Ethical Responsibility Research Articles

The future of medicine or a threat? Artificial intelligence representation in Chicago Med

The eighth season of the American medical drama series Chicago Med (2015–) represented the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in a hospital environment with multiple storylines. Born in the 1950s, medical dramas are among the most popular forms of serial television. Traditionally, the genre aims for a certain amount of accuracy and has educational goals. Former studies investigated the entertainment education and cultivation effects of these series, concluding that these dramas have the potential to contribute information and shape viewers’ opinions on various health-related topics. Chicago Med is a long-running broadcast production with a worldwide audience and considerable viewership. This paper analyzes the series’ representation of medical AI and discusses how this portrayal potentially shapes the audience’s opinion. The research started by identifying artificial intelligence-related storylines in the 22 episodes of the season. The analysis focused on the reasons and outcomes of AI applications, the character’s attitudes, and the ethical issues, including transparency, selective adherence, automation bias, responsibility gap, hallucination, unequal access, and political dimensions. The storyline analysis concluded that Chicago Med provided thought-provoking positive and negative scenarios about applying different types of AI in the surgical and emergency departments. The complex portrayal included groundbreaking opportunities, challenges, dangers, and ethical considerations. The main characters’ attitudes varied, from strong support or opposition to more nuanced, shifting opinions. The educative and engaging content has a potential for knowledge transfer and encourages critical thinking about medical AI.

Addressing the COVID-induced healthcare backlog: How can we balance the interests of people and nature?

The COVID-19 pandemic created healthcare backlogs of routine primary and preventive care, elective procedures, dental care, and mental healthcare appointments across the world. So far, governments are responding by enacting pandemic recovery policies that expand their healthcare sector activity, without much, if any, consideration of its effects on the environmental crisis that is (among other things) worsening human health and health equity. This study argues that, as a matter of health and social justice, governments have an ethical responsibility to equitably reduce the backlog with minimal environmental damage. To do so, a first key action is to give priority to policy options that minimise negative human impacts on the environment. Yet these policies alone will not be sufficient to address the backlog, particularly in relation to elective procedures. The study therefore contends that a second key action for governments is to enact the policy options that are best able to equitably reduce the remainder of the backlog, while accelerating the transition to sustainable health care in ways that are best able to reduce the specific environmental costs of those policy options. It concludes by considering whether limits apply to governments' ethical responsibilities that ultimately mean accelerating the transition to sustainable health care is not required when addressing the backlog.

TRUTHFUL IS MORAL: PRACTICING ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN CHINESE HISTORIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACTIn recent years, efforts have been made to reevaluate the tradition of Chinese historical thought and writing. This article seeks to further these efforts and offer a new understanding of the characteristics of historical writing in traditional China. It argues that, at the level of practice, traditional Chinese historians, like their counterparts in the rest of the world, were deeply concerned with establishing and communicating facts in historical writing. Their separation of commentary and narrative in order to practice “straight writing” of the latter is a telling example, one that evolved into an enshrined tradition over the long span of imperial China. At the theoretical level, Chinese historians also consciously explored the ways in which truthfulness in history could be reconciled with the ethical responsibilities they perceived and sought to assume in and for their time. This quest did not stop at the level of “praise and blame” for past personalities and events. Rather, their practice amounted to an effort, epitomized by the historical practice of the Song period (960–1279), to search for the metaphysics of historical morality, or the immanent and overarching principles that guide human society.

Ethics of Organ Donation and Transplantation: Toward Self-Sufficiency.

