Values, decision-making and empirical bioethics: a conceptual model for empirically identifying and analyzing value...

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Empirical Bioethics
• Decision-Making Theory

Background:

• Value judgments are integral to all decision-making processes, guiding assessments of 'good' versus 'bad'.
• Understanding these judgments is crucial for ethical evaluation in biomedical practice.
• Empirical investigation of real-world decision-making, termed 'empirical bioethics', requires a clear theoretical framework for value judgments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically clarify the concept and components of value judgments.
• To present a novel value judgment model with its theoretical derivation.
• To illustrate the model's application in empirical research on biomedical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical derivation of a conceptual model for value judgments.
• Application of the model in a qualitative interview study.
• Focus on decision-making processes concerning animal experimentation versus alternative methods in biomedical research.

Main Results:

• The developed value judgment model facilitates the uncovering of underlying value judgments in decision-making.
• The model aids in orienting empirical methods, such as qualitative interviews, to elicit specific value judgments.
• The application demonstrates the model's general utility in analyzing ethical dimensions of choices.

Conclusions:

• The presented value judgment model provides a framework for empirical bioethics research.
• The model enhances the ability to ethically assess and improve decision-making processes in biomedical contexts.
• Further applications of the model in diverse research areas and with different empirical methods are feasible.