The Moral Authority of Symbolic Appeals in Biomedical Ethics

Abstract

Dissecting Bioethics "Dissecting Bioethics," edited by Tuija Takala and Matti Häyry, welcomes contributions on the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of bioethics. The section is dedicated to the idea that words defined by bioethicists and others should not be allowed to imprison people's actual concerns, emotions, and thoughts. Papers that expose the many meanings of a concept, describe the different readings of a moral doctrine, or provide an alternative angle to seemingly selfevident issues are therefore particularly appreciated. The themes covered in the section so far include dignity, naturalness, public interest, community, disability, autonomy, parity of reasoning, symbolic appeals, and toleration.

The Interplay Between the Abstract and the Particular: Research Ethics Standards and the Practice of Research as Symbolic

“…Language itself is a symbolism" (Whitehead, 1928, p. 73). Symbols express the values that are central to the meaning of human existence, giving them an important ethical role (Sytsma, 2004). Symbolism is central to the human's ability to convey complex ideas quickly, and to draw analogies.…”