towards participation in interdisciplinary research teams. They are well placed to speed the translation of research discovery into clinical practice and provide evidence-based perioperative care. This review provides the ethical framework that anesthesiologists will need to meet the challenges of this changing pattern of practice.

  7. [Research Ethics in Partnership with Benin : A call for Solidarity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergeron, Michel

    2017-05-22

    Over the last decade, research ethics has developed in Benin partly through a partnership with Quebec. This partnership has evolved using TCPS2, the Canadian framework in research ethics. In doing so, three main values were put forward : respect for human dignity, respect for cultural diversity and solidarity. Over that time period, research ethics in Benin has structured through new Research Ethics Committees (REC) and though participation of those involved in research with human beings. REC members, researchers and students have acquired the needed tools to resolve most of the ethical dilemmas that could arise in the future making it one of the positive results of this partnership. Retrospectively, it has also been a situation where the Van Rensselaer Potter's perspective on bioethics has emerged in a French-speaking context where the spoken language and the French cultural approach is of great importance.

  8. The Problems of Teaching the Basics of Secular Ethics to Pedagogic Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. V. Shcheglova

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper looks at the specialists training for teaching the Basics of Secular Ethics course in the secondary school. In author’s opinion, the above course is entitled to develop children’s moral consciousness. The subject is practical rather than descriptive, focused on the spiritual work, and teaching how to live in harmony with themselves and the surrounding world. The author emphasizes the difference between the secular and religious ethics related to the specificity of moral consciousness - based either on the principle of personal moral autonomy or theonomy in case of the religious ethics. The problematic task of developing the morally independent personality in the modern society is complicated by the confusion of ethics and etiquette, wide spread ideas of pluralism, relativism, infantilism and sense gratification. The challenges and inner contradictions of the given educational module are revealed in dealing with such concepts as the mercy and moral ideal. In conclusion, the author points out the significance of active positions of teachers and students alike in pursuing the Secular Ethics course. 

  9. Under the shelter of ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichterman, Boleslav L

    2005-01-01

    Problems of ethics committees in post-communist Russia are briefly discussed. The first ethics committees were established in 1980s upon the initiative of international pharmaceutical companies involved in clinical trials. Generally, such committees exist at hospitals conducting these trials and at research institutions dealing with human experimentation. They are bureaucratic structures heavily dependent on hospital or institution administration. Publication of research results in international periodicals is the main reason for their existence. An officially recognized National Ethics Committee is non-existent although there are several competing ethics committees at a national level (at the Ministry of Health, Academy of Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Russian Medical association etc.). There is no federal legislation on the structure and status of ethics committees.

  10. Ultimate justification: Wittgenstein and medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, J

    1995-02-01

    Decisions must be justified. In medical ethics various grounds are given to justify decisions, but ultimate justification seems illusory and little considered. The philosopher Wittgenstein discusses the problem of ultimate justification in the context of general philosophy. His comments, nevertheless, are pertinent to ethics. From a discussion of Wittgensteinian notions, such as 'bedrock', the idea that 'ultimate' justification is grounded in human nature as such is derived. This discussion is relevant to medical ethics in at least five ways: it shows generally what type of certainty there is in practical ethics; it seems to imply some objective foundation to our ethical judgements; it squares with our experience of making ethical decisions; it shows something of the nature of moral arguments; and, finally, it has implications for teaching medicine and ethics.

  11. What is an Ethical Chemist?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovac, Jeffrey

    2017-02-22

    Almost all decisions made by chemists, and all other scientists, in their professional lives have an ethical dimension. In both the practice of chemistry and the education of students it is essential that chemists understand the moral complexity of real-world situations, apply the relevant moral standards, and have the moral courage to make difficult choices, or the foundation of trust essential to the scientific enterprise will erode. In this lecture I will develop the fundamental concepts of scientific ethics and show how they apply to both the practice of chemistry and the relationship between chemistry and society. I will consider both day-to-day ethical problems such as authorship and the treatment of data and larger questions such as the choice of research problems and the social responsibility of scientists.

  12. Ethically-based clinical decision-making in physical therapy: process and issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finch, Elspeth; Geddes, E Lynne; Larin, Hélène

    2005-01-01

    The identification and consideration of relevant ethical issues in clinical decision-making, and the education of health care professionals (HCPs) in these skills are key factors in providing quality health care. This qualitative study explores the way in which physical therapists (PTs) integrate ethical issues into clinical practice decisions and identifies ethical themes used by PTs. A purposive sample of eight PTs was asked to describe a recent ethically-based clinical decision. Transcribed interviews were coded and themes identified related to the following categories: 1) the integration of ethical issues in the clinical decision-making process, 2) patient welfare, 3) professional ethos of the PT, and 4) health care economics and business practices. Participants readily described clinical situations involving ethical issues but rarely identified specific conflicting ethical issues in their description. Ethical dilemmas were more frequently resolved when there were fewer emotional sequelae associated with the dilemma, and the PT had a clear understanding of professional ethos, valued patient autonomy, and explored a variety of alternative actions before implementing one. HCP students need to develop a clear professional ethos and an increased understanding of the economic factors that will present ethical issues in practice.

  13. RESEARCH ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS: ETHICAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    RESNIK, DAVID B.; ZELDIN, DARRYL C.; SHARP, RICHARD R.

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews a variety of ethical issues one must consider when conducting research on environmental health interventions on human subjects. The paper uses the Kennedy Krieger Institute lead abatement study as well as a hypothetical asthma study to discuss questions concerning benefits and risks, risk minimization, safety monitoring, the duty to warn, the duty to report, the use of control groups, informed consent, equitable subject selection, privacy, conflicts of interest, and community consultation. Research on environmental health interventions can make an important contribution to our understanding of human health and disease prevention, provided it is conducted in a manner that meets prevailing scientific, ethical, and legal standards for research on human subjects. PMID:16220621

  14. City and mobility: towards an integrated approach to resolve energy problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmela Gargiulo

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The issue of integration between city, mobility and energy plays a central role in the current EU policies, aimed at achieving energy saving targets, independence from fossil fuels and enhance of the urban systems resilience, but the strategies of the single states are, however, still far from its implementation. This paper proposes a reading of the current policies and of the recent initiatives aimed at improving the energy efficiency of settlements, implemented at both Community and national level, aimed at laying the groundwork for the definition of an integrated approach between city and mobility to resolve energy problem. Therefore, the paper is divided into six parts. The first part describes the transition from the concept of sustainability to the concept of resilience and illustrates the central role played by this one in the current urban and territorial research; the second part briefly analyzes the main and more recent European directives related to city, mobility and energy, while the third part describes how the energy problem is afforded in the current programming and planning tools. The fourth and fifth parts, are intended to describe the innovative practices promoted in some European and Italian cities concerning energy efficiency aimed at the integration between urban and transport systems. The last part of the paper, finally, deals with the definition of a new systemic approach for achieving objectives of energy sustainability. This approach aims at integrating strategies and actions for strategies of mobility governance, based on the certain assumption that the core for the most part of energy problems is mainly represented in medium and large cities. 

  15. Bilingual practices in the process of initiating and resolving lexical problems in students' collaborative writing sessions

    OpenAIRE

    Jansson, Gunilla

    2007-01-01

    International audience; This study deals with the sequential organization of language choice and code-switching between Persian as a first language and Swedish as a second language in the process of initiating and resolving a problem of understanding and producing the correct version of a lexical item. The data consist of detailed transcripts of audio tapings of two bilingual students' collaborative writing sessions within the frame of a one-year master's program in computer science in a mult...

  16. Ethical decision-making, passivity and pharmacy

    OpenAIRE

    Cooper, R.J.; Bissell, P.; Wingfield, J.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Increasing interest in empirical ethics has enhanced understanding of healthcare professionals' ethical problems and attendant decision-making. A four-stage decision-making model involving ethical attention, reasoning, intention and action offers further insights into how more than reasoning alone may contribute to decision-making.\\ud \\ud Aims: To explore how the four-stage model can increase understanding of decision-making in healthcare and describe the decision-making of an und...

  17. Health impacts and research ethics in female trafficking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhital, S R; Aro, R A; Sapkota, K

    2011-04-01

    Female trafficking is a social and public health problem, associated with physical and sexual abuse, psychological trauma, injuries from violence, sexually transmitted infections, adverse reproductive outcomes and substance misuse. It faces several challenges ranging from the hidden nature of the problem to ethical and human rights issues. The objectives of this paper are to analyze health impact of trafficking; ethical and research issues and anti-trafficking strategies in the Nepalese context. We collected published and unpublished data assessing the public health, ethical burden and research needs from different sources. Trafficked female involved in sex-industry that face grave situation as depicted and it might a reservoir of sexually transmitted diseases. Ethical issues related to survey of assessing the burden are difficult to carry out. The best ways to prevent and control these problems are to enhance anti- trafficking laws and raise awareness, empower and mobilize females and establish organizational capacity.

  18. Nontechnical issues in waste management: ethical, institutional, and political concerns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hebert, J.A.; Rankin, W.L.; Brown, P.G.; Schuller, C.R; Smith, R.F.; Goodnight, J.A.; Lippek, H.E.

    1978-05-01

    The report consists of a presentation and distillation of major nontechnical issues surrounding commercial waste management, followed by ethical, institutional, and political analyses of these issues. The ethical analysis consists of a discusson of what is meant by ''ethics'' and ''morality'' in the waste management context and an illustrative attempt at an ethical analysis of the commercial nuclear waste problem. Two institutional analyses are presented: one is an analysis of the possible problems of long-term human institutions in waste management; the other is a presentation of institutional arrangements for the short term. A final chapter discusses issues and concerns involving intergovernmental relations--that is, local, state, and federal interface problems in waste management

  19. Ethics issues in retrievability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, M.; Larsson, C.M.; Norden, M.

    2000-01-01

    We can isolate some issues, which should not be unresolved for a longer period of time. Disputes over well-defined waste management options fall in this category. The concept of retrievability has a possibility to invoke a series of questions in the minds of both specialists and non-specialists. It is intrinsically vague, in that it may refer to different phases in the repository's life, and to both open and closed repositories in the long time frame. Requirements for retrievability opens a series of issues, including open-ended philosophical question, which may give the impressions that things are not properly taken care of, since the experts differ in opinion. If such disputes cannot be resolved by consulting the existing legal framework, efforts should be made to put them to trial in the proper forum, i.e. parliament and national or local government or authorities, depending on the problem. In contrast, the value of institutional controls can easily be seen as an ethical value, whether included in the regulation of not. It has the potential to deter human intrusion and to allow remedial action by carrying information about a repository. (author)

  20. Validity of the Italian Code of Ethics for everyday nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gobbi, Paola; Castoldi, Maria Grazia; Alagna, Rosa Anna; Brunoldi, Anna; Pari, Chiara; Gallo, Annamaria; Magri, Miriam; Marioni, Lorena; Muttillo, Giovanni; Passoni, Claudia; Torre, Anna La; Rosa, Debora; Carnevale, Franco A

    2016-12-07

    The research question for this study was as follows: Is the Code of Ethics for Nurses in Italy (Code) a valid or useful decision-making instrument for nurses faced with ethical problems in their daily clinical practice? Focus groups were conducted to analyze specific ethical problems through 11 case studies. The analysis was conducted using sections of the Code as well as other relevant documents. Each focus group had a specific theme and nurses participated freely in the discussions according to their respective clinical competencies. The executive administrative committee of the local nursing licensing council provided approval for conducting this project. Measures were taken to protect the confidentiality of consenting participants. The answer to the research question posed for this investigation was predominantly positive. Many sections of the Code were useful for discussion and identifying possible solutions for the ethical problems presented in the 11 cases. We concluded that the Code of Ethics for Nurses in Italy can be a valuable aid in daily practice in most clinical situations that can give rise to ethical problems. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. Ethics in Turkish nursing education programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Görgülü, Refia Selma; Dinç, Leyla

    2007-11-01

    This descriptive study investigated the current status of ethics instruction in Turkish nursing education programs. The sample for this study comprised 39 nursing schools, which represented 51% of all nursing schools in Turkey. Data were collected through a postal questionnaire. The results revealed that 18 of these nursing schools incorporated an ethics course into undergraduate and three into graduate level programs. Most of the educators focused on the basic concepts of ethics, deontological theory, ethical principles, ethical problems in health care, patient rights and codes of ethics for nurses. More than half of the educators believed that students' theoretical knowledge of ethics is applied to their clinical experiences. The teaching methods used included discussion in class, lectures, case studies, small group discussion, dramatization and demonstration. Assessment was carried out by means of written essays and written examinations.

  2. Foundations for Ethical Standards and Codes: The Role of Moral Philosophy and Theory in Ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Stephen J.; Engels, Dennis W.; Altekruse, Michael K.

    2004-01-01

    Ethical practice is a concern for all who practice in the psychological, social, and behavioral sciences. A central problem is discerning what action is ethically correct in a particular situation. It has been said that there is nothing so practical as good theory, because theory can help counselors organize and integrate knowledge. It seems,…

  3. Ethics education in chiropractic colleges: a North American survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinsinger, Stuart; Soave, David

    2012-07-01

    The purposes of this study were to survey Council on Chiropractic Education-accredited chiropractic colleges in North America and to describe curricular details on the teaching of bioethics. A custom-designed survey was sent to chiropractic colleges. Total number of contact hours, whether the ethics was a stand-alone course or integrated elsewhere, type of instructor, and if there was a required or recommended course text were queried. Of 19 surveys sent by mail, 15 surveys were returned. The average time in ethics instruction was 18.7 hours including lecture format, small group tutorial, and self-study. Chiropractic ethics education includes 8 areas of content (boundaries, law and jurisprudence, professionalism, basic ethic tenets/principles, ethical codes of conduct, prevention of financial and of sexual abuse, and resolving an ethical dilemma). Some colleges include content taught to students under the domain of law and jurisprudence. The results of this survey indicate that there are opportunities to further develop the educational ethics program at Council on Chiropractic Education-accredited colleges. All colleges currently offer bioethics teaching. An expanded role for this content is recommended so as to offer optimal benefit for students and practitioners. Copyright © 2012 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Virtue ethics – an old answer to a new dilemma? Part 1. Problems with contemporary medical ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    The commonest practical model used in contemporary medical ethics is Principlism. Yet, while Principlism is a widely accepted consensus statement for ethics, the moral theory that underpins it faces serious challenges in its attempt to provide a coherent and accepted system of moral analysis. This inevitably challenges the stability of such a consensus statement and makes it vulnerable to attack by competitors such as preference consequentialism. This two-part paper proposes an inclusive version of virtue theory as a more grounded system of moral analysis. PMID:25721113

  5. Struggle in the ethics of technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Schuurman

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available The advantages as well as the disadvantages of modern technology, especially in combination with the development of the natural sciences, call in general for philosophical reflection. There is a struggle going on between the various philosophical movements. What is the content of Christian-philosophical thinking about technology and its problems? And what are the consequences in relation to the ethics of technology? Such questions are very unusual among Christians. Nevertheless, the potentially disastrous effects of technology require an ethics of technology. Such an ethics must concern itself with man’s good and responsible conduct in and through technology. Generally speaking, since modern times there has been a technological control mentality. All questions relating to spiritual reflection and religious problems are ruled out. The world view has been transformed to a technological worldview. Motives, values and norms are derived from it. This implies a technological ethics which is the cause of many threats and problems. It is characterised by a cosmological deficit and an ethical deficit. It is only possible to overcome these deficits by a reorientation in culture and in ethics. The “Enlightenment” ought to be enlightened itself by the God-given revelation. The cosmology of the reality as God’s creation and the commandments of love give a possibility for the redirection of an ethics of technology. A responsible cultural and technological development evokes a representation of culture that depicts earth as a garden tended by humans. Technology must be developed within the perspective of the earth as one large garden-city. Technology ought to serve life and not to threaten it. Besides, in an ethics of responsibility attention is given to the central motive of love against the central motive of power of the technological worldview. For a justified, responsible technology the ethical challenge is finding not only true motives, but also

  6. Ethics in marketing communication

    OpenAIRE

    Silvia MUHCINA; Veronica POPOVICI

    2008-01-01

    As well as the entire business world, marketing has its own ethics problems. Numerous marketing specialists or their representatives have consciously declared and adopted different engagements, declarations or codes of rules regarding the necessity that marketing people consider ethics regulations and values, so that they become much more responsible towards the members of society. These declarations or rules concern marketing practices in their ensemble or are guided towards certain specific...

  7. Ethical decision-making in forensic psychology

    OpenAIRE

    M. Swanepoel

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to develop a comprehensive process for identifying and addressing primarily ethical issues related to the psychology profession in South Africa. In fulfilling this purpose, research was conducted of relevant ethical and to a lesser extent, legal aspects pertaining to the psychology profession. In an attempt to prevent unprofessional conduct claims against psychologists from succeeding and to alert psychologists to the concurrent ethical problems that may lead to...

  8. [Physicians' strikes--ethical considerations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glick, Shimon; Schwarzfuchs, Dan

    2012-01-01

    Strikes in general represent a solution based on a form of coercion. Historically, the striker caused direct damage to his employer, who was responsible for the perceived unfair treatment of the employee. In the case of strikes in the public sector, the employer is generally not harmed, but innocent citizens suffer in order to pressure the government agencies, a questionable practice from an ethical viewpoint. Physicians' strikes have more serious ethical problems. They cause suffering and death to innocent citizens. They violate the ethical codes to which physicians have committed themselves as professionals, and they seriously impair the trust of the public in physicians. Better and more ethical ways to provide fair compensation for physicians must be employed, perhaps like those used for judges and members of the IDF.

  9. The paradox of imperfect duty in Kant's moral philosophy: A problem in 'applying' ethics'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richter Phillip

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The Applied Ethics debate has not yet sufficiently clarified what application of ethics exactly is. The issue of application is considered to be especially problematic in Kantian ethics or in discourse ethics. This article describes the concept of applying ethics in Kant. In discussing the duty of helping others and the theory of its application in Metaphysics of Morals it is shown that a strict separation of justification and application in ethical theory results in the paradox of imperfect duty. The paradox says that the duty to help others would be fulfilled without ever being fulfilled in action. To overcome the paradox it is necessary to form submaximes of helping, which are not arbitrarily but instructed by a theory of casuistry. This casuistry, if it is considered as a doctrine of application in Kantian ethics, can overcome the paradox of imperfect duty. However, the casuistry can overcome this paradox only if it is understood as a philosophy of prudence, which can be found in Aristotle or Descartes.

  10. Ethical and legal dilemmas in infertility treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragojević-Dikić Svetlana

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the main characteristics of the new millennium is the affirmation of human rights in all aspects of human existence, with the intention of turning declarative statements into reality. Development of up-to-date assisted reproductive technologies (ART and their application in infertility treatment have raised numerous ethical, legal, religious, social and other questions. In vitro fertilization, donation of gametes, embryos and pre-embryos, cryopreservation of gametes, embryos, ovarian and testicular tissues, embryo transfer, genetic reproductive techniques, cloning and other sophisticated methods used in infertility treatment require cooperation between the medical and legal professions. Ethical aspects of human reproduction and assisted fertilization are based on full respect of the life of an individual even before conception, from pre-embryo stage, via embryo stage and fetus stage to a newborn infant. Regarding investigative and clinical projects, this standpoint implies the legalization of all ART procedures, unencumbered exchange of information and consensus about their application, and adherence to the basic ethical principles of autonomy benefit, justice and common welfare. Ethical postulates provide unequivocal directions in the creation of new life and resolve all possible ethical dilemmas, protecting the rights of doctors and participant in relevant procedures alike and reasserting the crucial principle - respect of human dignity.

  11. e-Government Ethics : a Synergy of Computer Ethics, Information Ethics, and Cyber Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    Arief Ramadhan; Dana Indra Sensuse; Aniati Murni Arymurthy

    2011-01-01

    Ethics has become an important part in the interaction among humans being. This paper specifically discusses applied ethics as one type of ethics. There are three applied ethics that will be reviewed in this paper, i.e. computer ethics, information ethics, and cyber ethics. There are two aspects of the three applied ethics that were reviewed, i.e. their definition and the issues associated with them. The reviewing results of the three applied ethics are then used for defining e-Government eth...

  12. History and theory in "applied ethics".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauchamp, Tom L

    2007-03-01

    Robert Baker and Laurence McCullough argue that the "applied ethics model" is deficient and in need of a replacement model. However, they supply no clear meaning to "applied ethics" and miss most of what is important in the literature on methodology that treats this question. The Baker-McCullough account of medical and applied ethics is a straw man that has had no influence in these fields or in philosophical ethics. The authors are also on shaky historical grounds in dealing with two problems: (1) the historical source of the notion of "practical ethics" and (2) the historical source of and the assimilation of the term "autonomy" into applied philosophy and professional ethics. They mistakenly hold (1) that the expression "practical ethics" was first used in a publication by Thomas Percival and (2) that Kant is the primary historical source of the notion of autonomy as that notion is used in contemporary applied ethics.

  13. Ethical aspects of registry-based research in the Nordic countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludvigsson, Jonas F; Håberg, Siri E; Knudsen, Gun Peggy; Lafolie, Pierre; Zoega, Helga; Sarkkola, Catharina; von Kraemer, Stephanie; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Nørgaard, Mette

    2015-01-01

    National health care registries in the Nordic countries share many attributes, but different legal and ethical frameworks represent a challenge to promoting effective joint research. Internationally, there is a lack of knowledge about how ethical matters are considered in Nordic registry-based research, and a lack of knowledge about how Nordic ethics committees operate and what is needed to obtain an approval. In this paper, we review ethical aspects of registry-based research, the legal framework, the role of ethics review boards in the Nordic countries, and the structure of the ethics application. We discuss the role of informed consent in registry-based research and how to safeguard the integrity of study participants, including vulnerable subjects and children. Our review also provides information on the different government agencies that contribute registry-based data, and a list of the major health registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Both ethical values and conditions for registry-based research are similar in the Nordic countries. While Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have chosen different legal frameworks, these differences can be resolved through mutual recognition of ethical applications and by harmonizing the different systems, likely leading to increased collaboration and enlarged studies.

  14. Undergraduate healthcare ethics education, moral resilience, and the role of ethical theories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteverde, Settimio

    2014-06-01

    This article combines foundational and empirical aspects of healthcare education and develops a framework for teaching ethical theories inspired by pragmatist learning theory and recent work on the concept of moral resilience. It describes an exemplary implementation and presents data from student evaluation. After a pilot implementation in a regular ethics module, the feasibility and acceptance of the novel framework by students were evaluated. In addition to the regular online module evaluation, specific questions referring to the teaching of ethical theories were added using simple (yes/no) and Likert rating answer formats. At the Bern University of Applied Sciences, a total of 93 students from 2 parallel sub-cohorts of the bachelor's program in nursing science were sent the online survey link after having been exposed to the same modular contents. A total of 62% of all students participated in the survey. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. Students were free to write their name and additional comments. Students consider ethical theories-as taught within the proposed framework-as practically applicable, useful, and transferable into practice. Teaching ethical theories within the proposed framework overcomes the shortcomings described by current research. Students do not consider the mutually exclusive character of ethical theories as an insurmountable problem. The proposed framework is likely to promote the effectiveness of healthcare ethics education. Inspired by pragmatist learning theory, it enables students to consider ethical theories as educative playgrounds that help them to "frame" and "name" the ethical issues they encounter in daily practice, which is seen as an expression of moral resilience. Since it does not advocate a single ethical theory, but is open to the diversity of traditions that shape ethical thinking, it promotes a culturally sensitive, ethically reflected healthcare practice. © The Author(s) 2013.