Organ donation, intersecting medical necessity and ethical responsibility, calls for policies respecting individual autonomy while aiming for societal selfsufficiency. This article evaluates various government policies, emphasizing the ethical use of nudges in decision-making and the potential impact on autonomy. We argue that, while some policies might be coercive, others may inadvertently disrespect autonomy through subtle influences on decisionmaking. To reach self sufficiency in organ donation and transplantation and to keep adherent to medical ethics, especially informed consent, and gift of life campaigns, governments must determine the legal procedures by which their residents are registered, or can register, as organ donors. Provided that governments recognize that people have a right to determine what happens to their organs after they die, there are 4 feasible options to choose from: optin, opt-out, mandated active choice, and voluntary active choice. This article investigated the ethics of these policies' use of nudges and pokes to affect organ donor registration ways, rules, and rates. We argue that the use of nudges in this context is morally problematic. It is disrespectful of people's autonomy to take advantage of their cognitive biases since doing so involves bypassing, not engaging, their rational capacities. We conclude that, although mandated active choice policies are not problem free, they are coercive; after all, voluntary active choice, opt-in, and opt-out policies are potentially less respectful of people's autonomy since their use of nudges could significantly affect people's decision making.

ChatGPT in Language Writing Education: Reflections and a Research Agenda for a ChatGPT Feedback Engagement Framework

This personal reflection explores the ethical considerations surrounding the use of ChatGPT in ESL writing education. It begins by highlighting contrasting perspectives on the tool’s impact, from skepticism to its potential as an empowering resource for students, particular with the immediate feedback ChatGPT provides. Then in reviewing existing models of feedback engagement, this paper identifies gaps that necessitate a more comprehensive ChatGPT feedback framework, one that incorporates ethical dimensions alongside cognitive and emotional aspects. The discussion concludes with a call for future research to investigate the complexities of engagement with AI tools like ChatGPT, emphasizing the importance of fostering ethical responsibility in student writers. Through this exploration, the paper aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of ChatGPT’s role in language writing education, advocating for an informed and responsible integration of AI in the classroom.

Enhancing academic and professional literacy in Swedish specialist nurse and other professional education programmes: a teacher’s perspective

This opinion piece focuses on the vital integration of academic and professional literacies in specialist nurse education and other professional education programmes within higher education in Sweden. In this opinion piece, we argue that extended learning, practise, and support can enhance the academic and professional literacy competence of specialist nurse students and other students in professional educations. To offer student specific and targeted support, educators, researchers, and policymakers can engage in collaboration, as well as inspire and empower their teachers through ongoing professional development. We also argue that the relationship between these two literacies should be highlighted in higher education to clarify the importance of academic skills within specialist nursing and other professions. We therefore suggest higher education could be more active in implementing and visualising intended learning outcomes with progression and learning activities regarding academic literacy as well as professional literacy curricula in professional educations. This approach, with an emphasis on systematic monitoring and research, ensures proficiency in effective communication, evidence-based practice, ethical responsibility, continuous learning, and quality assurance.

Building a Better World: The Role of AI Ethics and Social Responsibility

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming marketing, the tensions associated with ethics and social responsibility are accelerating. This commentary addresses and expands upon what Grewal, Guha and Becker (2024) term “Theme #3-AI created novel tensions.” The differences between AI ethics and social responsibility are defined, including directions for collaborative efforts needed by managers and developers of AI. To serve society, all stakeholders need to be involved in addressing the tensions associated with AI applications. AI principles such as transparency, accountability and fairness need to be translated into rules to develop algorithms. This process should be a part of strategic organizational management of the organizational compliance function. AI should not be just a tool or tactic to ensure efficiency. The risks and opportunities should be managed to create a better world.

Safeguarding Patients in the AI Era: Ethics at the Forefront of Pharmacovigilance.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in pharmacovigilance. However, the use of artificial intelligence in pharmacovigilance raises ethical concerns related to fairness, non-discrimination, compliance, and responsibility as the central ethical principles in risk assessment and regulatory requirements. This paper explores these concerns and provides a roadmap to how to address these challenges by considering data collection, privacy protection, transparency and accountability, model training, and explainability in artificial intelligence decision making for drug safety surveillance. A number of responsible approaches have been identified including an ethics framework and best practices to enhance artificial intelligence use in healthcare. The document also recognizes some initiatives that have demonstrated the importance of ethics in artificial intelligence pharmacovigilance. Nevertheless, the major needs mentioned in this paper are transparency, accountability, data protection, and fairness, which stress the necessity of collaboration to construct a cognitive framework aimed at integrating ethical artificial intelligence into pharmacovigilance. In conclusion, innovation should be balanced with ethical responsibility to enhance public health outcomes as well as patient safety.

