Bioethics critically reconsidered: living after foundations.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Moral Philosophy
• Secular Ethics

Background:

• Bioethics emerged in the 1970s based on the unproven assumption of a shared secular morality.
• This foundation is undermined by intractable moral pluralism and a crisis within secular morality itself.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically re-examine the meaning and force of secular bioethics in light of its foundational challenges.
• To address the absence of a secular ground for moral action versus self-interest.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of the underpinnings of secular bioethics.
• Examination of the implications of moral pluralism on ethical frameworks.

Main Results:

• Secular moral rationality cannot establish a canonical morality or bioethics.
• The absence of a secular moral ground risks reducing ethical principles to political slogans or lifestyle choices.

Conclusions:

• Secular bioethics requires critical reconsideration due to its lack of a solid foundation.
• The crisis in secular morality impacts core values like autonomy, equality, social justice, and human dignity.