  15. From Algorithmic Black Boxes to Adaptive White Boxes: Declarative Decision-Theoretic Ethical Programs as Codes of Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    van Otterlo, Martijn

    2017-01-01

    Ethics of algorithms is an emerging topic in various disciplines such as social science, law, and philosophy, but also artificial intelligence (AI). The value alignment problem expresses the challenge of (machine) learning values that are, in some way, aligned with human requirements or values. In this paper I argue for looking at how humans have formalized and communicated values, in professional codes of ethics, and for exploring declarative decision-theoretic ethical programs (DDTEP) to fo...

  16. Business ethics in the Slovenian economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danijel Pučko

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available While taking into account the main concepts of business ethics, the author underlines the importance of the ethical issues in the transition period, identifies the perceived unethical behavior in the Slovenian economy as well as the main approaches to business ethics enhancement in Slovenia. Especially, the attempts to improve business ethical behavior by establishing ethical codes are analysed. This includes the Ethical Code of the Slovenian Managers’ Association, the Code of the Professional Ethics of the Accountants and the Code of the Professional Ethics of the Controllers in Slovenia, as well as some other ethical codes. The courses, workshops and seminars in the field of the business ethics are surveyed as well as the problems in teaching business ethics and empirically researching the field in Slovenia. The role of the media in enhancing business ethics in the country is analysed too. The last part of the article is dedicated to the identification of the prevailing values and attitudes of the Slovenian top managers and of the younger Slovenian managers. Differences and similarities are shown the respect to the results of some foreign research findings. Finally, there are a few conclusions regarding the needed future actions for further enhancement of business ethical behavior in Slovenia.

  17. Nontechnical issues in waste management: ethical, institutional, and political concerns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hebert, J.A.; Rankin, W.L.; Brown, P.G.; Schuller, C.R; Smith, R.F.; Goodnight, J.A.; Lippek, H.E.

    1978-05-01

    The report consists of a presentation and distillation of major nontechnical issues surrounding commercial waste management, followed by ethical, institutional, and political analyses of these issues. The ethical analysis consists of a discusson of what is meant by ''ethics'' and ''morality'' in the waste management context and an illustrative attempt at an ethical analysis of the commercial nuclear waste problem. Two institutional analyses are presented: one is an analysis of the possible problems of long-term human institutions in waste management; the other is a presentation of institutional arrangements for the short term. A final chapter discusses issues and concerns involving intergovernmental relations--that is, local, state, and federal interface problems in waste management.

  18. Feminism and public health ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, W A

    2006-06-01

    This paper sketches an account of public health ethics drawing upon established scholarship in feminist ethics. Health inequities are one of the central problems in public health ethics; a feminist approach leads us to examine not only the connections between gender, disadvantage, and health, but also the distribution of power in the processes of public health, from policy making through to programme delivery. The complexity of public health demands investigation using multiple perspectives and an attention to detail that is capable of identifying the health issues that are important to women, and investigating ways to address these issues. Finally, a feminist account of public health ethics embraces rather than avoids the inescapable political dimensions of public health.

  19. Health sciences librarians' awareness and assessment of the Medical Library Association Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship: the results of a membership survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrd, Gary D; Devine, Patricia J; Corcoran, Kate E

    2014-10-01

    The Medical Library Association (MLA) Board of Directors and president charged an Ethical Awareness Task Force and recommended a survey to determine MLA members' awareness of and opinions about the current Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship. THE TASK FORCE AND MLA STAFF CRAFTED A SURVEY TO DETERMINE: (1) awareness of the MLA code and its provisions, (2) use of the MLA code to resolve professional ethical issues, (3) consultation of other ethical codes or guides, (4) views regarding the relative importance of the eleven MLA code statements, (5) challenges experienced in following any MLA code provisions, and (6) ethical problems not clearly addressed by the code. Over 500 members responded (similar to previous MLA surveys), and while most were aware of the code, over 30% could not remember when they had last read or thought about it, and nearly half had also referred to other codes or guidelines. The large majority thought that: (1) all code statements were equally important, (2) none were particularly difficult or challenging to follow, and (3) the code covered every ethical challenge encountered in their professional work. Comments provided by respondents who disagreed with the majority views suggest that the MLA code could usefully include a supplementary guide with practical advice on how to reason through a number of ethically challenging situations that are typically encountered by health sciences librarians.

  20. Theories of normative ethics - an overview

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Fabienne

    2007-01-01

    in a larger sum of total of welfare in the world Egoism: We ought always to act so as to maximize the sum total of our own welfare. Duty ethics: There are universal duties and prohibition we always should follow, irrespective of the consequences of following them. Virtue ethics:  The most basic question...... is not what we ought to do, but what kind of persons we ought to be. Besides, the ethics of right, the ethics of care and theories of justice will be mentioned. The theories' advantages and problems will be actualised by relevant examples. Conclusion at discretion...

  1. Managing Ethical Problems in Qualitative Research Involving Vulnerable Populations, Using a Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evalina van Wijk RN, PhD

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the researcher's study was to examine the meaning that intimate partners of female rape victims attached to their lived experiences after the rape. The conduct of qualitative research concerning non-offending partners of female rape victims, however, often involves multifaceted ethical and practical challenges, which can be managed through the use of pilot studies. The pilot study described in this report had three objectives. The first was to pretest and refine the proposed method for locating, accessing, and recruiting intimate partners of female rape victims, within the first two weeks after the rape, for participation in a six-month longitudinal study. The second objective was to identify and prevent all possible risk factors in the proposed recruitment and data collection methods that could harm the participants' safety during the main study. The third objective was to determine the feasibility of the main study, in terms of the limited financial and human resources available. The pilot phase was valuable in identifying ethical and methodological problems during the recruitment of participants and collection of data. It allowed for methodological adjustments prior to the main study and confirmed the feasibility of the overall research design. A pilot, pretesting phase is therefore seen as an essential component of a qualitative study involving a vulnerable population.

  2. Managing Ethical Difficulties in Healthcare: Communicating in Inter-professional Clinical Ethics Support Sessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grönlund, Catarina Fischer; Dahlqvist, Vera; Zingmark, Karin; Sandlund, Mikael; Söderberg, Anna

    2016-12-01

    Several studies show that healthcare professionals need to communicate inter-professionally in order to manage ethical difficulties. A model of clinical ethics support (CES) inspired by Habermas' theory of discourse ethics has been developed by our research group. In this version of CES sessions healthcare professionals meet inter-professionally to communicate and reflect on ethical difficulties in a cooperative manner with the aim of reaching communicative agreement or reflective consensus. In order to understand the course of action during CES, the aim of this study was to describe the communication of value conflicts during a series of inter-professional CES sessions. Ten audio- and video-recorded CES sessions were conducted over eight months and were analyzed by using the video analysis tool Transana and qualitative content analysis. The results showed that during the CES sessions the professionals as a group moved through the following five phases: a value conflict expressed as feelings of frustration, sharing disempowerment and helplessness, the revelation of the value conflict, enhancing realistic expectations, seeing opportunities to change the situation instead of obstacles. In the course of CES, the professionals moved from an individual interpretation of the situation to a common, new understanding and then to a change in approach. An open and permissive communication climate meant that the professionals dared to expose themselves, share their feelings, face their own emotions, and eventually arrive at a mutual shared reality. The value conflict was not only revealed but also resolved.

  3. Business ethics: the materiel/manufacturing perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marucheck, A S; Robbins, L B

    1990-08-01

    The discussion of purchasing practices and product integrity, which have ethical implications for materiel/manufacturing management, serves to illustrate how routine decisions can have larger implications for the firm as a whole. Management needs to take a proactive role in confronting ethical issues by (1) demonstrating a corporate commitment to sound ethics in business practices, (2) providing written policies where appropriate to provide a basis for sound ethical conducts, (3) educating various functional areas to understand their responsibility in seeming unrelated ethical problems, (4) delegating authority in ethical issues where such issues are considered in decision making, and (5) fostering interfunctional communication as a means in establishing corporatewide responsibility. The basic philosophical principles of JIT serve as a blueprint for recognizing and managing ethical responsibility. The unexpected by-products of a JIT implementation may be vendor/customer good will and an excellent reputation for the firm.

  4. Ethics in Crimes and Misdemeanors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Róbert Haraldsson

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper I employ Goodenough´s distinction between films that illustrate, are about and do philosophy to answer the question how we can identify the ethical content of movies. Crimes and Misdemeanors by Woody Allen is taken as an example but Mary L. Litch has argued that this movie illustrates ethical problems and is about ethics. On Litch´s reading the film reveals inherent flaws in utilitarianism and illustrates a Kantian insight as well as other ethical and religious theses. I argue, however, that Litch has relied on a too narrow method when identifying the ethics of Crimes and Misdemeanors. She focuses almost exclusively on dialogue and the general storyline. If we broaden our method to include sensitivity to filming, editing, camera angulation etc., we will not only realize a rather different ethical content in Crimes and Misdemeanors but also see how the movie stirkes close to home for most viewers of Hollywood movies.

  5. Two concepts of empirical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Malcolm

    2009-05-01

    The turn to empirical ethics answers two calls. The first is for a richer account of morality than that afforded by bioethical principlism, which is cast as excessively abstract and thin on the facts. The second is for the facts in question to be those of human experience and not some other, unworldly realm. Empirical ethics therefore promises a richer naturalistic ethics, but in fulfilling the second call it often fails to heed the metaethical requirements related to the first. Empirical ethics risks losing the normative edge which necessarily characterizes the ethical, by failing to account for the nature and the logic of moral norms. I sketch a naturalistic theory, teleological expressivism (TE), which negotiates the naturalistic fallacy by providing a more satisfactory means of taking into account facts and research data with ethical implications. The examples of informed consent and the euthanasia debate are used to illustrate the superiority of this approach, and the problems consequent on including the facts in the wrong kind of way.

  6. Peeling Onions: Some Tools and a Recipe for Solving Ethical Dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Joan Claire

    1993-01-01

    Presents a process for solving ethical dilemmas: define the problem; identify facts; determine values; "slice" the problem different ways--duties, virtues, rights, and common good; rank ethical considerations; consult colleagues; and take action. (SK)

  7. Ethical concerns and dilemmas of Finnish and Dutch health professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopia, Hanna; Lottes, Ilsa; Kanne, Mariël

    2016-09-01

    Healthcare professionals encounter ethical dilemmas and concerns in their practice. More research is needed to understand these ethical problems and to know how to educate professionals to respond to them. To describe ethical dilemmas and concerns at work from the perspectives of Finnish and Dutch healthcare professionals studying at the master's level. Exploratory, qualitative study that used the text of student online discussions of ethical dilemmas at work as data. Participants' online discussions were analyzed using inductive content analysis. The sample consisted of 49 students at master's level enrolled in professional ethics courses at universities in Finland and the Netherlands. Permission for conducting the study was granted from both universities of applied sciences. All students provided their informed consent for the use of their assignments as research data. Participants described 51 problematic work situations. Among these, 16 were found to be ethical dilemmas, and the remaining were work issues with an ethical concern and did not meet criteria of a dilemma. The most common problems resulted from concerns about quality care, safety of healthcare professionals, patients' rights, and working with too few staff and inadequate resources. The results indicated that participants were concerned about providing quality of care and raised numerous questions about how to provide it in challenging situations. The results show that it was difficult for students to differentiate ethical dilemmas from other ethical work concerns. Online discussions among healthcare providers give them an opportunity to relate ethical principles to real ethical dilemmas and problems in their work as well as to critically analyze ethical issues. We found that discussions with descriptions of ethical dilemmas and concerns by health professionals provide important information and recommendations not only for education and practice but also for health policy. © The Author(s) 2015.

  8. [Problems and ethical challenges in public health communication].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loss, J; Nagel, E

    2009-05-01

    Health communication, e.g., mass media campaigns, patient information leaflets or websites, plays an important role in public health. It contributes to citizen empowerment and helps them make informed decisions in health matters. However, public health communication can lead to adverse effects on both individual and societal level, e.g., by inaccurate or partial information, discriminatory messages, scandalizing coverage or inadequate tailoring to relevant target groups. It seems important to suggest ethical criteria for health information, e.g., (1) accuracy, completeness and balance, (2) transparency, (3) participation of the target group, (4) respect for human dignity, (5) social justice and equity, (6) appropriateness. Thoughtfulness is important in order not to stigmatize population subgroups. In addition, it is laborious to comprehensively and correctly present benefits and risks of a certain health behavior. Marketing principles guide how to 'sell' a certain health behavior, but health campaigns should not manipulate target persons for the sake of a population health aim. It remains unclear, however, how the different providers of health information can be held ethically responsible.

  9. Ethical Issues in Parent Training Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapon-Shevin, Mara

    1982-01-01

    Four areas of ethical concern are voiced in the training of parents of handicapped children: (1) selection of program goals, (2) problems involved with both positive reinforcement and punishment, (3) conflicts between experimentation and therapeutic intervention, and (4) level of parent training. Consideration of ethical issues at each step of…

  10. Whistleblowing in the OR: the ethical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haddad, A M; Dougherty, C J

    1991-03-01

    1. Whistleblowing highlights the positive social behavior that is intended to benefit others while concealing what is sometimes considered disloyal behavior. 2. Loyalty is one of the most important ethical values, but failure to recognize the limits of loyalty can lead to seriously unethical outcomes. 3. It is critical that the nurse contemplating whistleblowing exhaust all internal resources to resolve the wrongdoing before going outside the organization.

  11. [Applying Ethics, Placating Ethics, or Applying ourselves to Ethics? A Critical View of Environmental Ethics as Applied Ethics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serani Merlo, Alejandro

    2016-01-01

    There is actually a pervasive tendency to consider environmental ethics and bioethics as specific cases pertaining to a supposed kind of ″applied ethics″. Application can be understood in two different meanings: a concrete sense, as in technical applications, and a psychological meaning, as when we mentally apply ourselves to a task. Ethics has been always thought as a practical knowledge, in a ″praxical″ sense and not in a ″poietic″ one. Ethics has to do with ″ends″ not with ″means″; in this sense ethics is ″useless″. Since ethics has to do with the ultimate meaning of things, ethical choices give meaning to all practical activities. In that sense ethics instead of being useless must be considered as ″over-useful″ (Maritain). Nowadays politics tend to instrumentalize ethics in order to political objectives. The consequence has been the reconceptualization of specific ethics as applied ethics. Environmental ethics and bioethics are then submitted to politics following the logic of technical applications. Environmental ethics and bioethics considered as applied ethics are at risk to becoming not only useless, but also meaningless.

  12. Ethics of human testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salter, D C

    1990-08-01

    What should one do, and why? Anyone asking such questions--and everyone does so hundreds of time each day--is concerned with ethics. Product development and testing raise many ethical questions. Particularly since the rise of 'green consumerism', these are of increasing concern to people outside the cosmetics industry, and so should be of interest to those inside it. The major problem seems to be that of reaching agreement on moral and ethical issues. Overcoming this problem involves investigating what is meant by 'ethics', and how decisions depend not on facts but on 'facts-as-perceived'. These in turn depend on many factors, with one's philosophy being the most fundamental. The range of philosophical options is reviewed and it is proposed that wider discussion is the only just way to achieve agreement. Yet some things are not negotiable. There are certain key moral concepts in terms of which discussion must take place for it to be relevant. In ethics of human testing, 'respect for others', that is, avoiding exploitation, is the principal one. Some synthesis of the key moral concepts like that of Immanuel Kant is therefore recommended as the soundest and most widely acceptable basis for the necessary discussion. Defining the responsible use of human subjects covers a range of issues, moral, historical, legal and professional. For example, there may be ethical difficulties in deliberate damage induction as in SPF and irritancy testing. But above all, to avoid exploitation, there is a moral and also a legal requirement that subjects are truly volunteers. This is the basis of the concept of 'informed consent', required but not generally explained in current professional codes of practice. It is unjustified to exploit those who may be under duress, such as 'in-house volunteers' and those with low incomes. Hence in conclusion, criteria for obtaining valid informed consent are briefly reviewed. By considering issues such as these, we can help ensure that cosmetic

  13. Institutionalising Ethics In Organisations: The Role Of Mentoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X. Goosen

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available The phenomenon exists that organisations do not do much to ensure the institutionalisation of business ethics in general, and more specifically, to facilitate employees’ ethical behaviour. The possibility that mentoring may be utilised as a vehicle to institutionalise corporate ethical practices is proposed as a possible solution to the aforementioned problem. By means of a qualitative study, interviews were conducted to determine whether mentoring is used to institutionalise business ethics, and if not, how it can be utilised. An integrated model of mentoring in the institutionalisation of business ethics was generated. It highlighted the compatibility of the mentoring- and institutionalisation of ethics processes. The implications are discussed.

  14. The Ethics of Social Work Supervision Revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Ben-Zion

    1987-01-01

    Charles Levy's classic 1973 article outlined a set of basic value-orientations for supervisors. Attempts to operationalize Levy's principles in order to develop practical guidelines for ethical practice. Discusses problem of "careerism" in social worker supervisors. Recommends supervisors examine ethical implications of their behavior.…

  15. 我国工程活动中的伦理问题分析及对策研究%The Analysis of Engineered Ethical Problems and Countermeasure Research in China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    李慈慈; 王全权

    2014-01-01

    关于工程活动引发的伦理问题研究产生了工程伦理学,将我国与欧美各国的工程伦理学发展做对比。进而挖掘工程活动中存在的诸如注册工程师考核不规范、伦理意识薄弱,科学认知不足等问题。建立和完善注册工程师制度、加强工程伦理的教育以及促进公众参与将是我国工程伦理学发展的必由之路。%The engineering ethics based on the ethical problems research of engineering activities,comparing the engineering ethics difference between US and our country. And then mining the problems in engineering activities,such as lack of assessment standardization of registered engineers ,feeble ethical consciousness, insufficient cognitive science and so on. To establish and complete registered engineer system,strengthening engineering ethical education ,and promoting public participation will be the only way to our country's engineering ethical developments.

  16. Ethics, science and technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Domingues

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The article aims at thinking the relation between ethics, science and technology, emphasising the problem of their re-linking, after the split into judgements of fact and judgements of value, which happened in the beginning of modern times. Once the warlike Aristocracy's ethics and the saint man's moral are examined, one tries to outline the way by taking as a reference the ethics of responsibility, whose prototype is the wise man's moral, which disappeared in the course of modern times, due to the fragmentation of knowing and the advent of the specialist. At the end of the study, the relation between ethics and metaphysics is discussed, aiming at adjusting the anthropological question to the cosmological perspective, as well as at providing the bases of a new humanism, objectifying the humanising of technique and the generation of a new man, literate at science, technology and the humanities.

  17. Ethical aspects on rare diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrera, Luis A; Galindo, Gilberto Cely

    2010-01-01

    In this chapter we discuss several of the most relevant subjects related to ethics on Rare Diseases. Some general aspects are discussed such as the socio-psychological problems that confront the patients and their families that finally lead to marginalization and exclusion of patients affected by these diseases from the health programs, even in wealthy countries. Then we address problems related to diagnosis and some ethical aspects of newborn screening, prenatal, pre-implantation diagnosis and reference centers, as well as some conditions that should be met by the persons and institutions performing such tasks. Alternatives of solutions for the most critical situations are proposed. Subsequently the orphan drugs subject is discussed not only from the availability point of view, prizes, industrial practices, and purchasing power in developed and developing societies. The research related to rare disease in children and other especially vulnerable conditions, the need for informed consent, review boards or ethics comities, confidentiality of the information, biobanks and pharmacogenetics are discussed.

  18. What is data ethics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floridi, Luciano; Taddeo, Mariarosaria

    2016-12-28

    This theme issue has the founding ambition of landscaping data ethics as a new branch of ethics that studies and evaluates moral problems related to data (including generation, recording, curation, processing, dissemination, sharing and use), algorithms (including artificial intelligence, artificial agents, machine learning and robots) and corresponding practices (including responsible innovation, programming, hacking and professional codes), in order to formulate and support morally good solutions (e.g. right conducts or right values). Data ethics builds on the foundation provided by computer and information ethics but, at the same time, it refines the approach endorsed so far in this research field, by shifting the level of abstraction of ethical enquiries, from being information-centric to being data-centric. This shift brings into focus the different moral dimensions of all kinds of data, even data that never translate directly into information but can be used to support actions or generate behaviours, for example. It highlights the need for ethical analyses to concentrate on the content and nature of computational operations-the interactions among hardware, software and data-rather than on the variety of digital technologies that enable them. And it emphasizes the complexity of the ethical challenges posed by data science. Because of such complexity, data ethics should be developed from the start as a macroethics, that is, as an overall framework that avoids narrow, ad hoc approaches and addresses the ethical impact and implications of data science and its applications within a consistent, holistic and inclusive framework. Only as a macroethics will data ethics provide solutions that can maximize the value of data science for our societies, for all of us and for our environments.This article is part of the themed issue 'The ethical impact of data science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

  19. Ethical concerns and dilemmas of Finnish and Dutch health professionals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ilsa Lottes; Hanna Hopia; Mariël Kanne

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: Healthcare professionals encounter ethical dilemmas and concerns in their practice. More research is needed to understand these ethical problems and to know how to educate professionals to respond to them. Research objective: To describe ethical dilemmas and concerns at work

  20. You got a problem with that? Exploring evaluators' disagreements about ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, M; Jacobs, L R

    2000-08-01

    A random sample of American Evaluation Association (AEA) members were surveyed for their reactions to three case scenarios--informed consent, impartial reporting, and stakeholder involvement--in which an evaluator acts in a way that could be deemed ethically problematic. Significant disagreement among respondents was found for each of the scenarios, in terms of respondents' views of whether the evaluator had behaved unethically. Respondents' explanations of their judgments support the notion that general guidelines for professional behavior (such as AEA's Guiding Principles for Evaluators) can encompass sharply conflicting interpretations of how evaluators should behave in specific situations. Respondents employed in private business/consulting were less likely than those in other settings to believe that the scenarios portrayed unethical behavior by the evaluator, a finding that underscores the importance of taking contextual variables into account when analyzing evaluators' ethical perceptions. The need for increased dialogue among evaluators who represent varied perspectives on ethical issues is addressed.

  1. ECOLOGICAL ETHICS. VALUES AND NORMS IN LOCAL RURAL COMMUNITIES

    OpenAIRE

    Włodzimierz Kaczocha; Jan Sikora

    2016-01-01

    An important role in sustainable rural development, involving economy, local communities and nature, should be played by ethics. This paper presents a theoretical and empirical characterization of basic problems of ecological ethics. First and foremost, the study characterizes the philosophical fundamentals of this ethics, with emphasis on ontological and anthropological views of selected thinkers. A universal concept of ecological ethics was proposed, containing values and moral norms that p...

  2. The ethics of psychopharmacological research in legal minors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koelch Michael

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Research in psychopharmacology for children and adolescents is fraught with ethical problems and tensions. This has practical consequences as it leads to a paucity of the research that is essential to support the treatment of this vulnerable group. In this article, we will discuss some of the ethical issues which are relevant to such research, and explore their implications for both research and standard care. We suggest that finding a way forward requires a willingness to acknowledge and discuss the inherent conflicts between the ethical principles involved. Furthermore, in order to facilitate more, ethically sound psychopharmacology research in children and adolescents, we suggest more ethical analysis, empirical ethics research and ethics input built into psychopharmacological research design.

