The foundations of bioethics: contingency and relevance

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Medicine
• Secular Ethics

Background:

• H. Tristram Engelhardt proposed the principle of permission as the foundation for secular bioethics.
• Existing critiques have attempted to challenge Engelhardt's argument.
• The essay examines the resilience of Engelhardt's argument against some of these critiques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and critique H. Tristram Engelhardt's argument for a secular bioethic based on the principle of permission.
• To evaluate the foundational stability and practical relevance of Engelhardt's proposed secular bioethic.
• To propose an alternative foundation for a relevant secular bioethic.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of Engelhardt's argument.
• Review and assessment of existing critiques of Engelhardt's work.
• Development of a two-pronged critique focusing on foundational stability and practical relevance.
• Argument for a context-dependent approach to secular bioethics.

Main Results:

• Engelhardt's argument for a secular bioethic, while immune to some critiques, fails to establish a stable foundation.
• The proposed secular bioethic risks practical irrelevance due to its neglect of contextual dimensions.
• Contingent features of the bioethical context are essential for establishing a relevant secular bioethic.

Conclusions:

• Engelhardt's project does not provide a sufficiently robust or practically applicable foundation for secular bioethics.
• A relevant secular bioethic must be grounded in the specific contexts and contingent features that necessitate its existence.
• Future bioethical frameworks should prioritize contextual understanding for practical application.