Relational autonomy: lessons from COVID-19 and twentieth-century philosophy

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Medical Ethics
• Philosophy

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted limitations of traditional autonomy principles in healthcare.
• Individual autonomy often conflicted with public health interests during the crisis.
• Extraordinary informed consent procedures were necessitated by trial therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the concept of relational autonomy as an alternative to mainstream interpretations of autonomy.
• To examine how six philosophical branches incorporated the concept of relation in the 20th century.
• To apply these philosophical insights to contemporary bioethical challenges, particularly in medical ethics.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of primary philosophical sources from diverse branches.
• Examination of the concept of relation across philosophy of nature, anthropology, phenomenology, discourse ethics, hermeneutics, and cultural anthropology.
• Application of these interdisciplinary insights to medical ethics and bioethical issues.

Main Results:

• The principle of respect for autonomy, in its mainstream interpretation, proved inadequate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Relational autonomy presents a more suitable model for addressing ethical dilemmas in public health crises.
• Insights from various philosophical fields offer a foundation for operationalizing relational autonomy in bioethics.

Conclusions:

• A deeper understanding and operationalization of relational autonomy are crucial for modern bioethics.
• Integrating insights from 20th-century philosophy can facilitate a "relational turn" in bioethics.
• This interdisciplinary approach can enhance ethical decision-making in healthcare, especially during pandemics.