  3. Resolving deconvolution ambiguity in gene alternative splicing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hubbell Earl

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background For many gene structures it is impossible to resolve intensity data uniquely to establish abundances of splice variants. This was empirically noted by Wang et al. in which it was called a "degeneracy problem". The ambiguity results from an ill-posed problem where additional information is needed in order to obtain an unique answer in splice variant deconvolution. Results In this paper, we analyze the situations under which the problem occurs and perform a rigorous mathematical study which gives necessary and sufficient conditions on how many and what type of constraints are needed to resolve all ambiguity. This analysis is generally applicable to matrix models of splice variants. We explore the proposal that probe sequence information may provide sufficient additional constraints to resolve real-world instances. However, probe behavior cannot be predicted with sufficient accuracy by any existing probe sequence model, and so we present a Bayesian framework for estimating variant abundances by incorporating the prediction uncertainty from the micro-model of probe responsiveness into the macro-model of probe intensities. Conclusion The matrix analysis of constraints provides a tool for detecting real-world instances in which additional constraints may be necessary to resolve splice variants. While purely mathematical constraints can be stated without error, real-world constraints may themselves be poorly resolved. Our Bayesian framework provides a generic solution to the problem of uniquely estimating transcript abundances given additional constraints that themselves may be uncertain, such as regression fit to probe sequence models. We demonstrate the efficacy of it by extensive simulations as well as various biological data.

  4. Ethical Challenges Facing Greenland in the Present Era of Globalization: Towards Global Responsibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob Dahl Rendtorff

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the developments of ethics and politics in the Arctic region have again become an issue for international discussion. One main issue is the problem of climate change and sustainability of the Arctic region. This problem is linked to the issue of exploitation of natural resources in the Arctic region, not at least in Greenland. Indeed, the general issue is how we should define ethics of the environment and sustainability as a general principle for the Arctic region. It is important to discuss what is at stake and how we define the problem in relation to the different participating stakeholders. This paper deals with these problems as a case for global ethics and it proposes a vision of ethical and political responsibility for sustainable development in order to deal with such problems.

  5. Ethics issues in security hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstein, Henry C

    2002-01-01

    The term 'security hospital' is used for a variety of facilities including forensic hospitals and prison hospitals, which, because of their mission, the nature of their work, and the populations they serve-or because of the authority under which they operate-place the staff at considerable risk of ethical violations related to either clinical care or to forensic activities. The problem of divided loyalties is of special concern in security hospitals. Ethics principles particularly at risk are confidentiality and informed consent. Where there are cultural disparities between the staff and the patients, differences in background, socioeconomic class, education, and other types of diversity, cultural awareness is required and must be reflected in appropriate treatment and evaluation. To counteract the risks of ethical violations, a security hospital should create an ethical climate and develop means to anticipate, prevent, and deal with ethical violations. These might include detailed and specific policies and procedures, programs of orientation, education, consultation, and liaison as well as its own ethics committee. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. The new Italian code of medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fineschi, V; Turillazzi, E; Cateni, C

    1997-01-01

    In June 1995, the Italian code of medical ethics was revised in order that its principles should reflect the ever-changing relationship between the medical profession and society and between physicians and patients. The updated code is also a response to new ethical problems created by scientific progress; the discussion of such problems often shows up a need for better understanding on the part of the medical profession itself. Medical deontology is defined as the discipline for the study of norms of conduct for the health care professions, including moral and legal norms as well as those pertaining more strictly to professional performance. The aim of deontology is therefore, the in-depth investigation and revision of the code of medical ethics. It is in the light of this conceptual definition that one should interpret a review of the different codes which have attempted, throughout the various periods of Italy's recent history, to adapt ethical norms to particular social and health care climates. PMID:9279746

  7. Ethics of sharing scientific and technological data: a heuristic for coping with complexity & uncertainty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J E Sieber

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Data sharing poses complex ethical questions for data management. Manifold conflicting and shifting values need to be reconciled in pursuing viable data-management policies. For example, how does one make data available in useable form to stakeholders including scientists, governments and businesses worldwide, while assuring confidentiality, satisfying one's research ethics committee, protecting intellectual property and national security, and containing costs? Increasingly, ethical problem solving requires integration of ethics with technological "know how" and empirical research on the presenting problem. Each problem is highly contextual; broad application of general ethical principles such as always practice openness, or prepare all data for sharing, may have harmful unintended consequences. Chaos theory provides a heuristic or vision for understanding and coping with complexity and uncertainty. It does not provide answers to problems of data management, but frames the issues, and provides appropriate expectations and heuristics for considering data management problems.

  8. [Subjectivity, ethics and productivity in post-productive health restructuring].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Doris; Ramos, Flávia Regina Souza

    2015-08-01

    The scope of this paper is to analyze the ethical problems generated by the modern stressor pattern of post-transformation productivity in productive restructuring in the health area. It is a qualitative study of the descriptive and exploratory type in which 30 professionals (nurses, doctors and dental surgeons) from a metropolitan region in the South of Brazil were interviewed, all of whom had prior experience in the public and private sectors. The results were analyzed through Discursive Textual Analysis. Capitalization is revealed as a major ethical problem in the series of new issues derived from the productivity-profitability imperative in health, due to the acritical incorporation of ethics that is restricted to the company's interests or to corporate-individual interests. The ethical problem of low professional commitment to the needs of the patient and of the social collective indicates the need to build a new engaged solidarity in order to increase the quality of public healthcare. Productivity targeted at individual and social needs/interests in the area of health requires a new self-managing and collective engagement of the subjects, supported by an institutional and ethical-political effort of group action, cooperation and solidarity.

  9. Defining directors’ conflict of interests in code of ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emiliano Di Carlo

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available We propose a definition of directors’ conflict of interests (CoI by critically reviewing the academic literature. Then, we present an exploratory study, based on a content analysis of the leading Italian listed companies that sought to empirically assess the directors’ CoI definitions provided by corporate codes of ethics. We found that despite the presence of CoI statement within corporate codes of ethics, CoI definition is often absent, when present it is not always clear, and differs widely among firms. The consequence is that CoI recognition could be not easy and remedies to prevent and resolve directors’ CoI lose their practical utility.

  10. Moral dilemmas in surgical training: intent and the case for ethical ambiguity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newton, M J

    1986-01-01

    It is often assumed that the central problem in a medical ethics issue is determining which course of action is morally correct. There are some aspects of ethical issues that will yield to such analysis. However, at the core of important medical moral problems is an irreducible dilemma in which all possible courses of action, including inaction, seem ethically unsatisfactory. When facing these issues ethical behaviour depends upon an individual's understanding and acceptance of this painful dilemma without recourse to external moral authority. PMID:3806633

  11. Ecology, Ethics, and Responsibility in Family Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddock, James W.

    1993-01-01

    Notes that working with marital and family problems complicates the concept of therapeutic responsibility. Discusses several societal contributors to ethical dilemmas in contemporary family therapy and summarizes an ecological framework for therapy on the basis of which a profile of the ethical family therapist is derived. (Author/NB)

  12. [Organ transplantation. Questions in the interface of ethics and anthropology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birnbacher, D

    2014-08-01

    In the field of organ transplantation medical ethics is confronted with a number of problems where the particular difficulty lies in the fact that ethical and anthropological questions interpenetrate. This article discusses two of these problems in this interface both of which are highly controversial: the real or apparent contradiction between the dead-donor rule and the traditional definition of death and the real or apparent contradiction between the ethical desirability of harvesting organs from non-heart beating donors and the irreversibility of brain death.

  13. Understanding medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, M

    2000-03-01

    Moral thinking is embedded within cultures, and we use ethics all the time in our dealings with one another. Many functioning communities tend to share some values that reflect a particular view of the importance of human life in quantity and quality. Rights and duties form an interconnected network of obligations that protect the security of individuals and groups. In health care, the motives and virtues of practitioners are important sources of the determination to provide care for the ill within the limits of resource constraints. Ethics and the law have similarities, but also significant differences that may cause tension between the two systems. Health care is morally grounded, and provides a bulwark against the widespread fear of disease and suffering. The way in which health care is delivered depends on both national wealth and community values. Ethical problems can be seen as dilemmas, in which there are conflicting values. Modern ethical thinking in health is complicated by the need to consider the values and interests of many stakeholders--patients, health care workers, families, politicians, administrators, health bureaucrats and many others. There are ways of ethical thinking that take account of these often countervailing interests. No universally 'right' answers can be specified. The mode and the thoroughness of ethical consideration, and the careful consideration of local community values, will help to assure that we make the best possible decisions for the time and place.

  14. Ethical issues of prison nursing: A qualitative study in Northern Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sasso, Loredana; Delogu, Barbara; Carrozzino, Roberto; Aleo, Giuseppe; Bagnasco, Annamaria

    2018-05-01

    Prisons are contexts where nurses are required to have specific skills to ensure that, in a setting designed for the expiation of crime, prisoners receive the same type of care as anyone else. But this is not always the case, giving rise to ethical issues. 'How do correctional nurses describe their working experience in prisons? What issues emerged?' This is a qualitative descriptive study. Following purposive sampling, we conducted five focus groups. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Participants and research context: Our sample included 31 correctional nurses in seven prisons in Northern Italy. Ethical considerations: The scientific merit of this study was recognized by the Academic Board of the University of Genoa. Approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Liguria Regional Government that funded this study and from the Local Health Authority that was the prison nurses' employer. Formal consent was obtained from all the nurses who volunteered to participate in this study. Five themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) prisoners' healthcare needs, (2) negotiation between custody and care, (3) satisfaction of working in prisons, (4) obstacles to quality care and (5) safety. 'Manipulation' was a transversal theme that emerged from all the focus groups. The problems generated by the clash between prison security and nursing care priorities did not enable nurses to practice autonomously and provide the best possible to care prisoners, giving rise to ethical issues and moral distress. This in turn causes high nursing turnover rates that negatively impact continuum of care. In Italy, correctional nurses urgently require specific education interventions with the participation of all those who work in prisons. Interventions based on the post-modern concept of restorative nursing could offer prison nurses the opportunity to both resolve ethical issues and reduce moral distress.

  15. Ethics of Informing – An Example of Constructing a False Consciousness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vesna Ivezić

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Hyper-industrialization in public creates awareness of the risks and ecological crisis, which is emphasized by media reports about disasters and insecurity. Need for security, can be met by establishing trust. It is necessary to trust the reports of experts. Consumer society creates new ways of establishing public trust by putting green marks at everything, which creates a sense of security. Instrumentalized media play an important role in the formation of green imagery as the most desirable, which is the basic characteristic of information about the risks and is initiated by organizations that pretend to be environmentally responsible. Green blurring of reality is a result of the tendency of society to cover up problems that can not be resolved and is a prerequisite for the survival of progress. Encouraging the public to unfounded, green thinking, opens an ethical debate.

  16. A Development of Environmental Education Teaching Process by Using Ethics Infusion for Undergraduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wongchantra, Prayoon; Boujai, Pairoj; Sata, Winyoo; Nuangchalerm, Prasart

    2008-01-01

    Environmental problems were made by human beings because they lack environmental ethics. The sustainable solving of environmental problems must rely on a teaching process using an environmental ethics infusion method. The purposes of this research were to study knowledge of environment and environmental ethics through an environmental education…

  17. Elements of ethics for physical scientists

    CERN Document Server

    Greer, Sandra C

    2017-01-01

    This book offers the first comprehensive guide to ethics for physical scientists and engineers who conduct research. Written by a distinguished professor of chemistry and chemical engineering, the book focuses on the everyday decisions about right and wrong faced by scientists as they do research, interact with other people, and work within society. The goal is to nurture readers’ ethical intelligence so that they know an ethical issue when they see one, and to give them a way to think about ethical problems. After introductions to the philosophy of ethics and the philosophy of science, the book discusses research integrity, with a unique emphasis on how scientists make mistakes and how they can avoid them. It goes on to cover personal interactions among scientists, including authorship, collaborators, predecessors, reviewers, grantees, mentors, and whistle-blowers. It considers underrepresented groups in science as an ethical issue that matters not only to those groups but also to the development of scien...

  18. Nurses' contributions to the resolution of ethical dilemmas in practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barlow, Nichola Ann; Hargreaves, Janet; Gillibrand, Warren P

    2018-03-01

    Complex and expensive treatment options have increased the frequency and emphasis of ethical decision-making in healthcare. In order to meet these challenges effectively, we need to identify how nurses contribute the resolution of these dilemmas. To identify the values, beliefs and contextual influences that inform decision-making. To identify the contribution made by nurses in achieving the resolution of ethical dilemmas in practice. An interpretive exploratory study was undertaken, 11 registered acute care nurses working in a district general hospital in England were interviewed, using semi-structured interviews. In-depth content analysis of the data was undertaken via NVivo coding and thematic identification. Participants and context: Participants were interviewed about their contribution to the resolution of ethical dilemmas within the context of working in an acute hospital ward. Participants were recruited from all settings working with patients of any age and any diagnosis. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the local National Research Ethics Committee. Four major themes emerged: 'best for the patient', 'accountability', 'collaboration and conflict' and 'concern for others'. Moral distress was also evident in the literature and findings, with moral dissonance recognised and articulated by more experienced nurses. The relatively small, single-site sample may not account for the effects of organisational culture on the results; the findings suggested that professional relationships were key to resolving ethical dilemmas. Nurses use their moral reasoning based on their beliefs and values when faced with ethical dilemmas. Subsequent actions are mediated though ethical decision-making frames of reference including deontology, consequentialism, the ethics of care and virtue ethics. Nurses use these in contributing to the resolution of these dilemmas. Nurses require the skills to develop and maintain professional relationships for addressing

  19. Applying an ethical decision-making tool to a nurse management dilemma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toren, Orly; Wagner, Nurith

    2010-05-01

    This article considers ethical dilemmas that nurse managers may confront and suggests an ethical decision-making model that could be used as a tool for resolving such dilemmas. The focus of the article is on the question: Can nurse managers choose the ethically right solution in conflicting situations when nurses' rights collide with patients' rights to quality care in a world of cost-effective and economic constraint? Managers' responsibility is to ensure and facilitate a safe and ethical working environment in which nurses are able to give quality care to their patients. In nursing it is frequently declared that managers' main obligations are to patients' needs and their rights to receive quality care. However, managers' ethical responsibilities are not only to patients but also to the nurses working in their institution. This article describes a real (but disguised) situation from an Israeli health care context to illustrate the dilemmas that may arise. The question is posed of whether nurse managers can maintain patients' and nurses' rights and, at the same time, fulfill their obligation to the conflicting demands of the organization. The article also offers a way to solve conflict by using an ethical decision-making model.

  20. Ethical considerations in clinical training, care and research in psychopharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strous, Rael D

    2011-04-01

    Psychopharmacology is a powerful tool in psychiatry; however, it is one that demands responsibility in order to deal with the ethical complexities that accompany advances in the field. It is important that questions are asked and that ethical mindfulness and sensitivity are developed along with clinical skills. In order to cultivate and deepen ethical awareness and subsequently solve issues in optimal fashion, investment should be made in the development of an ethical decision-making process as well as in education in the ethics of psychopharmacology to trainees in the field at all stages of their educational development. A clear approach to identifying ethical problems, engaging various ethical concepts in considering solutions and then applying these principles in problem resolution is demanded. An openness in identifying and exploring issues has become crucial to the future development and maturation of psychopharmacologists, both research and clinical. Consideration must be given to the social implications of psychopharmacological practice, with the best interests of patients always paramount. From both a research and clinical perspective, psychopharmacology has to be practised with fairness, sensitivity and ethical relevance to all. While ethical issues related to psychopharmacological practice are varied and plentiful, this review focuses on advances in technology and biological sciences, personal integrity, special populations, and education and training.

  1. Ethical aspects of acceptance and risk evaluation of nuclear power use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gelfort, E.; Schwager, J.

    2008-01-01

    Is the use of nuclear power inadmissible because of its hazard potential? Ethical aspects, especially those of discourse ethics and utilitarianism, are invoked in answering this question. Ethical norms per se are not sufficient, however, to justify or reject the use of nuclear power. More than good will is required to be proved right, do good, and prevent damage; there must also be technical competence and prognostic ability. The perception in society of damage, cost and benefit of nuclear power differs not only because of lack of information and differences in the ability to judge, but also because of different ethical perceptions. There must be rational weighing of individual protection versus community protection in which, irrespective of the outcome, there are always winners and losers. Those who are burdened by a decision do not necessarily benefit from it. It is for this reason that conflicts of interest between minorities and majorities should be resolved by ethically based democratic rules. The hope that this will lead to consensus should not be abandoned. (orig.)

  2. The ethical health lawyer: an empirical assessment of moral decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Joshua E; Moore, Ilene N; Barry, Bruce; Clayton, Ellen Wright; Carrico, Amanda R

    2009-01-01

    Writing in 1999, legal ethics scholar Brad Wendel noted that "[v]ery little empirical work has been done on the moral decision making of lawyers." Indeed, since the mid-1990s, few empirical studies have attempted to explore how attorneys deliberate about ethical dilemmas they encounter in their practice. Moreover, while past research has explored some of the ethical issues confronting lawyers practicing in certain specific areas of practice, no published data exists probing the moral mind of health care lawyers. As signaled by the creation of a regular column "devoted to ethical issues arising in the practice of health law" in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, the time to address the empirical gap in the professional ethics literature is now. Accordingly, this article presents data collected from 120 health care lawyers. Presenting this population with a number of hypothetical scenarios relating to how they would respond when confronting an ethical dilemma without an obvious solution or when facing a situation in which their personal values were in tension with their professional obligations, this article represents a first step toward better understanding how lawyers who practice in health care settings understand and resolve the moral discomfort they encounter in their professional lives.

  3. The importance of an ethics curriculum in surgical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keune, Jason D; Kodner, Ira J

    2014-07-01

    The nature of surgical work provides fertile ground in which ethical problems can grow. The concept of what it means to be a "good surgeon" includes the ability to reason and deliberate about how the surgeon's unique technical capabilities integrate with larger society. Ethics education at the resident level is important for several reasons. It can ensure that care is delivered in a socially and ethically responsible manner through global and emergent effects on institutions and traditions. It will prepare residents for leadership positions. It can allow residents to confront issues, such as the scientific underdetermination of surgical practice, the application of new technologies to trusting patients that have been developed by for-profit companies, and a surgical environment that is becoming increasingly institutionalized. Resident ethics education provides the opportunity for a model of collective deliberation to be developed that can be used to make sense of ethical problems as they arise.

  4. [An ethical reflection on outreaching mental health care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liégeois, A; Eneman, M

    Care providers have a conflicting societal role: on the one hand they must respect the autonomy of individuals with psychiatric problems, but on the other hand they often feel the need to offer these individuals outreaching care. To compile an ethical reflection on some of the ways in which outreaching mental health care interventions can be provided in a responsible manner. This ethical reflection is based on an ethical advice by the Ethics committee for Mental Health Care of the Brothers of Charity in Flanders. The method combines ethical discussion and a study of the relevant literature. A good starting point is a relational view of the human being that emphasises connectedness and involvement. Consequently, the care provider begins to intervene in the care programme by building a trusting relationship with the person with psychiatric problems. This is how these persons, their close family and friends and care providers exercise their responsibility. There is a gradation of responsibility that extends in a continuous line: personal responsibility develops into shared responsibility which can then become vicarious responsibility. On that basis there is also a gradation in the nature of outreaching care; the care providers first make themselves available and give information, then provide advice, negotiate, persuade, increase pressure, and finally take over and force the person with psychiatric problems. The care providers choose in dialogue and in a considered and consistent way for the appropriate form of outreaching care, in line with the degree of responsibility that the person with psychiatric problems can assume.

  5. Psychoanalysis and analytic psychotherapy in the NHS--a problem for medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, G

    1986-01-01

    I question the place of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy in the National Health Service (NHS), with reference to published material; and, particularly, in relation to primary care, health economics and medical ethics. I argue that there are pressing clinical, research, economic, and ethical reasons in support of the contention that an urgent review of the extent and impact of psychoanalytic practices in the health service is called for. PMID:3735363

  6. Dialectical principlism: an approach to finding the most ethical action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstock, Robert

    2015-03-01

    Most forensic psychiatrists occasionally face complex situations in forensic work in which ethics dilemmas cause discomfort. They want to determine the most ethical action, but the best choice is unclear. Fostering justice is primary in forensic roles, but secondary duties such as traditional biomedical ethics and personal values like helping society, combating racism, and being sensitive to cultural issues can impinge on or even outweigh the presumptive primary duty in extreme cases. Similarly, in treatment the psychiatrists' primary duty is to patients, but that can be outweighed by secondary duties such as protecting children and the elderly or maintaining security. The implications of one's actions matter. In forensic work, if the psychiatrist determines that he should not assist the party who wants to hire him, despite evidence clearly supporting its side, the only ethical option becomes not to accept the case at all, because the evidence does not support the better side. Sometimes it can be ethical to accept cases only for one side. In ethics-related dilemmas, I call the method of prioritizing and balancing all types of conflicting principles, duties, and personal and societal values in a dialectic to resolve conflicts among them dialectical principlism. This approach is designed to help determine the most ethical action. It is aspirational and is not intended to get the psychiatrist into trouble. © 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  7. [Implementation of ethics services. Opportunities and obstacles].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salomon, F

    2015-04-01

    Medical success in the last century has caused situations, in which the question arises whether therapy is right. In the same time autonomy has become more and more important. Furthermore, human beings want to decide on health, life and dying. Experience of limitations of life and desire of autonomy in healthcare lead to ethical questions. Different ethical services were established to deal with and to solve problems. Ethics committees with multiprofessional members and different qualifications will give guidance in critical decision making. Ethics services do not receive responsibility for the decision, but helps those who are responsible by structured reflection, estimation of values and including all concerned. Implementing ethics services also encounters obstructions and scepticism. Time, responsibility for therapy and criticism of customs and structures must be considered to perpetuate success. Instructions for implementing ethics services are presented.

  8. Ethical Issues with Genetic Testing for Tay-Sachs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clayton, Tricia

    Several genetic disorders are specific to Jewish heritage; one of the most devastating is Tay-Sachs disease.Tay-Sachs is a fatal hereditary disease, causing progressive neurological problems for which there is no cure. Ethical issues surrounding genetic testing for Tay-Sachs within the Jewish community continue to be complex and multifaceted. A perspective of Tay-Sachs, using rights-based ethics and virtue ethics as a theoretical framework, is explored.

  9. Ecological ethics and creation faith

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulrich Körtner

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Over past decades a concept of ecological ethics has taken root, which is often equated with environmental ethics. Church and theology have also responded to the environmental crisis. In the last third of the past century an intense discourse about the concerns and extent of a so called creation ethics was conducted. In connection with the question of a creation ethics, and the global responsibility of humans for the biosphere of our planet, the topic of creation has also gained new attention in dogmatics. In this way, ecology has also become a topic of systematic theology. The article focuses on the debate in the German speaking context. Occasionally, a quasi-religious elevation of ecology to the status of a doctrine of salvation is observable. Because theology always also has a function of critique of religion, it must also critically engage the sometimes open and sometimes hidden religious contents and claims of eco-ethical concepts. For this purpose, the first step of the present contribution is to more precisely determine the concepts of creation and nature. Thereafter, the problem of anthropocentrism is analysed. In a further step, the concept of sustainability is analysed. In conclusion, the main features of a responsibility-ethics model of ecological ethics are outlined.

