Phronesis in clinical ethics

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Medicine

Background:

• Extensive literature exists on clinical ethics content.
• However, the pedagogy of how clinical ethics is acquired remains underexplored.
• Current ethics education models may rely on outdated theories of moral learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in understanding how clinical ethics is learned.
• To critique existing approaches to ethics pedagogy.
• To propose and defend an alternative model for clinical ethics education.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical ethics and ethics pedagogy.
• Philosophical analysis drawing on Aristotelian concepts, specifically phronesis (practical wisdom).
• Conceptual articulation of a mentorship-based educational framework.

Main Results:

• Traditional ethics pedagogy may be insufficient for developing practical moral reasoning.
• Aristotle's concept of phronesis offers a valuable framework for understanding moral expertise.
• A long-term mentorship model in clinical settings is essential for cultivating phronesis.

Conclusions:

• Clinical ethics learning is best fostered through sustained mentorship rather than didactic methods alone.
• The development of practical wisdom (phronesis) is central to effective clinical ethics.
• This mentorship approach should be integrated into the training of medical and clinical ethics students.