Medical ethics research between theory and practice

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Medical Ethics
• Philosophy of Medicine

Background:

• Current medical ethics often applies abstract theories, failing to capture clinical realities and practitioner experiences.
• There's a critical need to reconnect the internal morality of medical practices with external societal values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a theoretical framework for medical ethics that integrates philosophical reflection with practical clinical realities.
• To propose a comprehensive approach for medical ethics research that bridges theory and practice.

Main Methods:

• Empirical research to understand the internal morality of healthcare contexts.
• Sociological study to analyze external morality, including prevalent values and norms.
• Application of Jensen's theory of healthcare practices and hermeneutical ethics for new theoretical perspectives and integration of insights.

Main Results:

• A four-step approach to medical ethics research is outlined, emphasizing empirical study, sociological analysis, theoretical development, and a new bioethics conception.
• The proposed framework aims to illuminate the complex interaction between internal and external morality in healthcare.
• Hermeneutical ethics is identified as a valuable tool for integrating diverse ethical experiences and insights.

Conclusions:

• Medical ethics requires a synthesis of abstract principles and concrete clinical experiences.
• A comprehensive, multi-faceted approach is necessary to develop a robust theoretical perspective in medical ethics.
• The proposed framework offers a path toward a more integrated and practically relevant bioethics.