  10. "The refer less resolve more" initiative: A five-year experience from CMC Vellore, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jachin Velavan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available India′s one billion plus strong population presents huge health care needs. Presently, approximately 250,000 general practitioners and 30,000 Government doctors are a part of the Indian healthcare workforce, but 80% of them are based in urban India. Problems which plague healthcare delivery and attributed to physician practice may be enumerated as - physicians (1 lack competencies, (2 lack updating, (3 prescribe irrationally (pressures from pharmaceutical companies and patients, (4 practice unethically, (5 refer excessively to specialists and other clinical professionals, and (6 investigate for diseases without justification. A multi-competent Family Physician who could provide a single-window, ethical, and holistic healthcare to patients and families is the need of the hour. Therefore, training, equipping, and empowering these 250,000 doctors to become such physicians will reduce health costs considerably. Distance medical education using all the andragogic methods can be used to train large number of individuals without displacing them from their work-places. Distance learning provides a useful interface for rapidly developing a specialized pool of doctors practicing and advocating family medicine as most-needed discipline. This motivated CMC Vellore, a premier institution for medical education in India, to start a the "refer less resolve more initiative" by offering "two year family medicine diploma course" by distance mode. This is an innovatively-written program consisting of problem-based self-learning modules, video-lectures, video-conferencing, and face-to-face contact programs. Ten secondary level hospitals, across the country, under the supervision of national and international family medicine faculty form the pillars of this program. This distance learning program offered by CMC Vellore has become the platform for change as there is special focus is on ethics, rational prescribing, consultation skills, application of family medicine

  11. "The Refer Less Resolve More" Initiative: A Five-year Experience from CMC Vellore, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velavan, Jachin

    2012-01-01

    India's one billion plus strong population presents huge health care needs. Presently, approximately 250,000 general practitioners and 30,000 Government doctors are a part of the Indian healthcare workforce, but 80% of them are based in urban India. Problems which plague healthcare delivery and attributed to physician practice may be enumerated as - physicians (1) lack competencies, (2) lack updating, (3) prescribe irrationally (pressures from pharmaceutical companies and patients), (4) practice unethically, (5) refer excessively to specialists and other clinical professionals, and (6) investigate for diseases without justification. A multi-competent Family Physician who could provide a single-window, ethical, and holistic healthcare to patients and families is the need of the hour. Therefore, training, equipping, and empowering these 250,000 doctors to become such physicians will reduce health costs considerably. Distance medical education using all the andragogic methods can be used to train large number of individuals without displacing them from their work-places. Distance learning provides a useful interface for rapidly developing a specialized pool of doctors practicing and advocating family medicine as most-needed discipline. This motivated CMC Vellore, a premier institution for medical education in India, to start a the "refer less resolve more initiative" by offering "two year family medicine diploma course" by distance mode. This is an innovatively-written program consisting of problem-based self-learning modules, video-lectures, video-conferencing, and face-to-face contact programs. Ten secondary level hospitals, across the country, under the supervision of national and international family medicine faculty form the pillars of this program. This distance learning program offered by CMC Vellore has become the platform for change as there is special focus is on ethics, rational prescribing, consultation skills, application of family medicine principles

  12. Cesarean delivery on maternal request: can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilstun, Tore; Habiba, Marwan; Lingman, Göran; Saracci, Rodolfo; Da Frè, Monica; Cuttini, Marina

    2008-06-17

    In this article, we use the principlist approach to identify, analyse and attempt to solve the ethical problem raised by a pregnant woman's request for cesarean delivery in absence of medical indications. We use two different types of premises: factual (facts about cesarean delivery and specifically attitudes of obstetricians as derived from the EUROBS European study) and value premises (principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, respect for autonomy and justice).Beneficence/non-maleficence entails physicians' responsibility to minimise harms and maximise benefits. Avoiding its inherent risks makes a prima facie case against cesarean section without medical indication. However, as vaginal delivery can have unintended consequences, there is a need to balance the somewhat dissimilar risks and benefits. The principle of autonomy poses a challenge in case of disagreement between the pregnant woman and the physician. Improved communication aimed to enable better informed choice may overcome some instances of disagreement. The principle of justice prohibits unfair discrimination, and broadly favours optimising resource utilisation. Available evidence supports vaginal birth in uncomplicated term pregnancies as the standard of care. The principlist approach offered a useful framework for ethical analysis of cesarean delivery on maternal request, identified the rights and duties of those involved, and helped reach a conclusion, although conflict at the individual level may remain challenging.

  13. Pengaruh Filosofi Moral Etika dan Emosi terhadap Ethical Judgement Akuntan: Studi Empiris dengan Menggunakan Multidimensional Ethics Scale Pada PT Bank BRI dan PT Telkom di Medan

    OpenAIRE

    Ardani, Devi Agustia

    2013-01-01

    THE INFLUENCE OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF ETHICS AND EMOTION TO ETHICAL JUDGEMENT OF ACCONTANTS : EMPHIRICAL STUDY BY USING MULTIDIMENSIONAL ETHICS SCALE FROM PT BANK BRI AND PT TELKOM IN MEDAN The formulation of problem in this study is how philosophy of ethics and emotion which consist of justice, deontology, relativism, egoism, utilitarianism, regret, relief, and satisfaction affect ethical judgement for accountants. The purpose of this study is to know and analyze the influence of ph...

  14. Immortal ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, John

    2004-06-01

    This article draws on ideas published in my "Intimations of Immortality" essay in Science (Vol. 288, No. 5463, p. 59, April 7, 2000) and my "Intimations of Immortality-The Ethics and Justice of Life Extending Therapies" in editor Michael Freeman's Current Legal Problems (Oxford University Press 2002: 65-97). This article outlines the ethical issues involved in life-extending therapies. The arguments against life extension are examined and found wanting. The consequences of life extension are explored and found challenging but not sufficiently daunting to warrant regulation or control. In short, there is no doubt that immortality would be a mixed blessing, but we should be slow to reject cures for terrible diseases that may be an inextricable part of life-extending procedures even if the price we have to pay for those cures is increasing life expectancy and even creating immortals. Better surely to accompany the scientific race to achieve immortality with commensurate work in ethics and social policy to ensure that we know how to cope with the transition to parallel populations of mortals and immortals as envisaged in mythology.

  15. The impact of an interprofessional problem-based learning curriculum of clinical ethics on medical and nursing students' attitudes and ability of interprofessional collaboration: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Chih; Chan, Te-Fu; Lai, Chung-Sheng; Chin, Chi-Chun; Chou, Fan-Hao; Lin, Hui-Ju

    2013-09-01

    Clinical ethic situations in modern multiprofessional healthcare systems may involve different healthcare professions who work together for patient care. The undergraduate interprofessional education of clinical ethics would help to incubate healthcare students' ability of interprofessional collaboration in solving ethical problems. However, the impact from an interprofessional educational model on student's attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration should be carefully evaluated during the process of curricular development. This study aimed to conduct a pilot interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics and evaluate the curricular impact on interprofessional students' attitude and confidence of collaborative teamwork. Thirty-six medical and nursing students volunteered to participate in this study and were divided into three groups (medical group, nursing group, and mixed group). Tutors were recruited from the Medical School and the College of Nursing. The pilot curriculum included one lecture of clinical ethics, one PBL case study with two tutorial sessions, and one session of group discussion and feedback. A narrative story with multiple story lines and a multiperspective problem analysis tool were used in the PBL tutorials. The students' self-evaluation of learning questionnaire was used to evaluate students' learning of clinical ethics and interprofessional collaborative skills and attitude. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach α, and the criterion-related validity of the questionnaire was evaluated through associations between the dimension scores with the student group by one-way analysis of variance test (ANOVA) test and Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference (HSD) comparison. There was significant difference among different groups in students' ability and attitudes about "interprofessional communication and collaboration" (p = 0.0184). The scores in the mixed group (37.58 ± 3.26) were higher

  16. The impact of an interprofessional problem-based learning curriculum of clinical ethics on medical and nursing students' attitudes and ability of interprofessional collaboration: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Chih Lin

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Clinical ethic situations in modern multiprofessional healthcare systems may involve different healthcare professions who work together for patient care. The undergraduate interprofessional education of clinical ethics would help to incubate healthcare students' ability of interprofessional collaboration in solving ethical problems. However, the impact from an interprofessional educational model on student's attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration should be carefully evaluated during the process of curricular development. This study aimed to conduct a pilot interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics and evaluate the curricular impact on interprofessional students' attitude and confidence of collaborative teamwork. Thirty-six medical and nursing students volunteered to participate in this study and were divided into three groups (medical group, nursing group, and mixed group. Tutors were recruited from the Medical School and the College of Nursing. The pilot curriculum included one lecture of clinical ethics, one PBL case study with two tutorial sessions, and one session of group discussion and feedback. A narrative story with multiple story lines and a multiperspective problem analysis tool were used in the PBL tutorials. The students' self-evaluation of learning questionnaire was used to evaluate students' learning of clinical ethics and interprofessional collaborative skills and attitude. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach α, and the criterion-related validity of the questionnaire was evaluated through associations between the dimension scores with the student group by one-way analysis of variance test (ANOVA test and Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference (HSD comparison. There was significant difference among different groups in students' ability and attitudes about “interprofessional communication and collaboration” (p = 0.0184. The scores in the mixed group (37

  17. Ethics and choosing appropriate means to an end: Problems with coal mine and nuclear workplace safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shrader-Frechette, K.; Cooke, R. [University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN (USA). Dept. of Biological Science

    2004-02-01

    A common problem in ethics is that people often desire an end but fail to take the means necessary to achieve it. Employers and employees may desire the safety end mandated by performance standards for pollution control, but they may fail to employ the means, specification standards, necessary to achieve this end. This article argues that current (de jure) performance standards, for lowering employee exposures to ionizing radiation, fail to promote de facto worker welfare, in part because employers and employees do not follow the necessary means (practices known as specification standards) to achieve the end (performance standards) of workplace safety. To support this conclusion, the article argues that (1) safety requires attention to specification, as well as performance, standards; (2) coal-mine specification standards may fail to promote performance standards; (3) nuclear workplace standards may do the same; (4) choosing appropriate means to the end of safety requires attention to the ways uncertainties and variations in exposure may mask violations of standards; and (5) correcting regulatory inattention to differences between de jute and de facto is necessary for achievement of ethical goals for safety.

  18. ETHICAL FASHION CONCEPT AND DESIGNERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinar GOKLUBERK OZLU

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Some problems like rapidly developing industrialization, irregular population growth, environmental pollution and to feel the impact of global warming as seriously, has been giving significant damage to the earth. People has realized that, after polluting to clean is harder than polluting of the measures to be taken before. And again people showed the sensitivity to the environment through different reactions and sanctions, took measures and created the new concepts about the enviroment. "Ethical Fashion" concept was created by the conscious and responsible individuals in the last two decades. However, that are being implemented as a concept is noticeable. Textile and fashion industry cover "Ethical Fashion"; ecological product, working conditions, fair trade and sustainable product are all in that concept. "Ethical Fashion" appeared and developed especially in United Kingdom, the USA and the other European countries. Nowadays, we may see a lot of textile and fashion designers, fabric and clothing collections, fairs and some specific courses at the universities about "Ethical Fashion". In this research contains "Ethical Fashion" concept, it's development processes and fashion designers who is working for this concept at the present time, also the main target is in this research, semtinizing "Ethical Fashion" concept.

  19. [Clinical trials: vulnerability and ethical relativism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Cristina

    2005-01-01

    Research in human beings is an important chapter of medical ethics. In recent years, investigation has been taken over by profit driven corporations that must guarantee the medical and commercial application of results. This new model of investigation has generated conflicts of interest in doctor-patient, researcher-subject relationship. The inevitable debate and media reaction has led. These trials of controversial design to regions of the globe where the vulnerability of the populations continues to allow their undertaking. This article includes a historical perspective on experimentation in human beings and the conditions that led to its regulation: the Nuremberg CODE, followed by the Helsinky Declaration in its different versions, and the Belmont Report, that defend the subject according to the ethic of principles used in western medicine. There is then a review of the attempts to change international regulation to reintroduce clinical trials with placebo--which since 1996 is only permitted where there are no therapeutic or diagnostic methods--on populations that would otherwise have no access to treatment. This then leads on to the issue of double standards in medical investigation defended by many investigators and some official entities. The article concludes that it may be prudent to allow local ethical commissions to approve deviation from the established norm if such is necessary to resolve urgent questions of health in the country, but it is unacceptable that any such emergency is used as a reason to reduce the ethical prerequisites, in clinical trials. It also concludes that true urgency is in making available to all who need it the effective products already in existence. Furthermore, that the acceptance of ethical relativism can result in the exploitation of vulnerable third world populations for research programmes that cannot be undertaken in their sponsoring countries due to the ethical restrictions in place.

  20. Characterisation of organisational issues in paediatric clinical ethics consultation: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opel, D J; Wilfond, B S; Brownstein, D; Diekema, D S; Pearlman, R A

    2009-08-01

    The traditional approach to resolving ethics concerns may not address underlying organisational issues involved in the evolution of these concerns. This represents a missed opportunity to improve quality of care "upstream". The purpose of this study was to understand better which organisational issues may contribute to ethics concerns. Directed content analysis was used to review ethics consultation notes from an academic children's hospital from 1996 to 2006 (N = 71). The analysis utilised 18 categories of organisational issues derived and modified from published quality improvement protocols. Organisational issues were identified in 68 of the 71 (96%) ethics consult notes across a range of patient settings and reasons for consultation. Thirteen of the 18 categories of organisational issues were identified and there was a median of two organisational issues per consult note. The most frequently identified organisational issues were informal organisational culture (eg, collective practices and approaches to situations with ethical dimensions that are not guided by policy), policies and procedures (eg, staff knows policy and/or procedural guidelines for an ethical concern but do not follow it) and communication (eg, communication about critical information, orders, or hand-offs repeatedly does not occur among services). Organisational issues contribute to ethical concerns that result in clinical ethics consults. Identifying and addressing organisational issues such as informal culture and communication may help decrease the recurrence of future similar ethics concerns.

  1. The Concept of Ethics in the Intensive Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kutay Alpir

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The concept of ethics in the intensive care unit has developed in the last 50 years along with the advancements and regulations in this area of medicine. Especially by the use of life-supportive equipment in the intensive care units and the resulting elongation in the terminal stage of life has led to newly described clinical conditions. These conditions include vegetative state, brain death, dissociated heart death. The current trend aiming to provide the best health care facilities with optimal costs resulted with regulations. The conflicts in the patient-physician relations resulting from these regulations has resolved to some extent by the studies of intensive care unit ethics. The major ethical topics in the intensive care are the usage of autonomy right, the selection of patients to be admitted to the intensive care unit and the limitation of the treatment. The patient selection is optimized by triage and allocation, the limitation of the treatment is done by the means of withdrawal and withhold, and the usage of autonomy right is tried to be solved by proxy, living will and ethics committee regulations. The ethical regulations have found partial solutions to the conflicts. For the ultimate solution much work about the subject has to be done. (Journal of the Turkish Society of Intensive Care 2010; 8: 77-84

  2. [Medical ethics in residency training].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Civaner, Murat; Sarikaya, Ozlem; Balcioğlu, Harun

    2009-04-01

    Medical ethics education in residency training is one of the hot topics of continuous medical education debates. Its importance and necessity is constantly stressed in declarations and statements on national and international level. Parallel to the major structural changes in the organization and the finance model of health care system, patient-physician relationship, identity of physicianship, social perception and status of profession are changing. Besides, scientific developments and technological advancements create possibilities that never exists before, and bring new ethical dilemmas along with. To be able to transplant human organs has created two major problems for instance; procurement of organs in sufficient numbers, and allocating them to the patients in need by using some prioritizing criteria. All those new and challenging questions force the health care workers to find authentic and justifiable solutions while keeping the basic professional values. In that sense, proper medical ethics education in undergraduate and postgraduate term that would make physician-to-be's and student-physicians acquire the core professional values and skill to notice, analyze and develop justifiable solutions to ethical problems is paramount. This article aims to express the importance of medical ethics education in residency training, and to propose major topics and educational methods to be implemented into. To this aim, first, undergraduate medical education, physician's working conditions, the exam of selection for residency training, and educational environment were revised, and then, some topics and educational methods, which are oriented to educate physicians regarding the professional values that they should have, were proposed.

  3. Nurses' attitudes toward ethical issues in psychiatric inpatient settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eren, Nurhan

    2014-05-01

    Nursing is an occupation that deals with humans and relies upon human relationships. Nursing care, which is an important component of these relationships, involves protection, forbearance, attention, and worry. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ethical beliefs of psychiatric nurses and ethical problems encountered. The study design was descriptive and cross-sectional. RESEARCH CONTEXT: Methods comprised of a questionnaire administered to psychiatric nurses (n=202) from five psychiatric hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey, instruction in psychiatric nursing ethics, discussion of reported ethical problems by nursing focus groups, and analysis of questionnaires and reports by academicians with clinical experience. PARTICIPANTS consist of the nurses who volunteered to take part in the study from the five psychiatric hospitals (n=202), which were selected with cluster sampling method. Ethical considerations: Written informed consent of each participant was taken prior to the study. The results indicated that nurses needed additional education in psychiatric ethics. Insufficient personnel, excessive workload, working conditions, lack of supervision, and in-service training were identified as leading to unethical behaviors. Ethical code or nursing care -related problems included (a) neglect, (b) rude/careless behavior, (c) disrespect of patient rights and human dignity, (d) bystander apathy, (e) lack of proper communication, (f) stigmatization, (g) authoritarian attitude/intimidation, (h) physical interventions during restraint, (i) manipulation by reactive emotions, (j) not asking for permission, (k) disrespect of privacy, (l) dishonesty or lack of clarity, (m) exposure to unhealthy physical conditions, and (n) violation of confidence. The results indicate that ethical codes of nursing in psychiatric inpatient units are inadequate and standards of care are poor. In order to address those issues, large-scale research needs to be conducted in psychiatric nursing with a

  4. ETHICS AND COMMUNICATION IN MANAGEMENT

    OpenAIRE

    Reta CONDEI; Ioana NICULAE; Petrica STEFAN; Agatha POPESCU

    2014-01-01

    Management ethics, the determination at what means “fair”, ”correct” and “just” in decisions and action that affect the others, passes the simple problems like corruption, steal and swindle. It is focused on human interrelations such as between employers and employees, sellers and clients, shareholders, creditors, distributors, community members. The solving of the ethics dilemmas in management do not represent just a delimitation between good and bad, correct and incorrect, but also it is a ...

  5. Environment and ethics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfeifer, H.

    1980-01-01

    There can be hardly any doubt that the attitude so far prevailing in the industrial countries has not given enough credit to the importance of solidarity with the world's poor nations, future generations and extra-human ways of living. Today, environmental policy appears also as an ethical problem under this aspect. Those prevailing values have not been established within one day and shall not let themselves be changed overnight. They have a long history which must be dealt with before determining the present position and giving it a critical assessment. The article aims at broadening views and getting hold of the historical context. Furthermore, it is the author's main concern to make a bigger circle of readers aware of the change of attitudes now being in progress. This will be a contribution to the revival and deepening of the discussion on long-term aspects of environmental protection which, last not least, will have to be taken into consideration within the cultural sector. In the long term, successful environmental policy will have to rely on the improvements of intensive educational and cultural work on the basis of ethical ideals in the Christian sense. Further progress must be increasingly oriented towards ethical values. It must not only be measured by the growth of material prosperity. The standards for ethical orientation require some reflections on what may be adequate and helpful for mankind. Therefore a kind of 'ethics of progress' should be developed which can draw a comprehensive picture of mankind including the mental and ethical aspects of personality. (orig./HP) [de

  6. Ethics of conservation triage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kerrie A Wilson

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Conservation triage seems to be at a stalemate between those who accept triage based on utilitarian rationalization, and those that reject it based on a number of ethical principles. We argue that without considered attention to the ethics of conservation triage we risk further polarization in the field of conservation. We draw lessons from the medical sector, where triage is more intuitive and acceptable, and also from disaster planning, to help navigate the challenges that triage entails for conservation science, practice, and policy. We clarify the consequentialist, deontological, and virtue ethical stances that influence the level of acceptance of triage. We emphasize the ethical dimensions of conservation triage in principle and in practice, particularly in the context of stakeholder diversity, a wide range of possible objectives and actions, broader institutions, and significant uncertainties. A focus on a more diverse set of ethics, more considered choice of triage as a conservation tool, open communication of triage objectives and protocols, greater consideration of risk preferences, and regular review and adaptation of triage protocols is required for conservation triage to become more acceptable among diverse conservation practitioners, institutions, and the general public. Accepting conservation triage as fundamentally an ethical problem would foster more open dialogue and constructive debate about the role of conservation triage in a wider system of care.

  7. Toward an ethics of psychoanalysis: a critical reading of Lacan's ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirshner, Lewis A

    2012-12-01

    Lacan's seminar The Ethics of Psychoanalysis (1959-1960) pursues, from a Freudian perspective, a fundamental philosophical question classically addressed by Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics: How is human life best lived and fulfilled? Is there is an ethic of this type intrinsic to psychoanalysis? Lacan placed the problem of desire at the center of his Ethics. His notorious self-authorized freedom from convention and probable crossing of limits (see Roudinesco 1993) may have led mainstream analysts to ignore his admonition: "At every moment we need to know what our effective relationship is to the desire to do good, to the desire to cure" (Lacan 1959-1960, p. 219). This means that the analyst's desire, as well as the patient's, is always in play in his attempt to sustain an ethical position. An examination of Lacan's seminar highlights this link, but also points to a number of unresolved issues. The patient's desire is a complex matter, readily entangled in neurotic compromise, defense, and transference, and the analyst's commitment to it is also problematic because of the inevitable co-presence of his own desire. Lacan suggested that more emphasis be placed in training on the desire of the analyst, but beyond that a proposal is advanced for the institutionalization of a "third" as reviewer and interlocutor in routine analytic practice. Analysis may not be a discipline that can be limited to a dyadic treatment relationship.

  8. Ethical issues in child and adolescent psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, J; Stewart, A

    1987-01-01

    This paper concerns the special ethical problems in child and adolescent psychiatry which relate to the child as a developing being. Two themes are discussed--the sense of responsibility in the child, and the therapist's responsibility towards the child. As a background to understanding the former, ideas on moral and cognitive development are reviewed. The therapist's responsibility is discussed in relation to different styles of therapy and the ethical issues they raise. The article concludes with a number of suggested ethical principles. PMID:3572994

  9. Ethical conflict in the practice of occupational medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt-Rauf, P W

    1989-01-01

    The practice of occupational medicine has been portrayed as being fraught with ethical conflict and yet this problem has received little systematic study. A question and case study survey of a randomly selected cohort of members of the American Occupational Medical Association has been performed to examine the extent and nature of this problem in occupational medicine practice in the United States. The results indicate a strong reliance on traditional medical role models in responding to ethical conflict but with significant underlying tension between more deontological physician-patient approaches and more teleological public health approaches. These results have significant implications for the synthesis of bioethical theories based on a perceived complementarity of ethical reality, as well as suggesting important improvements in future occupational medicine training.

