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Agency and authenticity: which value grounds patient choice?
1Department of Philosophy, The University of Chicago, 1115 East 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. dbrudney@uchicago.edu
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
|April 22, 2011
Summary
In medical ethics, patient autonomy is complex. This study distinguishes between agency and authenticity, two distinct values within autonomy, which can lead to different life-saving treatment decisions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Bioethics
- Philosophy of Medicine
Background:
- Current medical practice often prioritizes patient autonomy over life-saving treatment.
- The principle of autonomy is frequently discussed alongside patient best interests.
- Autonomy is often treated as a singular concept in clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the ambiguity within the concept of patient autonomy.
- To differentiate between two distinct values underlying autonomy: agency and authenticity.
- To explore how these distinct values can lead to different outcomes in life-saving treatment refusal scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of autonomy in medical ethics.
- Philosophical examination of agency and authenticity as distinct values.
- Case-based reasoning to illustrate differing outcomes.
Main Results:
- Autonomy is not a monolithic concept but encompasses at least two distinct values: agency and authenticity.
- These two values, agency and authenticity, are rooted in different philosophical traditions.
- In clinical contexts, prioritizing agency versus authenticity can yield divergent decisions regarding life-saving treatments.
Conclusions:
- The singular application of 'autonomy' in medical practice may obscure critical ethical distinctions.
- A nuanced understanding differentiating agency and authenticity is necessary for ethically sound decision-making when patients refuse life-saving treatment.
- Further assessment of the comparative value of agency and authenticity is required in medical ethics.
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