BIOETHICS

BY: DR. FE M. COMPAS

ETHICS- greek word ethicos, which belongs/pertains
to ethos translated as custom or character
Custom is mos or moris in Latin from which morality is
derived.

These related etymological meanings brings us to the

concept of Ethics as a philosophical science dealing
with morality of human conduct or action.
 VEATCH (2007) presents four (4) levles of ethical or
moral discourse that may demonstrate the process
or approach:
1.) The level of the case
2.) Rules and Rights or Code of Ethics
3.) Normative Ethics
4.) Metaethics
 The table below shows the interconnectivity of the
four levels.

Metaethics

Normative Ethics

Rules and Rights (Code of Ethics)

Cases/Issues (Casuistry)
First Level
Case approach or Casuistry- begins with an issue or
concrete moral question or dilemma that one faces
here-and-now, or two persons diagreeing on what in
a specific situation is the morally appropriate
behavior.
The analysi is inductive, that is, the process starts with
specific and measurable facts and cases that may
support the application of the higher levels of moral
discourse.
 Input Process Output
Cases Casusitry by way of Accepted and
Issues induction justifiable moral
Facts/evidences judgment
 Second Level of Moral discourse
Rules and Rights invoke existing rules and rights
claims or codes of ethics, which are in force and
effect.
Rules and Rights
Views Applications
1. Legalism 1. Rules apply rigidly
2. Anti-nomianism 2. No rules apply
3. Situationalism 3. Rules as guidelines
4. Rules of Practice 4. Rules specify practices
practices as morally
obligatory
 Third Level of ethical discourse
Normative Ethics basic cnorms of behavior and
character are discussed, rules and right claims are
defended, and norms of good moral character are
articulated.
 Normative Ethics
Theories Questions Answers
Action Theory - What principles Principles of:
make actions BeneficenceN
morally right? Non-maleficence
Respect for
autonomy, or justice

Value Theory - What kinds of Hapinness, beaty,

concequences knowledge, good
are good or
intrinsically
valauble?

Virtue Theory - What kinds of Compassion,

character traits benevolence,
are morally faithfulness
praiseworthy?
Level Four
Metaethics the task of analyzing the nature of moral
judgment and theoretical systems fall under this level.
it deals with the most basic questions of of ethics: the
meaning of and justification of ethical terms, how
people know which principle, values, or virtues are
the correct ones, and the ultimate groundings of
ethics.
 Metaethics

What is the source of Ethics? How do we knowwhat is ethical?

Religious Answer: Religious Answers:
The Divine Will Revelation
The Divine Law Scriptures
Church Tradition
Experience

Secular Answers: Secular Answers:

Natural Law Reason
Hypothetical Contract Experience
Observation
Intuition
Social Agreement or Contract

Relativist Answers:
Ones Cukture
Ones Personal Preferences
Actual Social Contract
BIOLOGY is the science of living things. These living things my refer
to plants and animals. The animal domain includes man or woman.
As an animal. The human person possesses a body made of flesh
and bones, and sustaines by blood, water, food, and shelter in
order to survive.
Like ordinary animals, he/she has the faculty of the senses: These
senses operate under the base, reptilian, or instinctive brain.
The biological perspective on the essence of the human person,
takes him/her as the highest form of animal life, whose being and
activities are determined by the same laws that govern all other
matter. They are part of the physical order of nature, and like other
objects, has size, weight, shape, and color. They occupy space and
time and is subject to laws of physics such as the law of gravitation.
He is distinctive, he or she has the power to feel through or under
the limbic brain, and
to reason through thinking brain (neocortex).
Set above the other species of animals.
 Bioethics derived from the two words bio and
ethics. Bio is a combining and short form for
biological or biotic. It means life or having to do with
living things. Ethics is the sicnece of human conduct or
characteristics of rational animal.
Bioethics a living study of the conduct of human life. It
focuses on the study of the ethical problems involved in
biological research, such as the ethics of organ
transplantation, genetically modified organisms,
abortion, and euthanasia.
Bioethics will provide framework, standards, and guiding
principles to help solve worsening ethical problems.
 Health Ethics concerned with the type of conduct
or character that is approved or disapproved of in
terms of right and wrong, or good or bad relative to
health-care service. Specifically, it may refer to
nursing ethics.

Professional Ethics branch of moral science, which

treats of obligations that a member of a profession
owes to the public, his/her profession, colleagues,
and clients.