What is “Narrative Bioethics”

Helmut Dubiel

doi:10.3389/fnint.2011.00010

Abstract

It was not me who coined the term “narrative bioethics.” I discovered the term in the title of a dissertation, written by a young theologian, Katrin Bentele, which dealt with ethical dilemmas in doing research on Parkinson (Bentele, 2007). She concluded her dissertation with a quotation out of my book, which has the title, in English, “Deep in the brain” (Dubiel, 2009). This book, in which I described my experience with living with Parkinson and with deep brain stimulation, turned out to be – compared to the books I had published previously – a real bestseller.

Highlights

The first question I want to raise is how the ethical, political, and cultural implications and consequences of the new high-risk technologies differ from other technologies of the past century, like nuclear energy or nano-technology
Physical pain in all its dimensions is a product of that kind of modernization, which we sociologists call “individualization.” In this new sociological discourse “individualization” means the breaking away of existential railings, the dissolution of traditional, mostly religiously shaped patterns of life, which used to protect us from despair and give us hope and consolation
I call this constellation of pain and identity paradoxical, because it is just the medical intervention into the integrity of our body which directs our attention to this complex constellation

Summary

Introduction

The first question I want to raise is how the ethical, political, and cultural implications and consequences of the new high-risk technologies differ from other technologies of the past century, like nuclear energy or nano-technology. This kind of (over-) generalized principles are called the “the first order principles,” such as truthfulness, justice, fairness, universability (Kant’s “Categorical Imperative”),“divinecommand.” These “first order principles” will soon prove to be too abstract for constructing the foundations of an applied ethics like bioethics. – Strict avoidance of any further damage; – Care for all affected in the philosophical sense of “justice”; – Professional ethics like pledge of secrecy in the case of medical doctors, therapists and priests.

Results

Conclusion