  10. Reporting ethics committee approval in public administration research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Sara R; Gray, Phillip W

    2014-03-01

    While public administration research is thriving because of increased attention to social scientific rigor, lingering problems of methods and ethics remain. This article investigates the reporting of ethics approval within public administration publications. Beginning with an overview of ethics requirements regarding research with human participants, I turn to an examination of human participants protections for public administration research. Next, I present the findings of my analysis of articles published in the top five public administration journals over the period from 2000 to 2012, noting the incidences of ethics approval reporting as well as funding reporting. In explicating the importance of ethics reporting for public administration research, as it relates to replication, reputation, and vulnerable populations, I conclude with recommendations for increasing ethics approval reporting in public administration research.

  11. Exploring ethical justification for self-demand amputation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomasini, Floris

    2006-01-01

    Self-demand amputees are persons who need to have one or more healthy limbs or digits amputated to fit the way they see themselves. They want to rid themselves of a limb that they believe does not belong to their body-identity. The obsessive desire to have appendages surgically removed to fit an alternative body-image is medically and ethically controversial. My purpose in this paper is to provide a number of normative and professional ethical perspectives on whether or not it is possible to justify surgery for self-demand amputees. In doing so I proceed dialogically, moving between empirical context and normative theory, revealing the taken for granted normative assumptions (what I call the natural attitude--a technical term borrowed from phenomenology) that provide ethical limits to justifying the treatment of self-demand amputees. While I critically examine both Kantian responses against as well as Utilitarian responses for amputation on demand, I conclude that neither normative tradition can fully incorporate an understanding of what it is like to be a self-demand amputee. Since neither theory can justify the apparent non-rational desire of amputation on demand, ethical justification, I argue, falls short of the recognition that there may be a problem. To end, I introduce a meta-ethical idea, "the struggle for recognition," opening up the theoretical possibility of a hermeneutics of recognition before ethical justification that may be more sensitive to the problem of radical embodied difference exemplified by self-demand amputees.

  12. [Medical ethics under the bioethics' point of view: the moral surgical practice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonio, Eliana Maria Restum; Fontes, Tereza Maria Pereira

    2011-01-01

    The professional practice of medicine today has a strong biological approach due to the increasing specialization of medical science. Often, science itself does not help to address and resolve a particular situation of a medical professional, and this is where human and social sciences, and especially other disciplines such as bioethics, can give a more humane and socialist approach, by systematically studying human behavior in the field of life and health sciences, considering moral values and principles. As part of this study, the segment that is limited to the analysis of ethical conflicts arising from the practice of medicine and patient care is known as medical ethics. Medical ethics, in the context of surgery, involves the integration of the surgical patient with the nature of the surgeon, influenced by his training and experience, his sensitivity to identify what is right. Ethics should not only be in the procedure, the surgery itself or in what happens in an operating room or even in the exercise of surgery as a specialty. Ethics must be in the life and conduct of the surgeon, so that all life and professional acts should be ethically valid.

  13. FuturICT — The road towards ethical ICT

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Hoven, J.; Helbing, D.; Pedreschi, D.; Domingo-Ferrer, J.; Gianotti, F.; Christen, M.

    2012-11-01

    The pervasive use of information and communication technology (ICT) in modern societies enables countless opportunities for individuals, institutions, businesses and scientists, but also raises difficult ethical and social problems. In particular, ICT helped to make societies more complex and thus harder to understand, which impedes social and political interventions to avoid harm and to increase the common good. To overcome this obstacle, the large-scale EU flagship proposal FuturICT intends to create a platform for accessing global human knowledge as a public good and instruments to increase our understanding of the information society by making use of ICT-based research. In this contribution, we outline the ethical justification for such an endeavor. We argue that the ethical issues raised by FuturICT research projects overlap substantially with many of the known ethical problems emerging from ICT use in general. By referring to the notion of Value Sensitive Design, we show for the example of privacy how this core value of responsible ICT can be protected in pursuing research in the framework of FuturICT. In addition, we discuss further ethical issues and outline the institutional design of FuturICT allowing to address them.

  14. Ethical reflection and psychotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyskocilová, Jana; Prasko, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Theories of ethics and ethical reflection may be applied to both theory and practice in psychotherapy. There is a natural affinity between ethics and psychotherapy. Psychotherapy practice is concerned with human problems, dilemmas and emotions related to both one's own and other people's values. Ethics is also concerned with dilemmas in human thinking and with how these dilemmas reflect other individuals' values. Philosophical reflection itself is not a sufficient basis for the ethics of psychotherapy but it may aid in exploring attitudes related to psychotherapy, psychiatry and health care. PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched for articles containing the keywords "psychotherapy", "ethics", "therapeutic relationship" and "supervision". The search was conducted by repeating the terms in various combinations without language or time restrictions. Also included were data from monographs cited in reviews. The resulting text is a review with conclusions concerning ethical aspects of psychotherapy. The ability to behave altruistically, sense for justice and reciprocity and mutual help are likely to be genetically determined as dispositions to be later developed by upbringing or to be formed or deformed by upbringing. Early experiences lead to formation of ethical attitudes which are internalized and then applied to both one's own and other people's behavior. Altruistic behavior has a strong impact on an individual's health and its acceptance may positively influence the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying numerous diseases. Ethical theory and reflection, however, may be applied to both theory and practice of psychotherapy in a conscious, targeted and thoughtful manner. In everyday practice, psychotherapists and organizations must necessarily deal with conscious conflicts between therapeutic possibilities, clients' wishes, their own as well as clients' ideas and the real world. Understanding one's own motives in therapy is one of the aims of a

  15. Obstacles and problems of ethical leadership from the perspective of nursing leaders: a qualitative content analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Barkhordari-Sharifabad, Maasoumeh; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, Foroozan

    2017-01-01

    In the nursing profession, leadership plays a significant role in creating motivation and thus enabling nurses to provide high quality care. Ethics is an essential component of leadership qualifications and the ethical leader can help create an ethical atmosphere, offer ethical guidance, and ensure the occupational satisfaction of personnel through prioritizing moralities. However, some issues prevent the implementation of this type of leadership by nursing leaders. The aim of this study was ...

  16. Ethical Issues of Artificial Biomedical Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Alexiou , Athanasios; Psixa , Maria; Vlamos , Panagiotis

    2011-01-01

    Part 12: Medical Applications of ANN and Ethics of AI; International audience; While the plethora of artificial biomedical applications is enriched and combined with the possibilities of artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and nanotechnology, the variability in the ideological use of such concepts is associated with bioethical issues and several legal aspects. The convergence of bioethics and computer ethics, attempts to illustrate and approach problems, occurring by the fusion of human a...

  17. Ethical dimensions of paediatric nursing: A rapid evidence assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagnasco, Annamaria; Cadorin, Lucia; Barisone, Michela; Bressan, Valentina; Iemmi, Marina; Prandi, Marzia; Timmins, Fiona; Watson, Roger; Sasso, Loredana

    2018-02-01

    Paediatric nurses often face complex situations requiring decisions that sometimes clash with their own values and beliefs, or with the needs of the children they care for and their families. Paediatric nurses often use new technology that changes the way they provide care, but also reduces their direct interaction with the child. This may generate ethical issues, which nurses should be able to address in the full respect of the child. Research question and objectives: The purpose of this review is to describe the main ethical dimensions of paediatric nursing. Our research question was, 'What are the most common ethical dimensions and competences related to paediatric nursing?' A rapid evidence assessment. According to the principles of the rapid evidence assessment, we searched the PubMed, SCOPUS and CINAHL databases for papers published between January 2001 and March 2015. These papers were then independently read by two researchers and analysed according to the inclusion criteria. Ethical considerations: Since this was a rapid evidence assessment, no approval from the ethics committee was required. Ten papers met our inclusion criteria. Ethical issues in paediatric nursing were grouped into three areas: (a) ethical issues in paediatric care, (b) social responsibility and (c) decision-making process. Few studies investigate the ethical dimensions and aspects of paediatric nursing, and they are mainly qualitative studies conducted in critical care settings based on nurses' perceptions and experiences. Paediatric nurses require specific educational interventions to help them resolve ethical issues, contribute to the decision-making process and fulfil their role as advocates of a vulnerable population (i.e. sick children and their families). Further research is needed to investigate how paediatric nurses can improve the involvement of children and their families in decision-making processes related to their care plan.

  18. Doing Fieldwork on State Organizations in Democratic Settings: Ethical Issues of Research in Refugee Decision Making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sule Tomkinson

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available By drawing on eighteen months of ethnographic fieldwork and my field diaries in refugee decision-making in Canada, I make three arguments in this article. First, the binary of research in closed vs. open settings may have contributed to overlooking of ethical challenges of research in state organizations in democratic settings. We have to overcome this binary by opening a dialogue among ethnographers. Second, despite well-developed and diverse nature of scholarship on Research Ethics' Board's (REB formal practices and their negative impact on ethnographers' research proposals, the scarcity of scholarship on "ethics in practice" or "everyday ethics" show that we seem to forget that ethnographers, after receiving research ethics approval, still have to do considerable interpretation for what "being ethical" means. Finally, paying attention to "ethically important moments" during research practice may help us bridge the gap between principles of formal ethics and ethics in practice. Using field diaries in these reflections instead of more sanitized subsequent accounts illustrates the immediacy and importance of ethical concerns during research practice. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs150168

  19. Understanding ethical dilemmas in the military workplace factors that influence the decision to take action

    OpenAIRE

    Blevins, Rodney D.

    2004-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. This study examines ethical dilemmas in the workplace and how organizational members move to resolve these challenges. Existing research was reviewed to gain insight and determine current views of ethical dilemmas experienced at work. A study was then conducted with Supply Corps Officers in the U.S. Navy to better understand the dilemmas they face in their daily work life. Officers were asked to think of a critical incident when they ...

  20. Discussion on radiation protection system from ethical issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xutong; Guo, Qiuju

    2002-01-01

    This paper discussed the relationship between radiation protection system and ethical principle, viz. equity and efficiency. According to the authors' opinions, the main problem that the system of radiation protection facing now is the dose-limitation principle cannot incarnate the equity principle completely. Even though the distinguishing between practice and intervention is no other than solving the problem, but the scheme is not perfect still. Ethical issues should be given more attention and be more researched when we try to modify the radiation protection system today

  1. ETHICAL EVALUATIONS OF RETAILERS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON FOOD AND CLOTHING RETAILERS IN KAYSERİ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramazan Kurtoğlu

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Rapid developments in retailing sector bring about some ethical problems. Retailing is a faceto-face marketing activity by its nature. Thus, ethical problems in retailing directly affect consumers and consumer reactions turn directly to retailers. Therefore, defining and solving the ethical problems in retailing is an important issue for retailers. The main purpose of this study is to identify the food and clothing retailers’ perspective about ethical purchase decision making process and their evaluations on this subject. Beside this, identifying the differences of these evaluations in terms of the demographic characteristics of retailers is another objective of this study. Findings show that retailers generally approve ethical behaviors and disapprove unethical behaviors. In addition, evaluations of retailers differ in terms of some demographic characteristics. Results of the study also show that retailers are sensitive about unethical actions and behaviors and they believe that all the retailers must act according to ethical principles.

  2. Evaluating the effects that existing instruction on responsible conduct of research has on ethical decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antes, Alison L; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D; Brown, Ryan P; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D

    2010-03-01

    To examine the effects that existing courses on the responsible conduct of research (RCR) have on ethical decision making by assessing the ethicality of decisions made in response to ethical problems and the underlying processes involved in ethical decision making. These processes included how an individual thinks through ethical problems (i.e., meta-cognitive reasoning strategies) and the emphasis placed on social dimensions of ethical problems (i.e., social-behavioral responses). In 2005-2007, recruitment announcements were made, stating that a nationwide, online study was being conducted to examine the impact of RCR instruction on the ethical decision making of scientists. Recruitment yielded contacts with over 200 RCR faculty at 21 research universities and medical schools; 40 (20%) RCR instructors enrolled their courses in the current study. From those courses, 173 participants completed an ethical decision-making measure. A mixed pattern of effects emerged. The ethicality of decisions did not improve as a result of RCR instruction and even decreased for decisions pertaining to business aspects of research, such as contract bidding. Course participants improved on some meta-cognitive reasoning strategies, such as awareness of the situation and consideration of personal motivations, but declined for seeking help and considering others' perspectives. Participants also increased their endorsement of detrimental social-behavioral responses, such as deception, retaliation, and avoidance of personal responsibility. These findings indicated that RCR instruction may not be as effective as intended and, in fact, may even be harmful. Harmful effects might result if instruction leads students to overstress avoidance of ethical problems, be overconfident in their ability to handle ethical problems, or overemphasize their ethical nature. Future research must examine these and other possible obstacles to effective RCR instruction.

  3. The Educational Technology of Ethical Development for Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Ting; Ustin, Pavel N.; Popov, Leonid M.; Mudarisov, Marat M.

    2017-01-01

    The relevance of this work was connected with the problem of ethical competencies forming among future psychologists during their learning in university. The first task of research was to work out the technology of ethical development for students-psychologists. The structure of this technology included four main educational components:…

  4. The legal, moral and ethical aspects and problems of perception of information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Алла Борисовна Денисова

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available At the present time, when the profits from crimes by means of computer technologies, according to Interpol, in third place after the income of drugs traffickers and illegal arms suppliers, the company is aware that professionals in the field of information technology alone are not enough professional knowledge and skills. In order to prevent deviant behavior in cyberspace, and the correct address ethical issues that arise in their professional activities, legal and ethical regulation of social relations in the sphere of information technologies.

  5. Liberal democracy and nuclear despotism: two ethical foreign policy dilemmas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas E. Doyle

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This article advances a critical analysis of John Rawls's justification of liberal democratic nuclear deterrence in the post-Cold War era as found in The Law of Peoples. Rawls's justification overlooked how nuclear-armed liberal democracies are ensnared in two intransigent ethical dilemmas: one in which the mandate to secure liberal constitutionalism requires both the preservation and violation of important constitutional provisions in domestic affairs, and the other in which this same mandate requires both the preservation and violation of the liberal commitment to international legal arrangements and to the rule of law generally. On this view, the choice to violate constitutional provisions and international legal arrangements is evidence of nuclear despotism. Moreover, this choice does not imply that the ethical foreign policy dilemmas were resolved. Instead, it implies that the dilemmas force liberal democratic governments into implementing ethically paradoxical policy outcomes.

  6. Time-resolved ESR spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckert, D.

    1986-06-01

    The time-resolved ESR spectroscopy is one of the modern methods in radiospectroscopy and plays an important role in solving various problems in chemistry and biology. Proceeding from the basic ideas of time-resolved ESR spectroscopy the experimental equipment is described generally including the equipment developed at the Central Institute of Isotope and Radiation Research. The experimental methods applied to the investigation of effects of chemically induced magnetic polarization of electrons and to kinetic studies of free radicals in polymer systems are presented. The theory of radical pair mechanism is discussed and theoretical expressions are summarized in a computer code to compute the theoretical polarization for each pair of the radicals

  7. Public titles of clinical trials should have ethics review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saenz, Carla; Reveiz, Ludovic; Tisdale, John F

    2015-09-01

    A key aspect to guarantee that research with human subjects is ethical is being overlooked. Ethics review committees invest great effort examining the informed consent documents of research protocols to ensure that potential participants can provide consent validly and are not deluded into thinking that the experimental intervention they may sign up for is already known to be therapeutic. However, these efforts to avoid what is called the "therapeutic misconception" might be in vain if the title with which the studies are being introduced to the potential participants escapes ethics review. Research participants might be deceived by clinical trials entitled "novel therapy" when the point of the trial is precisely to find out whether the intervention at stake is therapeutic or not. Providing potential research participants with such misleading information hampers their ability to make informed decisions. The well-established scrutiny that ethics review committees exercise with regard to consent forms is limited if the registration of clinical trials, for which a public title is chosen, constitutes a process that is independent from the ethics review. In this article, we examine this problem, assess recent measures to integrate clinical trial registration with ethics review processes, and provide specific recommendations to solve the problem and ultimately enhance the accountability, transparency, and ethics of research with human subjects. Copyright © 2015 Pan American Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Cultivating engineering ethics and critical thinking: a systematic and cross-cultural education approach using problem-based learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Pei-Fen; Wang, Dau-Chung

    2011-08-01

    In May 2008, the worst earthquake in more than three decades struck southwest China, killing more than 80,000 people. The complexity of this earthquake makes it an ideal case study to clarify the intertwined issues of ethics in engineering and to help cultivate critical thinking skills. This paper first explores the need to encourage engineering ethics within a cross-cultural context. Next, it presents a systematic model for designing an engineering ethics curriculum based on moral development theory and ethic dilemma analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data from students' oral and written work were collected and analysed to determine directions for improvement. The paper also presents results of an assessment of this interdisciplinary engineering ethics course. This investigation of a disaster is limited strictly to engineering ethics education; it is not intended to assign blame, but rather to spark debate about ethical issues.

  9. Enhancing ethical climates in nursing work environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storch, Janet; Rodney, Patricia; Pauly, Bernadette; Fulton, Thomas Reilly; Stevenson, Lynn; Newton, Lorelei; Makaroff, Kara Schick

    2009-03-01

    In the current era of providing health care under pressure, considerable strain has been placed on nurses workplaces. Underneath the economic and organizational challenges prevalent in health-care delivery today are important values that shape the ethical climate in workplaces and affect the well-being of nurses, managers, patients and families. In this article, the authors report on the outcomes of Leadership for Ethical Policy and Practice, a three-year participatory action research study involving nurses, managers and other health-care team members in organizations throughout British Columbia. By using an ethics lens to look at problems, participants brought ethical concerns out into the open and were able to gain new insights and identify strategies for action to improve the ethical climate. Nurse leader support was essential for initiating and sustaining projects at six practice sites.

  10. Important Factors Underlying Ethical Intentions of Students: Implications for Marketing Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhapakdi, Anusorn

    2004-01-01

    This study analyzes the relative influences of perceived ethical problems, perceived importance of ethics, idealism, relativism, and gender on ethical intention of students. The potential impacts of grade point average and education level of students were also investigated. The results from a survey of students in marketing classes from two major…

  11. The pharmaceutical sales rep/physician relationship in Turkey: ethical issues in an international context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tengilimoglu, Dilaver; Kisa, Adnan; Ekiyor, Aykut

    2004-01-01

    In many developed countries, the physician/pharmaceutical sales representative relationship has increasingly become the focus of ethical questions. Given this context, the purpose of the present study was to determine the ethical dilemmas faced by pharmaceutical sales representatives in Turkey in their relations with physicians, and to identify possible solutions. Through an investigator-designed questionnaire, the ethical problems perceived by 215 pharmaceutical sales representatives were quantitatively analyzed. Nearly all of the participants (96.7%) reported that they had faced ethical dilemmas in marketing drugs to physicians. The most commonly reported problems included paramedical requests (for free lab test kits, etc.) and the necessity of bargaining with physicians over the use of their firm's drugs by offering gifts and sponsorships. The participants in the study felt that physicians were the primary source of ethical problems in the marketing of drugs, and the participants' most highly ranked potential solution to these ethical problems was a better understanding, on the part of physicians, of the role of pharmaceutical sales representatives. At the end of this study, suggestions are given with a view to helping health policy makers understand and address the current controversies involving drug company representatives and physicians.

  12. Psychiatry and online social media: potential, pitfalls and ethical guidelines for psychiatrists and trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankish, Katherine; Ryan, Christopher; Harris, Anthony

    2012-06-01

    This paper proposes ethical guidelines for psychiatrists and psychiatry trainees when interacting with social media. A three-stage process was followed in the development of these guidelines. A literature review provided situations and possible broad rules as to how social media could be ethically engaged. A roundtable discussion by a panel of invited psychiatrists, psychiatry trainees, psychologists, e-health practitioners, lawyers and consumers was held to discuss the situations and to better formulate the ethical principles upon which psychiatrists could act. These vignettes and principles were then broadly discussed at a seminar held at the 2011 RANZCP Congress. Finally, this paper was circulated to the original invitees for final comment. A set of recommendations for working with social media were developed. The new social media provides important avenues for communication, education and treatment. These avenues pose ethical and practical dilemmas that can be resolved by the application of established ethical principles. Practical recommendations for navigating social media are proposed.

  13. Cesarean delivery on maternal request: Can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilstun, Tore; Habiba, Marwan; Lingman, Göran; Saracci, Rodolfo; Da Frè, Monica; Cuttini, Marina

    2008-01-01

    In this article, we use the principlist approach to identify, analyse and attempt to solve the ethical problem raised by a pregnant woman's request for cesarean delivery in absence of medical indications. We use two different types of premises: factual (facts about cesarean delivery and specifically attitudes of obstetricians as derived from the EUROBS European study) and value premises (principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, respect for autonomy and justice). Beneficence/non-maleficence entails physicians' responsibility to minimise harms and maximise benefits. Avoiding its inherent risks makes a prima facie case against cesarean section without medical indication. However, as vaginal delivery can have unintended consequences, there is a need to balance the somewhat dissimilar risks and benefits. The principle of autonomy poses a challenge in case of disagreement between the pregnant woman and the physician. Improved communication aimed to enable better informed choice may overcome some instances of disagreement. The principle of justice prohibits unfair discrimination, and broadly favours optimising resource utilisation. Available evidence supports vaginal birth in uncomplicated term pregnancies as the standard of care. The principlist approach offered a useful framework for ethical analysis of cesarean delivery on maternal request, identified the rights and duties of those involved, and helped reach a conclusion, although conflict at the individual level may remain challenging. PMID:18559083

  14. Cesarean delivery on maternal request: Can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Da Frè Monica

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In this article, we use the principlist approach to identify, analyse and attempt to solve the ethical problem raised by a pregnant woman's request for cesarean delivery in absence of medical indications. We use two different types of premises: factual (facts about cesarean delivery and specifically attitudes of obstetricians as derived from the EUROBS European study and value premises (principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, respect for autonomy and justice. Beneficence/non-maleficence entails physicians' responsibility to minimise harms and maximise benefits. Avoiding its inherent risks makes a prima facie case against cesarean section without medical indication. However, as vaginal delivery can have unintended consequences, there is a need to balance the somewhat dissimilar risks and benefits. The principle of autonomy poses a challenge in case of disagreement between the pregnant woman and the physician. Improved communication aimed to enable better informed choice may overcome some instances of disagreement. The principle of justice prohibits unfair discrimination, and broadly favours optimising resource utilisation. Available evidence supports vaginal birth in uncomplicated term pregnancies as the standard of care. The principlist approach offered a useful framework for ethical analysis of cesarean delivery on maternal request, identified the rights and duties of those involved, and helped reach a conclusion, although conflict at the individual level may remain challenging.

