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Journal of Medical Ethics 2006;32:365-370; doi:10.1136/jme.2005.012518
Copyright © 2006 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Institute of Medical Ethics.

TEACHING AND LEARNING ETHICS

Judgement and the role of the metaphysics of values in medical ethics

T Thornton

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor Tim Thornton
Centre for Ethnicity and Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2HE, UK; tthornton1{at}uclan.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

Despite its authors’ intentions, the four principles approach to medical ethics can become crudely algorithmic in practice. The first section sets out the bare bones of the four principles approach drawing out those aspects of Beauchamp and Childress’s Principles of biomedical ethics that encourage this misreading. The second section argues that if the emphasis on the guidance of moral judgement is augmented by a particularist account of what disciplines it, then the danger can be reduced. In the third section, I consider how much the resultant picture diverges from Beauchamp and Childress’s actual position.


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