PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Häyry, M TI - Can arguments address concerns? AID - 10.1136/jme.2005.010017 DP - 2005 Oct 01 TA - Journal of Medical Ethics PG - 598--600 VI - 31 IP - 10 4099 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/10/598.short 4100 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/10/598.full SO - J Med Ethics2005 Oct 01; 31 AB - People have concerns, and ethicists often respond to them with philosophical arguments. But can conceptual constructions properly address fears and anxieties? It is argued in this paper that while it is possible to voice, clarify, create and—to a certain extent—tackle concerns by arguments, more concrete practices, choices, and actions are normally needed to produce proper responses to people’s worries. While logical inconsistencies and empirical errors can legitimately be exposed by arguments, the situation is considerably less clear when it comes to moral, cultural, and emotional norms, values, and expectations.