Private commercial companies sharing health-relevant consumer data with health researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: an ethical exploration

ABSTRACT Sharing large digital-first datasets, including for purposes for which they were not originally intended, is a hallmark of the “big data revolution”. Through their routine operations, private commercial companies collect massive amounts of diverse data from their customers, some of which may interest those working in the public sector, such as health researchers. Researchers and government agencies worldwide have been increasingly using data from commercial entities (such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Twitter/X and Amazon, among others) to generate health-related insights. This article explores ethical issues raised by the practice of commercial companies sharing consumer data with third parties for the purposes of promoting health in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) context. First, as an illustrative example, it examines some of the ways telecommunication (telecom) companies in SSA shared mobility data from cellphone users with public health researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, it examines a recent debate about the ethical responsibilities of companies that collect, process and share user-generated data, drawing implications for the SSA context. Finally, since this is a relatively understudied subject, we point out some areas where future conceptual and empirical work could contribute to the development of relevant ethics guidance and regulatory governance in SSA.

Fantasies and Fallacies of ‘Aesthetic’ Instagrammers

AbstractThe influence of Instagram, as a social media platform, in shaping perceptions of aesthetic surgery cannot be understated. The idea of a more “aesthetic” self cultivates a desire for cosmetic enhancements. This article underscores the profound impact of Instagram on aesthetic surgery, shedding light on both its fantasies and fallacies. Instagram, a medium for dissemination of content, often blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Although the intent is to transfer credible information from the provider to the consumer, Instagram often contributes to the distortion of one's self-image and creates unrealistic expectations. Moreover, the glamorization of aesthetic surgery as a fast, effortless fix, often by commercially run enterprises, leads to misconceptions and impulsive decision-making. These fallacies are further compounded by the increase of misinformation and deceptive practices, presenting ethical challenges for influencers and surgeons alike. This study explores the ethical responsibilities of these “Aesthetic Instagrammers,” emphasizing the necessity for transparency and ethical guidelines, while analyzing all the social media stakeholders and providing suggestions for better engagement.

The Role of Technological Innovation in Sustainable Business Growth

This paper establishes the contribution of technological innovations toward sustainable business growth through Apple and Google and the relationship between technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and social impacts. This research employs the case-study method to address holistically the implications of technological innovation on sustainable business growth, with a focus on the selected firms of Google and Apple as cases. The research focused on these tech giants because they are the pioneers who have a massive influence on technological innovation. The data for this research were collected from secondary sources, such as academic articles and industry reports. Through the application of Critical Literature Review techniques, this study scrutinizes the impact of Google's and Apple's innovations as regards the environment, and also social issues. The study findings show that while it is obvious that both Apple and Google chose different parts in achieving sustainable development, both companies have greatly impacted the tech industry based on the creative products and services they provide. It was also revealed that both companies heavily invest a lot in research and development (R&D). Today, both companies are leaders in the world of renewable energy usage. Finally, the study concludes that future emerging technological trends like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Blockchain will keep shaping the space of innovation and sustainability practices. Therefore, organizations need to keep up with these trends to be able to address the challenges that accompany them, such as privacy issues, regulatory changes, as well as ethical responsibilities.

