Culture and the Principles of Biomedical Ethics

Abstract

This paper examines the roles of culture in the principles of biomedical ethics. Drawing on examples from African, Navajo and Western cultures, the paper maintains that various elements of culture are indispensable to the application of the principles of biomedical ethics.

Abortion in Islam: The Roles of Cultures and Virtues in Medical Ethics

“…When we are interested in ethical issues that are about their actions, we focus on whether there are any ethical principles, rules, obligations, duties, and rights that ground or justify their actions. The principles, rules, duties, and obligations on the basis of which we can adjudge actions as morally right or wrong cannot tell us much about the virtues of an agent's character (Abimbola 2013). The judgment that actions are morally right or wrong does not tell us anything about agents' virtues or character traits.…”

“…Three, medicine is communal: it is the shared set of beliefs, practices, and methods that make up a society's collective bank of knowledge on the prevention, alleviation and curing of diseases and injuries. Medicine in this communal sense is reflected in the social activities of people as a group (Abimbola, 2013). One of the most transparent illustrations of the communal dimensions of medicine is public health concerns in the protection, promotion, and restoration of people's health.…”

“…That is, the practical-beliefs on the basis of which medicine operates are not merely heuristic action-guiding principles (Abimbola 2002). Instead, they also inform and give context to our understanding of the character traits we hold in high esteem in health care professionals (and patients) (Abimbola 2013, Locke 1989).…”

Noções Iorubás de saúde, doença e cura

“…Tanto a saúde quanto a doença e a cura resultam da interação entre seres naturais, entre seres naturais e 'sobrenaturais' e entre seres 'sobrenaturais'. Kolá Abimbolá (2013) se refere a oito tipos de ajogun, seres 'sobrenaturais' que devem ser evitados pelos humanos para a preservação da saúde e a conquista de longevidade: Iku (morte), Àrùn (doença), Òfò (perda), Ègbà (paralisia), Òràn (grande problema), Èpè (maldição), Èwòn (prisão) e Èse (aflição). Mesmo as divindades podem ser afligidas por Àrùn.…”

“…Kolá Abimbolá (2007Abimbolá ( , 2013 menciona que a medicina tradicional e a religião se relacionam entre si e com sistemas divinatórios, ritualísticos e 'sobrenaturais'. Alguns preparos somente são eficazes se realizados em ambiente religioso e algumas curas são atribuídas especialmente à intervenção divina.…”