Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
10:55
Comprehensive Assessment of Germline Chemical Toxicity Using the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: February 22, 2015
Gert's moral theory and its application to bioethics cases
1Department of Human Values and Ethics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, USA.
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
|June 15, 2006
Summary
Bernard Gert's moral theory faces significant challenges when applied to bioethics. The study finds practical application difficulties make his theory unacceptable for resolving bioethical cases.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Moral Philosophy
Background:
- Bernard Gert's theory of morality is widely discussed.
- Its practical application in bioethics remains under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the practical utility of Gert's moral theory in bioethics.
- To assess its effectiveness in resolving real-world bioethical dilemmas.
Main Methods:
- Critical examination of Gert's moral theory.
- Analysis of Gert's own applications of his theory to bioethics cases.
Main Results:
- Significant difficulties were identified in applying Gert's theory to bioethical cases.
- These application problems were severe and consistent.
Conclusions:
- Gert's theory, despite theoretical attention, is practically inadequate for bioethics.
- The theory's limitations render it unacceptable for resolving even straightforward bioethical issues.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Ethics and Bioethics
Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...
01:19Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Kohlberg's theory of moral development uses the Heinz dilemma — a thought experiment in which a man, Heinz, must decide whether to steal an unaffordable drug to save his dying wife — to illustrate the evolution of moral reasoning. This framework, divided into three levels with two stages, highlights how individuals' understanding of right and wrong becomes increasingly complex.
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
00:49What is Genetic Engineering?
Overview
00:59Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be inserted. The...
01:55Egoism and Altruism
Voluntary behavior with the intent to help other people is called prosocial behavior. Why do people help other people? Is personal benefit such as feeling good about oneself the only reason people help one another?
01:23Carl Rogers' Humanistic Perspective on Personality
Carl Rogers, a key figure in humanistic psychology, believed that individuals possess an innate potential for growth and fulfillment. According to his model of personality, three significant components define an individual: the organism, the self, and conditions of worth.
The organism refers to an individual's inherent blueprint, which Rogers saw as innately positive and directed toward helping others, unlike Freud's view of the id as driven by base impulses. The self is a person's...
The organism refers to an individual's inherent blueprint, which Rogers saw as innately positive and directed toward helping others, unlike Freud's view of the id as driven by base impulses. The self is a person's...