  15. Ethical Implications of Case-Based Payment in China: A Systematic Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Pingyue; Biller-Andorno, Nikola; Wild, Verina

    2015-12-01

    How health care providers are paid affects how medicine is practiced. It is thus important to assess provider payment models not only from the economic perspective but also from the ethical perspective. China recently started to reform the provider payment model in the health care system from fee-for-service to case-based payment. This paper aims to examine this transition from an ethical perspective. We collected empirical studies on the impact of case-based payment in the Chinese health care system and applied a systematic ethical matrix that integrates clinical ethics and public health ethics to analyze the empirical findings. We identified eleven prominent ethical issues related to case-based payment. Some ethical problems of case-based payment in China are comparable to ethical problems of managed care and diagnosis related groups in high-income countries. However, in this paper we discuss in greater detail four specific ethical issues in the Chinese context: professionalism, the patient-physician relationship, access to care and patient autonomy. Based on the analysis, we cautiously infer that case-based payment is currently more ethically acceptable than fee-for-service in the context of China, mainly because it seems to lower financial barriers to access care. Nonetheless, it will be difficult to justify the implementation of case-based payment if no additional measures are taken to monitor and minimize its existing negative ethical implications. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. A handbook of ethical practice a practical guide to dealing with ethical issues in information and library work

    CERN Document Server

    McMenemy, David; Burton, Paul

    2007-01-01

    This book looks at all of the ethical issues facing information and library professionals in one overarching, and practically-focused, text. As such, it is of great benefit to both practitioners and to LIS students. The focus of the book is two-fold: (1) It contains a detailed discussion of the issues that impact on the day-today practice of information workers in the 21st century; and (2) contains case studies discussing potential solutions to ethical problems faced. The book provides sections which work like flowcharts leading from ethical issues through decision points to proposed solutions

  17. Ethical Dilemmas in Hospice and Palliative Care Units for Advanced Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beyhan Bag

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Ethical dilemmas that face heathcare team members referring patients to hospice programs include the ability of clinicians to predict accurately a patient bad prognosis. They affect day-to-day patient management in palliative care programs including healthcare team members concern over the use of morphine because possible respiratory depression in the patient, the question of providing enteral or parenteral nutritional support to patients who refuse to eat and the question of providing parenteral fluids to patients who are unable to take fluids during the terminal phrases of illness. A final ethical dilemma concerns the methodology for quality of life research in palliative care. Understanding and resolving these ethical dilemmas is an important factor determining the quality of the caring for the patient. The ethical dilemmas that are discussed in the article likely to occur in this period can be prevented through his/her participation in the decisions concerning his or her treatment. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2013; 22(1.000: 65-79

  18. Considering virtue: public health and clinical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meagher, Karen M

    2011-10-01

    As bioethicists increasingly turn their attention to the profession of public health, many candidate frameworks have been proposed, often with an eye toward articulating the values and foundational concepts that distinguish this practice from curative clinical medicine. First, I will argue that while these suggestions for a distinct ethics of public health are promising, they arise from problems within contemporary bioethics that must be taken into account. Without such cognizance of the impetus for public health ethics, we risk developing a set of ethical resources meant exclusively for public health professionals, thereby neglecting implications for curative medical ethics and the practice of bioethics more broadly. Second, I will present reasons for thinking some of the critiques of dominant contemporary bioethics can be met by a virtue ethics approach. I present a virtue ethics response to criticisms that concern (1) increased rigor in bioethics discourse; (2) the ability of normative theory to accommodate context; and (3) explicit attention to the nature of ethical conflict. I conclude that a virtue ethics approach is a viable avenue for further inquiry, one that leads us away from developing ethics of public health in a vacuum and has the potential for overcoming certain pitfalls of contemporary bioethics discourse. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Principle-Based Ethics and the Clean Development Mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bay, Ingrid; Oughton, Deborah

    2003-01-01

    Search for common values can go a long way resolving international political and social differences, and represents an area where ethical evaluation can offer an input to international legislation. This paper argues that a principle-based, normative approach should be applied to evaluation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and the goal of sustainable development (SD). Primafacie ethical principles to promote weil-being, dignity and justice can be defined and supported from international agreements on sustainable developments. To promote coherency, these principles should then be specifled according to particular CDM-projects, to produce a set of norms that covers: 1) the different dimension to sustainable development, 2) the distribution of costs and benefits across time and place, and 3) consequences for different affected parties, including future generations and the environment

  20. [Public health, genetics and ethics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kottow, Miguel H

    2002-10-01

    Genetics research has shown enormous developments in recent decades, although as yet with only limited clinical application. Bioethical analysis has been unable to deal with the vast problems of genetics because emphasis has been put on the principlism applied to both clinical and research bioethics. Genetics nevertheless poses its most complex moral dilemmas at the public level, where a social brand of ethics ought to supersede the essentially interpersonal perspective of principlism. A more social understanding of ethics in genetics is required to unravel issues such as research and clinical explorations, ownership and patents, genetic manipulation, and allocation of resources. All these issues require reflection based on the requirements of citizenry, consideration of common assets, and definition of public policies in regulating genetic endeavors and protecting the society as a whole Bioethics has privileged the approach to individual ethical issues derived from genetic intervention, thereby neglecting the more salient aspects of genetics and social ethics.

  1. The ethics of information warfare

    CERN Document Server

    Floridi, Luciano

    2014-01-01

    This book offers an overview of the ethical problems posed by Information Warfare, and of the different approaches and methods used to solve them, in order to provide the reader with a better grasp of the ethical conundrums posed by this new form of warfare.The volume is divided into three parts, each comprising four chapters. The first part focuses on issues pertaining to the concept of Information Warfare and the clarifications that need to be made in order to address its ethical implications. The second part collects contributions focusing on Just War Theory and its application to the case of Information Warfare. The third part adopts alternative approaches to Just War Theory for analysing the ethical implications of this phenomenon. Finally, an afterword by Neelie Kroes - Vice President of the European Commission and European Digital Agenda Commissioner - concludes the volume. Her contribution describes the interests and commitments of the European Digital Agenda with respect to research for the developme...

  2. Using Literature to Teach Ethics in the Business Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Gary

    1992-01-01

    Explores the problems and prospects of incorporating ethics education into the MBA curriculum and the business communication classroom. Argues that literature provides a useful means of restructuring course work to provide ethics instruction and to forge needed links between business and the humanities. (PRA)

  3. Ayn Rand phenomenon in contemporary social and ethical problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. I. Korobko

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper attempts to give a general outline of the phenomenon of well­known American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand in contemporary social and ethical space. Application to the research of life, literary and philosophical heritage of the writer makes it possible to assess its impact on the current situation in politics and philosophy. Review of Ayn Rand’s artistic positions confirms her role as a landmark figure, who represented at that time the actual socio­cultural request of active man in contemporary philosophy and politics, “putting down” in literary form complex of philosophical questions to the level of the ordinary man. Ayn Rand is the focus of the social practices in which she was formed, lived and worked. The ideas of almost all philosophical subjects are presented in her works in a simple way, but they are fundamentally different from conventional notions of ethics, politics and philosophy in general, even the ideas of philosophers, whom she honored, such as Aristotle. That’s why modern philosophers are interested in studying her works now. After all, still there has no comprehensive academic analysis of her philosophical and scientific works of art.

  4. [Continuing education in ethics: from clinical ethics to institutional ethics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brazeau-Lamontagne, Lucie

    2012-01-01

    The mandate of the Ethics Committee of the Conseil de médecins, dentistes et pharmaciens (CMDP) at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS), Sherbrooke, Quebec is three-fold: to guide the clinical decision; to address the institutional ethical function; to create the program for continuing education in ethics (Formation éthique continue or FEC). Might FEC be the means of bridging from individual ethics to institutional ethics at a hospital? To take the FEC perspectives considered appropriate for doctors and consider them for validation or disproving in the context of those of other professionals. Situate the proposed FEC mandate in a reference framework to evaluate (or triangulate) the clinical decision and the institutional ethic. CONVICTION: Sustainable professional development for doctors (DPD) includes ethics; it cannot be ignored. Without constant attention to upgrading one's abilities in professional ethics, these suffer the same fate as other professional aptitudes and competences (for example, techniques and scientific knowledge): decay.

  5. Energy conservation is an ethic; Sho energy wa rinri de aru

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coad, W. J.

    2000-01-05

    It is studied and clarified that the meaning of professionalism in engineering is characterized by following technical and ethic standards in executing engineering. Further study for the ethical standards comes to a certain necessary conclusion. Namely, the most serious problem which mankind is faced with caused as a result of execution of mechanical engineering and electronic engineering is the depletion of energy resources on the earth and the worsening global environment. Therefore, the only conclusion to be reached is obligation of integrating the problem on the engineering executed every day into ethical standards. The paper presented a method to be adaptable to a new ethic which the engineering profession can propose in this paper and also to be practical. (translated by NEDO)

  6. Ethical issues in health-care inquiry: a discussion paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ignacio, Jeanette J; Taylor, Beverley Joan

    2013-02-01

    This paper is a discussion of the possible ethical dilemmas that may arise in both qualitative and quantitative research despite stringent methodological protocols. Three categories of ethical issues will be elaborated on, namely, researcher-participant relations, informed consent and confidentiality and privacy. These are of note because ethical dilemmas most often arise in these areas. Both qualitative and quantitative research types may thus present with problems associated with any, or a combination, of these categories. Methodological rigour will also be discussed as a vital component of any research study. Critics of the qualitative approach have often suggested that the innate lack of methodological rigour has resulted in the preponderance of ethical issues in qualitative studies. Qualitative studies, similar to quantitative studies, have mechanisms that guarantee rigour, quality and trustworthiness. These checks are at par with those of quantitative research but based on different criteria. Both types of research, then, can be considered equal in terms of methodological rigour, regardless of the nature. As no research approach can be perfectly free from threats of ethical issues, it is the researcher's responsibility to address these in ways that will be less harmful to the participants, bearing in mind ethical problems can arise at any time during the research endeavour. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  7. Organisational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence: A cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poikkeus, Tarja; Suhonen, Riitta; Katajisto, Jouko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2018-05-01

    Nurses' ethical competence has been identified as a significant factor governing high quality of care. However, nurses lack support in dealing with ethical problems, and therefore managerial support for nurses' ethical competence is needed. This study aimed to analyse, from the perspective of nurse and nurse leaders, the level of nurses' and nurse leaders' ethical competence, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence at the organisational and individual levels and background factors associated with this support. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed. The Ethical Competence and Ethical Competence Support questionnaires were used to measure the main components. Descriptive statistics and multifactor analysis of variance were used for data analysis. The participants were 298 nurses and 193 nurse leaders working in specialised (48%/52%), primary (43%/36%) or private healthcare (5%/7%) in Finland. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee. Nurses estimated their own ethical competence to be at an average level, whereas nurse leaders estimated their own competence at a high level. Nurses' and nurse leaders' perceptions of provided support for nurses' ethical competence was not at a high level. The positive agreement percentage related to organisational support was 44% among nurses and 51% among nurse leaders. The positive agreement percentage related to individual support was lower, that is, 38% among nurses and 61% among nurse leaders. University education had a positive association with some items of individual support. Despite the findings that ethical competence was estimated at a high level among nurse leaders, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence were not at a satisfactory level. At the organisational level, nurse leaders need to inform of ethical procedures and practices in orientation; encourage multidisciplinary ethics discussions and collaboration; and support

  8. Getting the justification for research ethics review right.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Michael

    2013-08-01

    Dyck and Allen claim that the current model for mandatory ethical review of research involving human participants is unethical once the harms that accrue from the review process are identified. However, the assumptions upon which the authors assert that this model of research ethics governance is justified are false. In this commentary, I aim to correct these assumptions, and provide the right justificatory account of the requirement for research ethics review. This account clarifies why the subsequent arguments that Dyck and Allen make in the paper lack force, and why the 'governance problem' in research ethics that they allude to ought to be explained differently.

  9. Ethical Orientations for Understanding Business Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Phillip V.; Speck, Henry E., III

    1990-01-01

    Argues that history provides the necessary framework in which both to discuss and to seek answers to the three necessary and sequential questions about business ethics: (1) What is ethics and what does it mean to be ethical? (2) Why be ethical?; and (3) How can one be ethical? (SG)

  10. Revisiting eco-ethics and econ-ethics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Otto Kinne

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available Modern humanity can survive only if traditional ethics are extended to include eco-ethics and econ-ethics. Success or failure in developing and implementing these new ethical constructs will affect the fate of our species Homo sapiens and that of millions of other forms of life. In the long run failure to accept and apply eco-ethics and econ-ethics would reduce the capacities of Planet Earth to support life.

  11. Ethics in the bank internet encounter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rendtorff, Jacob Dahl; Mattsson, Jan

    2012-01-01

    /implications – The important implication for managerial research of this study would be for banks to focus on customer competency with an ethical concern instead of only being concerned with technical solutions for effective internet operations. Practical implications – Since more and more businesses are digitally based......Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss some ethical issues in the internet encounter between customer and bank. Empirical data related to the difficulties that customers have when they deal with the bank through internet technology and electronic banking. The authors discuss...... the difficulties that customers expressed from an ethical standpoint. Design/methodology/approach – The key problem of the paper is “how does research handle the user's lack of competence in a web-based commercial environment?” The authors illustrate this ethical dilemma with data from a Danish Bank collected...

  12. Ethics by opinion poll? The functions of attitudes research for normative deliberations in medical ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salloch, Sabine; Vollmann, Jochen; Schildmann, Jan

    2014-09-01

    Empirical studies on people's moral attitudes regarding ethically challenging topics contribute greatly to research in medical ethics. However, it is not always clear in which ways this research adds to medical ethics as a normative discipline. In this article, we aim to provide a systematic account of the different ways in which attitudinal research can be used for normative reflection. In the first part, we discuss whether ethical judgements can be based on empirical work alone and we develop a sceptical position regarding this point, taking into account theoretical, methodological and pragmatic considerations. As empirical data should not be taken as a direct source for normative justification, we then delineate different ways in which attitudes research can be combined with theoretical accounts of normative justification in the second part of the article. Firstly, the combination of attitudes research with normative-ethical theories is analysed with respect to three different aspects: (a) The extent of empirical data which is needed, (b) the question of which kind of data is required and (c) the ways in which the empirical data are processed within the framework of an ethical theory. Secondly, two further functions of attitudes research are displayed which lie outside the traditional focus of ethical theories: the exploratory function of detecting and characterising new ethical problems, and the field of 'moral pragmatics'. The article concludes with a methodological outlook and suggestions for the concrete practice of attitudinal research in medical ethics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  13. Justifiability and Animal Research in Health: Can Democratisation Help Resolve Difficulties?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Simple Summary Scientists justify animal use in medical research because the benefits to human health outweigh the costs or harms to animals. However, whether it is justifiable is controversial for many people. Even public interests are divided because an increasing proportion of people do not support animal research, while demand for healthcare that is based on animal research is also rising. The wider public should be given more influence in these difficult decisions. This could be through requiring explicit disclosure about the role of animals in drug labelling to inform the public out of respect for people with strong objections. It could also be done through periodic public consultations that use public opinion and expert advice to decide which diseases justify the use of animals in medical research. More public input will help ensure that animal research projects meet public expectations and may help to promote changes to facilitate medical advances that need fewer animals. Abstract Current animal research ethics frameworks emphasise consequentialist ethics through cost-benefit or harm-benefit analysis. However, these ethical frameworks along with institutional animal ethics approval processes cannot satisfactorily decide when a given potential benefit is outweighed by costs to animals. The consequentialist calculus should, theoretically, provide for situations where research into a disease or disorder is no longer ethical, but this is difficult to determine objectively. Public support for animal research is also falling as demand for healthcare is rising. Democratisation of animal research could help resolve these tensions through facilitating ethical health consumerism or giving the public greater input into deciding the diseases and disorders where animal research is justified. Labelling drugs to disclose animal use and providing a plain-language summary of the role of animals may help promote public understanding and would respect the ethical beliefs of

  14. An experiential, game-theoretic pedagogy for sustainability ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadowski, Jathan; Seager, Thomas P; Selinger, Evan; Spierre, Susan G; Whyte, Kyle P

    2013-09-01

    The wicked problems that constitute sustainability require students to learn a different set of ethical skills than is ordinarily required by professional ethics. The focus for sustainability ethics must be redirected towards: (1) reasoning rather than rules, and (2) groups rather than individuals. This need for a different skill set presents several pedagogical challenges to traditional programs of ethics education that emphasize abstraction and reflection at the expense of experimentation and experience. This paper describes a novel pedagogy of sustainability ethics that is based on noncooperative, game-theoretic problems that cause students to confront two salient questions: "What are my obligations to others?" and "What am I willing to risk in my own well-being to meet those obligations?" In comparison to traditional professional ethics education, the game-based pedagogy moves the learning experience from: passive to active, apathetic to emotionally invested, narratively closed to experimentally open, and from predictable to surprising. In the context of game play, where players must make decisions that can adversely impact classmates, students typically discover a significant gap between their moral aspirations and their moral actions. When the games are delivered sequentially as part of a full course in Sustainability Ethics, students may experience a moral identity crisis as they reflect upon the incongruity of their self-understanding and their behavior. Repeated play allows students to reconcile this discrepancy through group deliberation that coordinates individual decisions to achieve collective outcomes. It is our experience that students gradually progress through increased levels of group tacit knowledge as they encounter increasingly complex game situations.

  15. Nigeria And Ethical Concerns In Information Technology | Nnorom ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The focus of this study is to expose various ethical problems in Information Technology (IT). It is an in-depth desk research aimed at extending the frontiers of knowledge in Information Technology. Most end-users of IT in Nigeria are not aware of some ethical questions underlining the creation and application of IT devices.

  16. Ethical and philosophical problems of moral education in the pedagogical doctrines of the second half of the XX-beginning of the XXI centuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kondrat'eva S.B.

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available the article considers the problem of spiritually-moral education in the concepts of the teachers-innovators at the turn of XX-XXI centuries. The author focuses on the process of teacher training based on professional ethics of the teacher, focuses on the moral demands of performing professional teaching tasks.

  17. The historic and national aspects of medical ethics and deontology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prikhoda Igor' Viktorovich

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Researches of problems of medical ethics and deontology in activity of the medical worker presented. Historical and national aspects of the delivered problem are considered. They open diversity and complexity of realization of problems of formation of the person of the medical worker. The humanism in medicine makes its ethical basis and morals. The humanism serves moral development of the person of the medical worker. Without humanism the medicine loses the right on existence. Its scientific and professional principles conflict to its basic purpose - to serve the person.

  18. The impaired practitioner- scope of the problem and ethical challenges

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Practitioner impairment occurs when a physical, mental or substance-related disorder interferes with his or her ability to engage in professional activities competently and safely. The Health Professions Council of South Africa makes reporting of impaired colleagues and students mandatory. The ethical dilemma faced by ...

  19. Epigenetics and Child Psychiatry: Ethical and Legal Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Christopher R

    2015-10-01

    Epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry, especially child psychiatry, as it may offer the opportunity for early detection and prevention, as well as development of new treatments. As with the previous introduction of genetic research in psychiatry, there is also the problem of unrealistic expectations and new legal and ethical problems. This article reviews the potential contributions and problems of epigenetic research in child psychiatry. Previous legal and ethical issues in genetic research serve as a guide to those in epigenetic research. Recommendations for safeguards and guidelines on the use of epigenetics with children and adolescents are outlined based on the identified issues. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Radwastes and public ethics: issues and imperatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maxey, M.M.

    1978-01-01

    This paper, which was presented at the Health Physics Society annual meeting at Atlanta, conclude that the problem of radioactive waste management is neither unique and unprecedented, nor has it been properly formulated from an ethical perspective, and that to recover and maintain a balanced perspective on this particular biohazard and to introduce some corrective perception in the public mind becomes an ethical imperative. (author)

  1. Proceedings of the DMS medical ethics symposium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Reilly, D J

    2011-12-01

    This article presents the proceedings of a symposium on medical ethics held at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in October 2010. The nature of current operations continually generates challenging ethical problems, many of which are unique to the military environment. This article is intended to generate a debate on these difficult issues and readers are encouraged to contribute to this debate by emailing the Editor.

  2. Codes of professional responsibility for lawyers: ethics or law?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawry, R P

    1984-01-01

    The American Bar Association has three times in this century produced a code of ethics for lawyers. The movement has clearly been from a general, hortatory format to one of a statement of principles of law. In the ABA's latest effort, the problems of client confidentiality loom as the most serious and most difficult to solve. The question of ethics versus law weighs heavily in this context, and the ABA's latest resolutions of the confidentiality problems are found to be unsatisfactory.

  3. Loophole ethics in sports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Øyvind Kvalnes

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Ethical challenges in sports occur when the practitioners are caught between the will to win and the overall task of staying within the realm of acceptable values and virtues. One way to prepare for these challenges is to formulate comprehensive and specific rules of acceptable conduct. In this paper we will draw attention to one serious problem with such a rule-based approach. It may inadvertently encourage what we will call loophole ethics, an attitude where every action that is not explicitly defined as wrong, will be seen as a viable option. Detailed codes of conduct leave little room for personal judgement, and instead promote a loophole mentality. We argue that loophole ethics can be avoided by operating with only a limited set of general principles, thus leaving more space for personal judgement and wisdom.http://dx.doi.org/10.5324/eip.v4i1.1740

  4. The H1N1 influenza pandemic: need for solutions to ethical problems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatia, Prateek

    2013-01-01

    The rapid spread of the novel influenza virus of H1N1 swine origin led to widespread fear, panic and unrest among the public and healthcare personnel. The pandemic not only tested the world's health preparedness, but also brought up new ethical issues which need to be addressed as soon as possible. This article highlights these issues and suggests ethical answers to the same. The main areas that require attention are the distribution of scarce resources, prioritisation of antiviral drugs and vaccines, obligations of healthcare workers, and adequate dissemination and proper communication of information related to the pandemic. It is of great importance to plan in advance how to confront these issues in an ethical manner. This is possible only if a comprehensive contingency plan is prepared with the involvement of and in consultation with all the stakeholders concerned.

  5. The ethics of 'public understanding of ethics'--why and how bioethics expertise should include public and patients' voices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schicktanz, Silke; Schweda, Mark; Wynne, Brian

    2012-05-01

    "Ethics" is used as a label for a new kind of expertise in the field of science and technology. At the same time, it is not clear what ethical expertise consists in and what its political status in modern democracies can be. Starting from the "participatory turn" in recent social research and policy, we will argue that bioethical reasoning has to include public views of and attitudes towards biomedicine. We will sketch the outlines of a bioethical conception of "public understanding of ethics," addressing three different issues: (a) the methodological relevance of moral questions and problems raised by lay persons in everyday life regarding biomedicine and technology, (b) the normative relevance of such lay moralities for the justification of ethical decisions, and (c) the necessity of public deliberation in this context. Finally, we draw conclusions in view of the concepts and methods such a conception of "public understanding of ethics" should employ.

  6. Machine Ethics: Creating an Ethical Intelligent Agent

    OpenAIRE

    Anderson, Michael; Anderson, Susan Leigh

    2007-01-01

    The newly emerging field of machine ethics (Anderson and Anderson 2006) is concerned with adding an ethical dimension to machines. Unlike computer ethics -- which has traditionally focused on ethical issues surrounding humans' use of machines -- machine ethics is concerned with ensuring that the behavior of machines toward human users, and perhaps other machines as well, is ethically acceptable. In this article we discuss the importance of machine ethics, the need for machines that represent ...

