Study of Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies how people should act and what is acceptable or unacceptable in society. It covers various domains of human life, such as fairness, justice, personal integrity, and individual responsibilities. My main focus in studying ethics was to establish the prescribed code of conduct in various fields of professional and societal conduct. Giles (2019) and “The Analects of Confucius” (n.d) note that ethics addresses the effects of technological advancement and the moral implications of one’s actions towards others in their immediate environment.
Beauchamp as a Favorite Ethical Philosopher
Thomas L. Beauchamp is one of the most celebrated philosophers due to his contributions to the medical field. Beauchamp specializes in the works of David Hume as well as animal ethics, bioethics, and moral philosophy (Thoreau’s Life, n.d). However, I do not believe people should always practice nonmaleficence at the expense of human safety and well-being. Western cultures have predominantly spearheaded philosophical guidelines and standards for human coexistence and general conduct in society.
Bioethical Dilemma
According to Giles (2019), ethics embrace nonmaleficence, which implies no harm. The principle is reliable and sensible at one point, but practically impossible to apply in other scenarios (CNN, 2020; New York Times, 2004). The practice of medicine frequently entails actions that most people would see negatively. People are operated on, physicians prescribe treatments with a variety of adverse effects, researchers provide experimental pharmaceuticals to the sick, and the list goes on.
It is difficult to imagine what one might do second if their priority in medicine was to cause no damage. This causes a dilemma that could paralyze the medical field and leave unanswered research questions. Actions taken in modern health depend on critical situations, research objectives, patient conditions, or existing regulations. Professionals could act based on their skills and expertise. As a result, Confucius’s virtues do not effectively address the challenge.
References
CNN (2020). Asian rivers are turning black. And our colorful closets are to blame. Web.
Giles, D. (2019). How Can I Be a Better Person? On Virtue Ethics. Introduction to Philosophy: Ethics, 26. Web.
Newyork Times (2004). Asian rivers are turning black. And our colorful closets are to blame. Web.
The Analects of Confucius. ( n.d) Web.
Thoreau’s Life. (n.d) Web.