On Religious Influence in Bioethics: The Limits of Pluriversalism

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Religion
• Global Health Ethics

Background:

• The 2024 World Congress of Bioethics (WCB 2024) in Qatar highlighted controversy surrounding religion's influence on bioethical discourse.
• A significant push to integrate religious values into bioethics raises questions about the validity and implications of such an approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of religious thought on contemporary bioethical discussions.
• To critically analyze Jecker and colleagues' proposed pluriversal framework for bioethics presented at WCB 2024.
• To explore the challenges of reconciling religious diversity with ethical principles and human rights.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of Jecker and colleagues' pluriversal framework principles.
• Examination of the application of these principles in diverse bioethical contexts.
• Discussion of the integration of conflicting religious views with established ethical and human rights frameworks.

Main Results:

• The proposed pluriversal framework, while aiming for inclusivity, exhibits ethical inconsistencies.
• The framework presents challenges for fostering pluralistic dialogue in bioethics.
• Reconciling the framework's principles with universal human rights presents significant difficulties.

Conclusions:

• Religions may exert undue influence on bioethics, necessitating careful consideration of their role.
• The integration of diverse religious perspectives requires a framework that upholds ethical consistency and human rights.
• A re-evaluation of the future direction of bioethics is needed to ensure inclusive and rights-based discourse.