  7. An Analysis of Student Choices in Medical Ethical Dilemmas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woloshin, Phyllis Lerman

    This report describes a study undertaken to assess student choices in medical ethical dilemmas. Medical ethical dilemmas are interpreted to include problems such as abortion, euthanasia, sterilization, experimentation on humans, allocation of scarce medical resources, and physician and health personnel training. The major purpose of the study was…

  8. [How to Understand "Clinical Ethics" and "Research Ethics" in Clinical Settings--Incorporation of IRB, REC, and CEC in Hospital Organizations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ita, Koichiro

    2016-02-01

    As the traditional definition of "medical ethics" has recently changed markedly with advances in medical knowledge and technology, medical doctors and researchers in Japan are required to understand and apply both research and clinical ethics. Quite frequently, ethical problems in clinical settings cannot be addressed by the simple application of good will, hard work, and perseverance by medical personnel. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) have jointly published "Ethical Guidelines for Clinical Studies;" however, clear guidelines (legal, ministerial, or governmental) outlining the expectations regarding clinical ethics do not exist. All medical personnel face deep ethical dilemmas. In these instances, if the fulfillment of 'ethics' relies solely on the capacity of personnel to apply their own individual moral efforts, the result will be burn-out among these workers who have a strong sense of responsibility. In order to avoid this, a system which comprises multiple physicians, nurses, and other personnel must be established, allowing collaboration when an appropriate response is required. A major factor supporting this approach is the offering of Clinical Ethics Consultations.

  9. Research governance: new hope for ethics committees?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frew, Deborah; Martlew, Ainsley

    2007-01-01

    For many years there has been discussion regarding the problems confronting our current ethics review system. Commentators have identified numerous issues that threaten the sustainability of Australia's voluntary HREC system. Various ad hoc solutions to these problems have been posed, but have not resulted in any significant advances. However, in recent years, discourse regarding research governance has become prominent in the Australian research environment. The application of research governance principles is gaining momentum amongst the regulators of research, including research institutions and their governing bureaucracies. We argue that this is potentially the most significant development in several years towards creating a sustainable HREC system in Australia. The recognition by research institutions and their governing bureaucracies that the responsibility for overall research governance lies with them, rather than solely with their HRECs, is leading to a range of initiatives which should significantly lessen the burden on Australian ethics committees, and improve their ability to undertake their core task of reviewing the ethical aspects of research proposals.

  10. Ethical sensitivity, burnout, and job satisfaction in emergency nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palazoğlu, Cansu Atmaca; Koç, Zeliha

    2017-01-01

    Rising levels of burnout and decreasing job satisfaction can inhibit healthcare professionals from providing high-quality care due to a corresponding decrease in their ethical sensitivity. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the level of ethical sensitivity in emergency service nurses and their levels of burnout and job satisfaction. This research employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design. Participants and research context: This study was conducted with a sample of 236 nurses, all of whom worked in emergency service between 24 July 2015 and 28 April 2016. Data were collected using the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board of Ondokuz Mayıs University. There was a weak and negative correlation (r = -0.158, p = 0.015) between Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory scores. There was also a weak and negative correlation (r = -0.335, p Burnout Inventory and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale scores. Decreased job satisfaction and increased burnout levels among emergency service nurses might result in them indulging in improper practices, frequently facing ethical problems, and a decrease in the overall quality of service in hospitals. In order for emergency service nurses to recognize ethical problems and make the most accurate decisions, a high level of ethical sensitivity is critical. In this respect, it is suggested that continuing education after graduation and training programs should be organized.

  11. Ethical philanthropy in academic psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Laura Weiss

    2006-05-01

    From an ethical perspective, psychiatrists cannot accept gifts of significant monetary value from their patients. This guideline raises important questions regarding institutional practices related to gift-giving in academic psychiatry. The first aim of this article is to explain the ethical tensions and shared ethical commitments of the professions of psychiatry and philanthropy. The second aim is to outline a series of steps that may be undertaken to assure ethical philanthropic practices within an institution, including the establishment of a committed advisory workgroup and the creation of ground rules and safeguards for gift-giving. Each situation should be evaluated for "ethical risk," and specific measures to safeguard donors should be considered. The author outlines methods to manage, minimize, or eliminate conflict of interest issues, including identification and disclosure of conflicting interests, role separation, goal clarification, confidentiality protections, proper timing, and ongoing oversight. Three case illustrations are provided and discussed. The process of institutional engagement, dialogue, and shared problem-solving is especially important. A shared, constructive ethic will be attained only if leaders and diverse stakeholders communicate the value of the new approach through their words, expectations, and actions. Through these efforts, greater attention will be given to the concerns of people with mental illness, and academic institutions may be better able to fulfill their responsibilities to this important but neglected population now and in the future.

  12. Ethical case deliberation and decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gracia, Diego

    2003-01-01

    During the last thirty years different methods have been proposed in order to manage and resolve ethical quandaries, specially in the clinical setting. Some of these methodologies are based on the principles of Decision-making theory. Others looked to other philosophical traditions, like Principlism, Hermeneutics, Narrativism, Casuistry, Pragmatism, etc. This paper defends the view that deliberation is the cornerstone of any adequate methodology. This is due to the fact that moral decisions must take into account not only principles and ideas, but also emotions, values and beliefs. Deliberation is the process in which everyone concerned by the decision is considered a valid moral agent, obliged to give reasons for their own points of view, and to listen to the reasons of others. The goal of this process is not the reaching of a consensus but the enrichment of one's own point of view with that of the others, increasing in this way the maturity of one's own decision, in order to make it more wise or prudent. In many cases the members of a group of deliberation will differ in the final solution of the case, but the confrontation of their reasons will modify the perception of the problem of everyone. This is the profit of the process. Our moral decisions cannot be completely rational, due to the fact that they are influenced by feelings, values, beliefs, etc., but they must be reasonable, that is, wise and prudent. Deliberation is the main procedure to reach this goal. It obliges us to take others into account, respecting their different beliefs and values and prompting them to give reasons for their own points of view. This method has been traditional in Western clinical medicine all over its history, and it should be also the main procedure for clinical ethics.

  13. [Institutional ethics committees in Mexico: the ambiguous boundary between health care ethics and research ethics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdez-Martínez, Edith; Lifshitz-Guinzberg, Alberto; Medesigo-Micete, José; Bedolla, Miguel

    2008-08-01

    To identify ethics committees in medical practice in Mexico and possible implications stemming from their composition and functions. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from January-December 2005. A survey was sent by e-mail to the hospitals and family medicine centers with at 10 practices within the Mexican Institute for Social Security (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) (n=437) and the Institute for Security and Social Services for State Employees (Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado) (n=167) and to the Mexican Ministry of Health's most important health care centers (n=15). The following items were analyzed: name of the committee, date of formation, current status, composition, functions, and level of authority. In all, 116 committees were identified, with various names. Of these, 101 (87.1%) were active. The committees were formed from 1985-2006, with a spike occurring in 2004-2005. Of the active committees, 59 (58.4%) were charged with ethical problems/dilemmas related to clinical practice as well as those related to research projects. Of the committee members, 357 (59.0%) held managing positions in the establishment to which the committee pertained; most were medical professionals (71.5%), followed by nursing staff (11.9%). Among the members of the active committees, 77.9% had not received training in ethics. Legal conflicts can be expected, mainly within the organizations whose committees have the authority to determine a course of action. An integrated plan is needed that will set standards for the composition and proceedings of Mexico's ethics committees and the improved training of committee members.

  14. How virtue ethics informs medical professionalism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCammon, Susan D; Brody, Howard

    2012-12-01

    We argue that a turn toward virtue ethics as a way of understanding medical professionalism represents both a valuable corrective and a missed opportunity. We look at three ways in which a closer appeal to virtue ethics could help address current problems or issues in professionalism education-first, balancing professionalism training with demands for professional virtues as a prerequisite; second, preventing demands for the demonstrable achievement of competencies from working against ideal professionalism education as lifelong learning; and third, avoiding temptations to dismiss moral distress as a mere "hidden curriculum" problem. As a further demonstration of how best to approach a lifelong practice of medical virtue, we will examine altruism as a mean between the extremes of self-sacrifice and selfishness.

  15. Attention, People of Earth! Aristotelian Ethics and the Problem of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Growth in human happiness seems to do in part with insights gained through attentive emotional engagement with fictional characters and their identities. For this reason it is important to pay attention to the critique that founding ethics on what we cannot but affirm of ourselves, our identity (rationality and sociability, ...

  16. Ethical issues in research on children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đurić Slađana

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ethical issues that appear in researching children are the subject matter of relatively rich scientific literature, as well as a multitude of national and professional ethical codices. The broad thematization of ethical principles is indeed instigated by the rise of awareness of the seriousness of this problem, as well as by growing fears of potential abuse of children in contemporary research projects. General assertion that children are a vulnerable category of subjects that require special attention and protection from misuse in research projects prevails in literature. The main objective of this paper is to present general ethical issues that various areas of expertise researchers face when children and youth are the subjects of their studies. The principle of voluntary participation, the principle of balanced researcher - respondent relationship, and the principles of privacy, confidentiality and anonymity in studies of children are particularly presented.

  17. Environmental ethics and regional sustainable development

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHENG Du; DAI Erfu

    2012-01-01

    The scientific environmental ethics plays a key role in the recognition of the human-environment interactions.Modern environmental ethics is the philosophical re-thinking of modern human race environmental behavior.The development of environmental ethics theory,as well as its application in reality,determines the viewpoints of environmental ethics.Sustainable development implies harmony on human-environment interactions and inter-generation responsibility,with emphasis on a harmonious relationship among population,resources,environment and development,so as to lay a sustainable and healthy foundation of resources and environment for future generations.The harmonious society construction in China that is raised by the Chinese central government should be covered by environmental ethics.The connotation of open environmental ethics includes a respect for nature,care for the individual human race,and respect for the development of future generations,which means giving consideration to natural values,individual and human race benefits and welfare across generations.The role of environmental ethics in regional development consists of cognition,criticism,education,inspiration,adjusting,legislation and promoting environmental regulations.The major problems in regional development are extensive resource exploration,fast population growth,irrational industrial structure,unfair welfare distribution and the twofold effects of science and technology development.The formulation of environmental ethics that aims at regional sustainable development,can not only harmonize the relationship of population,resource,environment and economic development,but also guide behavior selection,push social and political system transformation,strengthen the legal system,and raise environmental awareness of the public.

  18. Ethical dilemmas and financial burdens faced by clinical dental ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ethics courses are part of most dental curricula, but have no standard, universally accepted outline or structure. Bribery was investigated by a student who had experienced it as a problem himself, highlighting the point that students will be more engaged in ethics education when it addresses issues directly relevant to them.

  19. ICT Student Teachers' Judgments and Justifications about Ethical Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alakurt, Turgay; Bardakci, Salih; Keser, Hafize

    2012-01-01

    In this study, Turkish ICT student teachers' judgments and justifications in four scenarios involving ICT-related ethical problems were investigated. Scenarios were designed based on Mason's (1986) four ethical issues: privacy, accuracy, property and accessibility. The study was carried out in the fall of 2010. We used the critical incidents…

  20. Business ethics in ethics committees?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyle, P

    1990-01-01

    The "Ethics committees" column in this issue of the Hastings Center Report features an introduction by Cynthia B. Cohen and four brief commentaries on the roles hospital ethics committees may play in the making of institutional and public health care policy in the 1990s. The pros and cons of a broader, more public role for ethics committees in reconciling the business and patient care aspects of health care delivery are debated by Cohen in "Ethics committees as corporate and public policy advocates," and by Philip Boyle in this article. Boyle is an associate for ethical studies at The Hastings Center.

  1. Research Integrity and Research Ethics in Professional Codes of Ethics: Survey of Terminology Used by Professional Organizations across Research Disciplines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komić, Dubravka; Marušić, Stjepan Ljudevit; Marušić, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Professional codes of ethics are social contracts among members of a professional group, which aim to instigate, encourage and nurture ethical behaviour and prevent professional misconduct, including research and publication. Despite the existence of codes of ethics, research misconduct remains a serious problem. A survey of codes of ethics from 795 professional organizations from the Illinois Institute of Technology's Codes of Ethics Collection showed that 182 of them (23%) used research integrity and research ethics terminology in their codes, with differences across disciplines: while the terminology was common in professional organizations in social sciences (82%), mental health (71%), sciences (61%), other organizations had no statements (construction trades, fraternal social organizations, real estate) or a few of them (management, media, engineering). A subsample of 158 professional organizations we judged to be directly involved in research significantly more often had statements on research integrity/ethics terminology than the whole sample: an average of 10.4% of organizations with a statement (95% CI = 10.4-23-5%) on any of the 27 research integrity/ethics terms compared to 3.3% (95% CI = 2.1-4.6%), respectively (Porganizations should define research integrity and research ethics issues in their ethics codes and collaborate within and across disciplines to adequately address responsible conduct of research and meet contemporary needs of their communities.

  2. Is there room for ethics within bioinformatics education?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taneri, Bahar

    2011-07-01

    When bioinformatics education is considered, several issues are addressed. At the undergraduate level, the main issue revolves around conveying information from two main and different fields: biology and computer science. At the graduate level, the main issue is bridging the gap between biology students and computer science students. However, there is an educational component that is rarely addressed within the context of bioinformatics education: the ethics component. Here, a different perspective is provided on bioinformatics education, and the current status of ethics is analyzed within the existing bioinformatics programs. Analysis of the existing undergraduate and graduate programs, in both Europe and the United States, reveals the minimal attention given to ethics within bioinformatics education. Given that bioinformaticians speedily and effectively shape the biomedical sciences and hence their implications for society, here redesigning of the bioinformatics curricula is suggested in order to integrate the necessary ethics education. Unique ethical problems awaiting bioinformaticians and bioinformatics ethics as a separate field of study are discussed. In addition, a template for an "Ethics in Bioinformatics" course is provided.

  3. The ethics of distress: toward a framework for determining the ethical acceptability of distressing health promotion advertising.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Stephen L; Whiting, Demian

    2014-04-01

    Distressing health promotion advertising involves the elicitation of negative emotion to increase the likelihood that health messages will stimulate audience members to adopt healthier behaviors. Irrespective of its effectiveness, distressing advertising risks harming audience members who do not consent to the intervention and are unable to withdraw from it. Further, the use of these approaches may increase the potential for unfairness or stigmatization toward those targeted, or be considered unacceptable by some sections of the public. We acknowledge and discuss these concerns, but, using the public health ethics literature as a guide, argue that distressing advertising can be ethically defensible if conditions of effectiveness, proportionality necessity, least infringement, and public accountability are satisfied. We do not take a broad view as to whether distressing advertising is ethical or unethical, because we see the evidence for both the effectiveness of distressing approaches and their potential to generate iatrogenic effects to be inconclusive. However, we believe it possible to use the current evidence base to make informed estimates of the likely consequences of specific message presentations. Messages can be pre-tested and monitored to identify and deal with potential problems. We discuss how advertisers can approach the problems of deciding on the appropriate intensity of ethical review, and evaluating prospective distressing advertising campaigns against the conditions outlined. © 2013 International Union of Psychological Science.

  4. Time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tokmakoff, Andrei [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Champion, Paul [Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States); Heilweil, Edwin J. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States); Nelson, Keith A. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Ziegler, Larry [Boston Univ., MA (United States)

    2009-05-14

    This document contains the Proceedings from the 14th International Conference on Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy, which was held in Meredith, NH from May 9-14, 2009. The study of molecular dynamics in chemical reaction and biological processes using time-resolved spectroscopy plays an important role in our understanding of energy conversion, storage, and utilization problems. Fundamental studies of chemical reactivity, molecular rearrangements, and charge transport are broadly supported by the DOE's Office of Science because of their role in the development of alternative energy sources, the understanding of biological energy conversion processes, the efficient utilization of existing energy resources, and the mitigation of reactive intermediates in radiation chemistry. In addition, time-resolved spectroscopy is central to all fiveof DOE's grand challenges for fundamental energy science. The Time-Resolved Vibrational Spectroscopy conference is organized biennially to bring the leaders in this field from around the globe together with young scientists to discuss the most recent scientific and technological advances. The latest technology in ultrafast infrared, Raman, and terahertz spectroscopy and the scientific advances that these methods enable were covered. Particular emphasis was placed on new experimental methods used to probe molecular dynamics in liquids, solids, interfaces, nanostructured materials, and biomolecules.

  5. Economic issues in the legacy problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kneese, A.V.; Ben-David, S.; Brookshire, D.S.; Schulze, W.D.; Boldt, D.

    1984-01-01

    Working under a grant from the Ethics and Values in Science and Technology Program of the National Science Foundation, the authors examined some of the ethical foundations and implications of cost-benefit analysis, which is increasingly used for problems (such as nuclear policy) with long-term implications. Three ethical economic problems are that the ''correct'' distribution of costs and benefits may not occur, the discounting rate may impose unfair burdens on different generations, and that of assigning a dollar value to human life and safety. The notion of an ethical system as it pertains to these issues is developed, with cost-benefit analysis modified to incorporate weighting structures consistent with four alternative ethical systems: utilitarian, totally egalitarian, totally elitist, and libertarian, and applied to a case study of nuclear power. The study concludes that the unusual time distribution of costs and their potential magnitudes raises questions about discounting and looking only at the present value. 23 references, 2 figures, 7 tables

  6. Improving Ethical Attitudes or Simply Teaching Ethical Codes? The Reality of Accounting Ethics Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Robyn Ann; O'Leary, Conor

    2015-01-01

    Ethical instruction is critical in accounting education. However, does accounting ethics teaching actually instil core ethical values or simply catalogue how students should act when confronted with typical accounting ethical dilemmas? This study extends current literature by distinguishing between moral/ethical and legal/ethical matters and then…

  7. Environmental ethics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pautassi G, Jorge

    1994-01-01

    When the Homo Faber; to the beginning of the humanization, overcame the instinct that established a relationship balanced in the ecosphere between the animal and the nature, an interference it began in the relationship man-nature; since that was not adapted this but rather it began its transformation adapting the environment to its necessities. During miles of years the development of this production technique of the Homo Faber could be considered like a progressive and innocuous exploitation of the natural resources. At the present time, kind of a dialectical transformation of the quantity in a new quality characterizes the critical stadium of the new phase of the evolution inaugurated by the Homo Faber. We arrive this way today to that the production force, by means of the science and the technique, outlines us the problem of if for a bigger development in the productivity is necessary a progressive destruction of the ecosphere. That is to say, so that there is progress and will civilization be necessary a progressive interference of the natural balance, with the consequent setting in danger of the life? Moreover this article treats topics about their location and focuses, environmental ethics framed in the talkative ethics and virtues of the environmental ethics, among other topics

  8. Bioethics and conflicting ethical criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Michael

    2002-01-01

    Some of the major problematic issues in contemporary ethical discourse are highlighted in the field of bioethics. The need to incorporate new understandings and foundational shifts in essential criteria because of technological advances in the areas of medicine and human sciences increasingly challenges traditional and accepted notions of ethics. As the possibilities of technical progress increase, more and more pressure is put on traditional understandings of the human person, identity, and value. In the face of ethical relativism and emotivism, which are already widespread in social and political discourse, the immediacy of bioethics as a response to technology and its impact on human lives reinforces the need for ethics to become interdisciplinary, while attempting to provide some coherence to both the questions and the responses that contemporary life generates. In this paper, the author intends to sketch the outlines of some of these problems, and suggest one approach which might allow a certain methodical intelligibility to emerge which takes into account shifts in consciousness and the dependence on historically grounded perspective.

  9. Robotic Nudges: The Ethics of Engineering a More Socially Just Human Being.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borenstein, Jason; Arkin, Ron

    2016-02-01

    Robots are becoming an increasingly pervasive feature of our personal lives. As a result, there is growing importance placed on examining what constitutes appropriate behavior when they interact with human beings. In this paper, we discuss whether companion robots should be permitted to "nudge" their human users in the direction of being "more ethical". More specifically, we use Rawlsian principles of justice to illustrate how robots might nurture "socially just" tendencies in their human counterparts. Designing technological artifacts in such a way to influence human behavior is already well-established but merely because the practice is commonplace does not necessarily resolve the ethical issues associated with its implementation.

  10. Teacher-Student Sexual Relations: Key Risks and Ethical Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikes, Pat

    2010-01-01

    Researching actual or purported sexual contact between teachers and students raises many difficult ethical issues, questions and dilemmas, which may help to explain why few have ventured into the field. This experientially based paper addresses key problem areas under the headings of: the ethics of researching a sensitive taboo topic; the ethics…

  11. How engineers perceive the importance of ethics in Finland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

    2018-01-01

    Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical 'engineering-like' focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the importance of ethical awareness and transversal competences. Using two Finnish surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2016, we examine how engineers perceive working life needs regarding ethics. The data consider different age groups. We research whether an engineer's age affects their perception of the importance of ethics in their work and if there are differences between young experts and young managers in their use of ethics within work. The results indicate that practising engineers do not consider ethical issues important in their work. This especially applies to younger engineers; the older an engineer, the more important they consider ethics. No statistically significant difference was found between young engineering experts and managers.

  12. Using Short Videos to Teach Research Ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loui, M. C.

    2014-12-01

    Created with support from the National Science Foundation, EthicsCORE (www.natonalethicscenter.org) is an online resource center for ethics in science and engineering. Among the resources, EthicsCORE hosts short video vignettes produced at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln that dramatize problems in the responsible conduct of research, such as peer review of journal submissions, and mentoring relationships between faculty and graduate students. I will use one of the video vignettes in an interactive pedagogical demonstration. After showing the video, I will ask participants to engage in a think-pair-share activity on the professional obligations of researchers. During the sharing phase, participants will supply the reasons for these obligations.

  13. Ethics rounds: An appreciated form of ethics support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silén, Marit; Ramklint, Mia; Hansson, Mats G; Haglund, Kristina

    2016-03-01

    Ethics rounds are one way to support healthcare personnel in handling ethically difficult situations. A previous study in the present project showed that ethics rounds did not result in significant changes in perceptions of how ethical issues were handled, that is, in the ethical climate. However, there was anecdotal evidence that the ethics rounds were viewed as a positive experience and that they stimulated ethical reflection. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how the ethics rounds were experienced and why the intervention in the form of ethics rounds did not succeed in improving the ethical climate for the staff. An exploratory and descriptive design with a qualitative approach was adopted, using individual interviews. A total of 11 healthcare personnel, working in two different psychiatry outpatient clinics and with experience of participating in ethics rounds, were interviewed. The study was based on informed consent and was approved by one of the Swedish Regional Ethical Review Boards. The participants were generally positive about the ethics rounds. They had experienced changes by participating in the ethics rounds in the form of being able to see things from different perspectives as well as by gaining insight into ethical issues. However, these changes had not affected daily work. A crucial question is whether or not increased reflection ability among the participants is a good enough outcome of ethics rounds and whether this result could have been measured in patient-related outcomes. Ethics rounds might foster cooperation among the staff and this, in turn, could influence patient care. By listening to others during ethics rounds, a person can learn to see things from a new angle. Participation in ethics rounds can also lead to better insight concerning ethical issues. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Competiteveness and Company Motives for Pro-ethical Actions - Slovak Students’ Opinion

    OpenAIRE

    Urgacz Paweł

    2009-01-01

    Business ethics is regarded as a useful means to gain a competitive advantage. Failure to recognize and address ethical problems can lead to very substantial costs. Being unethical can cost a business its very life. Ethical business is good business in the long-term. There are different motives for companies to undertake pro-ethical action. For example, It’s it is in a company’s interest, that companies’ managers are honest; stakeholders expect such actions and/or the law requires it. This ar...

