Abstract
Complex ethical problems resulting from research and advances in biotechnologies increasingly confront Christian ministers and theologians with difficult and complex moral dilemmas. Where do they turn to in order to give guidance and answer questions concerning practical bioethical problems? This article argues that Bioethics as the systematic study of specific moral dilemmas implies conjoining a variety of ethical methodologies in an interdisciplinary framework. In trying to clarify this complex nature of Bioethics when practiced specifically from a Christian Theological viewpoint, the article examines theoretical considerations regarding the interface between three contributing disciplines, viz. Theology, Philosophy and Life Sciences. This is done by investigating three questions: What is the place of Bioethics in the hierarchy of disciplines? In what way do Philosophy, Theology, and Life Sciences contribute to the theoretical foundations of interdisciplinary Bioethics?, and How do different methodologies relate to one another in order to show the true interdisciplinary character of Bioethics? The article concludes that it is vital to re-examine the theoretical basis of Bioethics as a philosophical grounding or methodology in order to place moral knowledge within a meta-theoretical and epistemological framework. It is clear that Bioethics is a complex endeavour served by many disciplines, as well as a complex interdisciplinary form of knowledge. Scholars, scientists and theologians must all learn to transcend the barriers between the multitude of interrogational disciplines and endeavour to work towards designing a well- founded and meaningful framework within which the methodological assumptions and theoretical grounding have been clarified, and one which also recognizes the complex interdisciplinary nature of Bioethics.
Highlights
This article argues that Bioethics as the systematic study of moral dimensions – including moral vision, decision-making, conduct, and policies in both Life Sciences, health care and the medical fields - implies a variety of ethical methodologies in an interdisciplinary setting
I shall frame the discussion through the consideration of the following three broad questions: What is the place of Bioethics within the hierarchy of sciences? In what way do Theology, Philosophy and Life Sciences contribute to the theoretical foundations of interdisciplinary Bioethics? How do different methodologies relate to one another, and what does this reveal about the interdisciplinary character of Bioethics?
Still – choosing philosophical methods to best achieve the objectives of “applied ethics” or “practical ethics”, remains controversial (Sugarman and Sulmasy, 2001:31). Given this myriad of methods, how should we go about solving concrete complex bioethical problems? Can we develop a methodology that finds an interdisciplinary interaction to which Theology, Philosophy and Life Sciences contribute? The underlying concern is that we can get “stuck” on abstract theorizing
Summary
The domain of Bioethics as an intellectual, autonomous and social research field has grown extremely rapidly over the last four decades. Complex ethical problems resulting from research and developments in fields such as stem cell research, artificial reproductive techniques, prenatal testing, health care, abortion and environmental issues – to name but a few - need to be addressed by scientists, and by theologians and counsellors.When Christian ministers are confronted in their congregations with moral dilemmas resulting from these developments in Bioethics, they could turn to different sources for direction in order to answer questions such as: How much of Bioethics is Life Sciences? How much is Ethics, and how much is in the domain of the humanities or social sciences? Where does Philosophy fit in the expansive vision of Bioethics? Pellegrino (1997:1) takes the argument even further by asking: “Is it merely one discipline among many, or can it make some claim to the role of primus inter pares?” Given the potential impact of these problems on the spiritual well-being of members of their congregation, it is unavoidable to engage in a rigorous theological and ethical analysis in order to face these questions to which we do not readily know the answers (Cole-Turner, 2006:943). This article argues that Bioethics as the systematic study of moral dimensions – including moral vision, decision-making, conduct, and policies in both Life Sciences, health care and the medical fields - implies a variety of ethical methodologies in an interdisciplinary setting Xxi; Shannon, 1987:2; Rae and Cox, 1999:vii; Wildes, 2000:2-3; Sugerman and Sulmasy, 2001:5-6; Kuhse and Singer, 2006:1) It is of real and pressing interest to many other related disciplines such as Law, Anthropology etc., but is a form of enquiry with enormous potential to make interdisciplinary research tangible in that contemporary bioethical issues can be dealt with in their full complexity
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