  15. Ethical problems arising from the use of placebo in clinical trials with drugs for migraine. Their analysis by the moral deliberation method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frías, J; Pascual, J; Lahuerta, J; Gracia, D; Dal-Ré, R

    2011-03-01

    Migraine is characterised as episodes of headache plus a variety of accompanying symptoms. Its pharmacological control remains unsatisfactory for some patients. The use of placebo in drug clinical trials on migraine commonly leads to numerous ethical uncertainties. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the deliberation method helps in analysing the issues and finding solutions to selected ethical problems. Ethical decisions that try to solve conflicts arising from placebo use in clinical trials may be adopted using the moral deliberation method. Thus, the conflict is systematically assessed by identifying the following: Relevant facts; Values in conflict; Duties, or in other words, possible courses of action. Moral duty is following the optimal course of action. To identify this, it is recommended to state extreme courses of action, then intermediate courses of action, and then to proceed to the optimal course(s) of action. In this paper, the application of this method is shown in several conflicting situations arising in two placebo-controlled clinical trials with drugs under development for the prophylaxis and acute treatment of migraine. Copyright © 2010 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  16. Soviet medical ethics (1917-1991).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichterman, Boleslav L

    2005-01-01

    Russian medical ethics bears a heavy mark of seven decades of the communist regime. In 1918 the Health Care Commissariat (ministry) was formed. It was headed by Nikolai Semashko (1874-1949) who claimed that "the ethics of the Soviet physician is an ethics of our socialist motherland, an ethics of a builder of communist society; it is equal to communist moral". "Medical ethics" had been avoided until the late 1930s when it was replaced by "medical (or surgical) deontology". This "deontological" period started with "Problems of surgical deontology" written by N. Petrov, a surgeon, and lasted for almost half a century until "medical deontology" was abandoned in favor of "bioethics" in post-communist Russia. There have been five All-Union conferences on medical deontology since 1969. The story of the emergence of "The Oath of a Soviet Physician" is briefly described. The text of this Oath was approved by a special decree of the Soviet Parliament in 1971. Each graduate of medical school in USSR was obliged to take this Oath when receiving his or her medical diploma. It is concluded that such ideas of zemstvo medicine as universal access to health care and condemnation of private practice were put into practice under the communist regime.

  17. Building an ethical organizational culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, William A; Taylor, Emily; Walsh, Thom

    2014-01-01

    The success of a health care institution-as defined by delivering high-quality, high-value care, positive patient outcomes, and financial solvency-is inextricably tied to the culture within that organization. The ability to achieve and sustain alignment between its mission, values, and everyday practices defines a positive organizational culture. An institution that has a diminished organizational culture, reflected in the failure to consistently align management and clinical decisions and practices with its mission and values, will struggle. The presence of misalignment or of ethics gaps affects the quality of care being delivered, the morale of the staff, and the organization's image in the community. Transforming an organizational culture will provide a foundation for success and a framework for daily ethics-grounded operations in any organization. However, building an ethics-grounded organization is a challenging process requiring strong organization leadership and planning. Using a case study, the authors provide a multiyear, continuous step-by-step strategy consisting of identifying ethics culture gaps, establishing an ethics taskforce, clarifying and prioritizing the problems, developing strategy for change, implementing the strategy, and evaluating outcomes. This process will assist organizations in aligning its actions with its mission and values, to find success on all fronts.

  18. Promoting Ethical Competencies: Education for Democratic Citizenship in a Mexican Institution of Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patino-Gonzalez, Susana

    2009-01-01

    Higher education institutions have a responsibility to promote the development of students' ethical and citizenship competencies, especially in contexts of major social inequality. Graduates, who constitute a very small percentage of the population in Mxico, are the best qualified to conceive of creative alternatives to resolve its demanding…

  19. Radioactive wastes: a world problem. Les dechets nucleaires: un probleme mondial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schapira, J P [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 75 - Paris (FR)

    1991-02-01

    In all countries endowed with nuclear program, radioactive wastes disposal asks scientific and public acceptance problems. This paper describes several aspects: technical problem; ethic problem and responsibility towards future generations at very long-term; political problem. Different politics followed by concerned countries and recent controversy in France is also entered upon radioactive wastes underground site selection, in deep geological formations.

  20. Ethics and risk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruh, H.

    1991-01-01

    The author attempts a systematic approach towards the ethical aspects of risk and proposes that the problem be locked at on different levels: The highest level might conceivably pertain to the problem of the survival of the human race and other species. This is the level on which the history of the human race and nature are to be looked at with reference to an ethics of ecology. From the anthropocentric perspective, a fundamental question of ecological ethics is formulated: The generations to directly follow us should have a basis of existence which is comparable to ours; this basis must be preserved for them in such a way that irreparable developments can be avoided and they can take full responsibility for their own future. Since there is no justification for taking risks which endanger the basis of the existence of the species, speculation on the probability of occurrence becomes irrelevant as well. On this level, on which we are concerned with natural history and the history of the human race, it is absolutely forbidden to even consider taking such risks. As regards partial but serious damage on a lower level (examples Chernobyl, Bophal) speculation on the probability of occurrence might have some degree of validity, but two additional criteria must be taken into account: 1. Codetermination: From an ethical point of view, such risks are only justified if those who are potentially affected by them have given their consent of their own free will in a democratic decision-making procedure and have knowledge of the facts relevant to the issue. 2. The argument of serious affliction: Most important of all, codetermination must operate on the basis of a clear knowledge of potential suffering. On a level on which the destruction of the basis of existence is not at stake, serious affliction might also be viewed as something which would make taking risks which might potentially incur such affliction totally inacceptable. (orig./HSCH) [de

  1. Business Ethics and Military Ethics : A Study in Comparative Applied Ethics

    OpenAIRE

    Shaw, William H.

    2012-01-01

    In the past three decades, philosophers have delved into applied ethics, pursuing a surprisingly wide range of practically oriented normative questions, and a number of fields of applied ethical research and teaching are flourishing. There have, however, been few comparative studies of different fields in applied ethics, but such studies can, I believe, teach us something. Accordingly, this essay compares and contrasts business ethics and military ethics as distinct disciplinar...

  2. On ethical, social and environmental management systems

    OpenAIRE

    Argandoña, Antonio

    2003-01-01

    There are three types of solutions to the problems deriving from companies' ethical, social and environmental responsibilities: those based on regulation by an authority or agency; those designed to create market incentives; and those that rely on self-regulation by companies themselves. In the specific field we are concerned with here, regulation has significant costs and drawbacks that make it particularly desirable that companies should set up their own ethical, social and environmental ma...

  3. Moving It Along: A study of healthcare professionals' experience with ethics consultations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crigger, Nancy; Fox, Maria; Rosell, Tarris; Rojjanasrirat, Wilaiporn

    2017-05-01

    Ethics consultation is the traditional way of resolving challenging ethical questions raised about patient care in the United States. Little research has been published on the resolution process used during ethics consultations and on how this experience affects healthcare professionals who participate in them. The purpose of this qualitative research was to uncover the basic process that occurs in consultation services through study of the perceptions of healthcare professionals. The researchers in this study used a constructivist grounded theory approach that represents how one group of professionals experienced ethics consultations in their hospital in the United States. The results were sufficient to develop an initial theory that has been named after the core concept: Moving It Along. Three process stages emerged from data interpretation: moral questioning, seeing the big picture, and coming together. It is hoped that this initial work stimulates additional research in describing and understanding the complex social process that occurs for healthcare professionals as they address the difficult moral issues that arise in clinical practice.

  4. Impact of ethical climate on moral distress revisited: multidimensional view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atabay, Gülem; Çangarli, Burcu Güneri; Penbek, Şebnem

    2015-02-01

    Moral distress is a major problem in nursing profession. Researchers identified that the stronger the ethical basis of the organization, the less moral distress is reported. However, different ethical climates may have different impacts on moral distress. Moreover, conceptualization of moral distress and ethical climate as well as their relationship may change according to the cultural context. The main aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between different types of ethical climate as described in Victor and Cullen's framework, and moral distress intensity among nurses in Turkish healthcare settings. An online survey was administrated to collect data. Questionnaires included moral distress and ethical climate scales in addition to demographic questions. Data were collected from registered nurses in Turkey. In all, 201 of 279 nurses completed questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 72%. Ethical approval was obtained from the university to which the authors were affiliated, after a detailed investigation of the content and data collection method. Factor analyses showed that moral distress had three dimensions, namely, organizational constraints, misinformed and over-treated patients, and lack of time and resources, while ethical climate had four types, namely, rules, well-being of stakeholders, individualism, and organizational interests. Positive correlations were identified between certain types of ethical climate (rules, individualism, or organizational interests) and moral distress intensity. Factor distribution of the scales shows some commonalities with the findings of previous research. However, context-specific dimensions and types were also detected. No particular ethical climate type was found to have a negative correlation with moral distress. Recommendations were made for reducing the negative impact of ethical climate on moral distress. These include solving the nursing-shortage problem, increasing autonomy, and improving physical

  5. THE DECISIONAL MOMENT AND ETHICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loredana TEREC-VLAD

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyze the ethical decisions taken by organizations both in everyday life as well as in exceptional circumstances. For this purpose, we thought it would be important to bring into account the ethical issues within organizations, such as: responsibility, morals or trust capital. In this context, we have raised the problem of unethical behaviour, given that knowing the causes of unethical behaviour can help prevent it. Throughout this paper we shall also highlight the aspects related to organizational communication, since the decision making process also involves communicating with the employees or business partners.

  6. Integrating Ethics into Engineering Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhou, Chunfang; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin; Børsen, Tom

    2015-01-01

    In this chapter, the authors aim to explore the necessity of teaching ethics as part of engineering education based on the gaps between learning “hard” knowledge and “soft” skills in the current educational system. They discuss why the nature of engineering practices makes it difficult to look...... products are not value neutral. With a focus on Problem-Based Learning (PBL), the authors examine why engineers need to incorporate ethical codes in their decision-making process and professional tasks. Finally, they discuss how to build creative learning environments that can support attaining...... the objectives of engineering education....

  7. Deep ecology: A movement and a new approach to solving environmental problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mišković Milan M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In the industrial society, nature is conceived as a resource for unlimited exploitation, and the entropic effects of its pollution and depletion can be effectively controlled and resolved. Non-human entities are viewed as raw materials for technical manipulation and the increase in the standard of living for consumers in mass societies. Contrary to such utilitarian pragmatism, some new views on the relationship of man, society and nature are appearing, as well as different concepts of environmentally balanced development. According to these views, the transition to ecological society and ecological culture will not be possible without replacing the current anthropocentric ethics with the ecocentric or environmental ethics. Deep ecology arises in the spectrum of environmental ethics theories. It is considered as a movement and a new approach to solving environmental problems. Deep ecology is a type of ecosophy formed by Arne Nes, and it focuses on wisdom and ecological balance. It is based on ecological science, but it asks deeper questions about the causes of the ecological crisis and corresponds to the general discourse on sustainable development. The article discusses the platform of deep ecology movement and gives the basic principles of deep ecology. It gives explanations of the two basic norms of deep ecology (self-understanding and biospheric egalitarianism and criticism of these concepts.

  8. The competent community: toward a vital reformulation of professional ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, W Brad; Barnett, Jeffrey E; Elman, Nancy S; Forrest, Linda; Kaslow, Nadine J

    2012-10-01

    Psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure their own competence. When problems of professional competence occur, psychologists must take appropriate steps to regain competence while protecting those they serve. Yet conceptualizations of the competence obligation are thoroughly intertwined with Western ideals of individualism and a model of the person as self-contained, self-controlled, and perpetually rational. Research in health care, education, and multicultural and social psychology raise serious doubts about psychologists' capacity for consistently accurate self-assessments of competence. To address this problem, the authors advocate that education, training, professional ethics standards, and credentialing criteria be infused with a robust communitarian ethos and a culturally pervasive ethic of care. The authors propose a shift in discourse about competence to incorporate both competent individuals and competent communities.

  9. Mechanisms Linking Ethical Leadership to Ethical Sales Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yu-Chi

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical sales behavior. A total of 248 matched surveys with participant responses from insurance agents and their customers were collected. The insurance agents were asked to rate the ethical leadership of their leaders, the ethical climate in their organization, and their individual moral identity. Customers were asked to rate the perceived ethical sales behavior of the insurance agents. This empirical study utilized moderated mediation techniques to analyze the data. Results indicated that ethical climate mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical sales behavior when moral identity was high, however, did not when moral identity was low. The research framework including contextual effects (i.e., ethical climate) and individual differences in moral judgment (i.e., moral identity) can provide a comprehensive picture of how ethical leadership influences ethical sales behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.

  10. The provision of neuropsychological services in rural/regional settings: professional and ethical issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allott, Kelly; Lloyd, Susan

    2009-07-01

    Despite rapid growth of the discipline of clinical neuropsychology during recent times, there is limited information regarding the identification and management of professional and ethical issues associated with the practice of neuropsychology within rural settings. The aim of this article is to outline the characteristics unique to practicing neuropsychology in rural communities and to describe the potential professional and ethical dilemmas that might arise. Issues are illustrated using examples from neuropsychological practice in a rural/regional setting in Victoria, Australia. Relative to urban regions, there is an inequality in the distribution of psychologists, including neuropsychologists, in rural areas. The unique characteristics of rural and regional communities that impact on neuropsychological practice are: 1) limited resources in expertise, technology, and community services, 2) greater travel distances and costs, 3) professional isolation, and 4) beliefs about psychological services. These characteristics lower the threshold for particular ethical issues. The ethical issues that require anticipation and careful management include: 1) professional competence, 2) multiple relationships, and 3) confidentiality. Through increased awareness and management of rural-specific professional and ethical issues, rural neuropsychologists can experience their work as rewarding and enjoyable. Specific guidelines for identifying, managing, and resolving ethically and professionally challenging situations that may arise during rural practice are provided.

  11. Christianity and globalisation: An alternative ethical response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Retief Müller

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This article critically evaluated the role of Christian Ethics in response to globalisation. It showed that ethical critiques of globalisation inevitably fall short when Christianity’s historical contributions to processes of globalisation are neglected or de-emphasised. A Christian Ethics that attempts completely to wash its hands of and disavow globalisation is therefore indicated to be perched on a false premise. In this regard, the author specifically discussed the divergent stances of Max Stackhouse and Rebecca Todd Peters and opted for the former as the more helpful when considered from an interdisciplinary approach. In the final analysis, the author argued that the problem of globalisation might fruitfully be addressed with an ethics that is not averse to bring the various insights of missiology, church history and practical theology to the table, focusing particularly on rituals of reconciliation and forgiveness.

  12. Ethics in reproductive genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, J C; Evans, M I

    1992-12-01

    Ethics in reproductive genetics comprise descriptive ethics and normative ethics. Ethical problems before prenatal diagnosis involve genetic counseling and informed consent for the choice patients must make. Prenatal diagnosis using amniocentesis is controversial. An international survey of geneticists showed that 25% would do prenatal diagnosis for sex selection, and 17% would refer the couple elsewhere. Hungary (60%), India (37%), the US (34%), Canada (30%), Greece (29%), and Sweden (28%) would do prenatal diagnosis. The statistical incidence of positive findings after prenatal diagnosis does not exceed 4% of all cases when most couples choose abortion. Respect for parental choice and for nondirective counseling was supported in responses to 3 cases in the international survey that also had disclosure dilemmas included with abortion choices. 84% of respondents would be nondirective for XYY and 88% for XO. In India, Hungary, Turkey, and Norway, 46%, 40%, 40%, and 33%, respectively, would advise aborting an XO (Turner) fetus. A survey of 737 genetics and obstetricians and ethicists and clergy showed acceptability of abortion in singleton pregnancies and in twins associated strongly with the trimester of pregnancy, indication for selective termination, and fetal number. Prior group review of risks and benefits of experimental fetal therapy, case selection for experimental fetal therapy, the optimal informed-consent process for fetal therapy, twin pregnancies, refusal of proven fetal therapy, the lack of federal support for research in fetal diagnosis (preimplantation embryo diagnosis) and therapy, and sources of a moral obligation are also addressed. The Belmont Report on the ethics of biomedical research in the US proposed ethical principles to guide research with human subjects including the fetus: respect for parsons, beneficence, and justice.

  13. Research Integrity and Research Ethics in Professional Codes of Ethics: Survey of Terminology Used by Professional Organizations across Research Disciplines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komić, Dubravka; Marušić, Stjepan Ljudevit; Marušić, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Professional codes of ethics are social contracts among members of a professional group, which aim to instigate, encourage and nurture ethical behaviour and prevent professional misconduct, including research and publication. Despite the existence of codes of ethics, research misconduct remains a serious problem. A survey of codes of ethics from 795 professional organizations from the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Codes of Ethics Collection showed that 182 of them (23%) used research integrity and research ethics terminology in their codes, with differences across disciplines: while the terminology was common in professional organizations in social sciences (82%), mental health (71%), sciences (61%), other organizations had no statements (construction trades, fraternal social organizations, real estate) or a few of them (management, media, engineering). A subsample of 158 professional organizations we judged to be directly involved in research significantly more often had statements on research integrity/ethics terminology than the whole sample: an average of 10.4% of organizations with a statement (95% CI = 10.4-23-5%) on any of the 27 research integrity/ethics terms compared to 3.3% (95% CI = 2.1–4.6%), respectively (Pethics concepts used prescriptive language in describing the standard of practice. Professional organizations should define research integrity and research ethics issues in their ethics codes and collaborate within and across disciplines to adequately address responsible conduct of research and meet contemporary needs of their communities. PMID:26192805

  14. Relevance of the rationalist-intuitionist debate for ethics and professionalism in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leffel, G Michael; Oakes Mueller, Ross A; Curlin, Farr A; Yoon, John D

    2015-12-01

    Despite widespread pedagogical efforts to modify discrete behaviors in developing physicians, the professionalism movement has generally shied away from essential questions such as what virtues characterize the good physician, and how are those virtues formed? Although there is widespread adoption of medical ethics curricula, there is still no consensus about the primary goals of ethics education. Two prevailing perspectives dominate the literature, constituting what is sometimes referred to as the "virtue/skill dichotomy". The first perspective argues that teaching ethics is a means of providing physicians with a skill set for analyzing and resolving ethical dilemmas. The second perspective suggests that teaching ethics is a means of creating virtuous physicians. The authors argue that this debate about medical ethics education mirrors the Rationalist-Intuitionist debate in contemporary moral psychology. In the following essay, the authors sketch the relevance of the Rationalist-Intuitionist debate to medical ethics and professionalism. They then outline a moral intuitionist model of virtuous caring that derives from but also extends the "social intuitionist model" of moral action and virtue. This moral intuitionist model suggests several practical implications specifically for medical character education but also for health science education in general. This approach proposes that character development is best accomplished by tuning-up (activating) moral intuitions, amplifying (intensifying) moral emotions related to intuitions, and strengthening (expanding) intuition-expressive, emotion-related moral virtues, more than by "learning" explicit ethical rules or principles.

  15. Necessity and Contention of Education on Engineer Ethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Kunihiko; Ishikawa, Tomoyuki

    Using examples of major accidents caused by technical technology are effective when teaching engineering ethics in undergraduate courses because almost all students have had no actual experience in technical problems or accidents in their lives. The typical accidents that have been selected in the past for this purpose by lecturers are limited in Japanese colleges or in textbooks. Some examples are the Minamata disease, the Kanemi oil PCB contamination, the space shuttle “Challenger” accident, the Ford “Pinto” design problem, Mitsubishi Motor's scandal and the unclear power plant accident at Tokai. However, it is difficult to decide whether or not these typical accidents are suitable for the teaching of engineering ethics. The responsibility of an engineer in Japan is strictly limited because he has no authority to finally decide upon the problem of ethics even if the item is purely technical and he is the best person to make the decision. The reason is discussed focusing on 1) the concept of the “profession” of medical doctors and engineers and 2) the relationships between the treatment, position, honor and responsibility of engineers in Japanese society.

  16. A lack of standardization: the basis for the ethical issues surrounding quality and performance reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suchy, Kirsten

    2010-01-01

    Consumers in the United States are taking advantage of the proliferation of publicly available, internet-based performance reports and quality appraisals of health plans, healthcare organizations, hospitals, and physicians to aid in their healthcare decision making. However, these appraisal practices have given rise to controversy and debate over certain distinctive ethical issues. This article advocates a standardized ethical framework to guide current and future development and implementation of performance reports. This framework, which would resolve a number of the major issues, includes the following ethical principles to guide the practice of public reporting on the Internet and facilitate enhanced quality improvement in the healthcare industry: legitimacy, data integrity and quality, transparency, informed understanding, equity, privacy and confidentiality, collaboration, accountability, and evaluation and continuous improvement.

  17. Brains on Wheels: Theoretical and Ethical Issues in Bio-Robotics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzen, Martin Mose

    2014-01-01

    A number of theoretical problems and a couple of ethical issues in bio-robotics are investigated. It is found that claims made by researchers to have constructed robots controlled by rat brains are not fully justified by the results of current research. Further, the ethical implications of the re...

  18. Ethical responsibilities of pharmacists when selling complementary medicines: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salman Popattia, Amber; Winch, Sarah; La Caze, Adam

    2018-04-01

    The widespread sale of complementary medicines in community pharmacy raises important questions regarding the responsibilities of pharmacists when selling complementary medicines. This study reviews the academic literature that explores a pharmacist's responsibilities when selling complementary medicines. International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Embase, PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO and Philosopher's index databases were searched for articles written in English and published between 1995 and 2017. Empirical studies discussing pharmacists' practices or perceptions, consumers' expectations and normative studies discussing ethical perspectives or proposing ethical frameworks related to pharmacists' responsibilities in selling complementary medicines were included in the review. Fifty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies discussing the responsibilities of pharmacists selling complementary medicines had an empirical focus. Pharmacists and consumers identified counselling and ensuring safe use of complementary medicines as the primary responsibilities of pharmacists. No formal ethical framework is explicitly employed to describe the responsibilities of pharmacists selling complementary medicines. To the degree any ethical framework is employed, a number of papers implicitly rely on principlism. The studies discussing the ethical perspectives of selling complementary medicines mainly describe the ethical conflict between a pharmacist's business and health professional role. No attempt is made to provide guidance on appropriate ways to resolve the conflict. There is a lack of explicit normative advice in the existing literature regarding the responsibilities of pharmacists selling complementary medicines. This review identifies the need to develop a detailed practice-specific ethical framework to guide pharmacists regarding their responsibilities when selling complementary medicines. © 2018 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  19. Simulation: a new approach to teaching ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxton, Margaret; Phillippi, Julia C; Collins, Michelle R

    2015-01-01

    The importance of ethical conduct in health care was acknowledged as early as the fifth century in the Hippocratic Oath and continues to be an essential element of clinical practice. Providers face ethical dilemmas that are complex and unfold over time, testing both practitioners' knowledge and communication skills. Students learning to be health care providers need to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to negotiate complex situations involving ethical conflict. Simulation has been shown to be an effective learning environment for students to learn and practice complex and overlapping skills sets. However, there is little guidance in the literature on constructing effective simulation environments to assist students in applying ethical concepts. This article describes realistic simulations with trained, standardized patients that present ethical problems to graduate-level nurse-midwifery students. Student interactions with the standardized patients were monitored by faculty and peers, and group debriefing was used to help explore students' emotions and reactions. Student feedback postsimulation was exceedingly positive. This simulation could be easily adapted for use by health care education programs to assist students in developing competency with ethics. © 2014 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  20. Research on Evaluation Ethics: What Have We Learned and Why Is It Important?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Michael

    1999-01-01

    Findings from empirical research on evaluation ethics indicate an apparent lack of consensus within the field concerning what constitutes an ethical issue, the frequent occurrence of problems in the later stages of evaluation projects, and the perceived ethical significance of the tendency of evaluators to be more responsive to some stakeholders…