The Ethical Responsibilities of Researchers in Light of the Technological Advancement and Artificial Intelligence Methods: A Case Study of Management Ph.D. Researchers at Midocean University

This study aimed to assess the integration, ethical considerations, and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) within the PhD programs at Midocean University. It specifically sought to understand PhD researchers' perceptions and attitudes towards AI and identify areas for enhancement in AI-related policies and educational initiatives. A descriptive analytical approach was adopted, utilizing an electronic questionnaire distributed to 105 PhD researchers, with 54 completing the survey. The questionnaire was designed to measure various aspects of AI usage, ethical concerns, and governance practices. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between AI awareness, ethical application, and governance perceptions. The findings revealed diverse perceptions of AI among researchers, indicating both opportunities and challenges in AI integration. The statistical analysis confirmed significant correlations between AI awareness and positive perceptions of ethical AI usage. However, the response rate and sample size posed limitations on the generalizability of the results. The study highlights the need for Midocean University to strengthen its AI governance frameworks and expand ethical guidelines to keep pace with technological advancements. Recommendations include enhancing AI-related educational programs, updating AI policies regularly, and promoting interdisciplinary research to foster an informed and ethically aware research community.

The ethics of alterity and the ethics of care in literary studies

The ethics of care has regularly been described via contrast with deontological, consequentialist, and virtue theories of ethics. Often, such descriptions play care and justice against one another as potentially congruent but frequently competing social goods. This articulation of the field, which moves across major perspectives within moral and political philosophy, does not fully describe how ethics appears in some areas of humanities, particularly literary studies, where an ‘ethics of alterity’ has predominated for several decades. This ethics emphasizes a scene of encounter across difference, and an ethical responsibility to the other which has been narrativized via the scene of hospitality. This essay proposes that the ethics of care and the ethics of alterity share much—more than care ethics shares with other kinds of moral philosophy. But it also identifies differences which have made it easier to position alterity, rather than care, as a guiding ethos for literature, literary criticism, and literature education. Why is this so, and what would it mean for the ethics of care to be more central in literary study and literature education? Taking as an occasion a novel explicitly concerned with care-taking and care-giving, J.M. Coetzee’s Slow Man (2005), the essay explores the prospects for a care-focused practice of literary studies.

Respect for history: an important dimension of contemporary obstetrics and gynecology.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This maxim underscores the importance of historical awareness in medicine, particularly for obstetricians and gynecologists (ObGyns). ObGyns significantly impact societal health through their care for pregnant women, fetuses, and newborns, uniquely positioning themto advocate for health initiatives with lasting societal benefits. Despite its importance, the history of medicine is underrepresented in medical curricula, missing opportunities to foster critical thinking and ethical decision-making. In today's climate of threatened reproductive rights, vaccine misinformation, and harmful ideologies, it is imperative for ObGyns to champion comprehensive historical education. The history of medicine, particularly in relation to societal issues- such as racism, discrimination, genocides, pandemics, and wars- provides valuable context for addressing challenges like maternal mortality, reproductive rights, vaccine hesitancy, and ethical issues. Understanding historical milestones and notable ethical breaches, such as the Tuskegee Study and the thalidomide tragedy, informs better practices and safeguards patient rights. Technological advancements in hygiene, antibiotics, vaccines, and prenatal care have revolutionized the field, yet contemporary ObGyns must remain vigilant about lessons learned from past challenges and successes. Integrating historical knowledge into medical training enhances clinical proficiency and ethical responsibility, fostering innovation and improving health outcomes. By reflecting on historical achievements and their impacts, current and future ObGyns can advance the field, ensuring comprehensive and ethically sound approaches to patient care. This paper highlights the crucial role of historical knowledge in shaping modern ObGyn practices, advocating for its integration into medical education to address contemporary health challenges and ethical considerations.

Transformative Impact of the EU AI Act on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships

The International Maritime Organization collaborates with member states to develop the Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code to establish an international agreement framework. In December 2023, an agreement was reached on the European Union (EU) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act within the MASS Code. It was officially finalized and implemented on 1 August 2024. While the Act’s full application is set for two years later, certain provisions regarding safety against AI risks will take effect sooner. This study utilized a multiple-streams analysis method to examine how the EU AI Act impacted shipyards and shipping companies, focusing on ethical AI use and user safety. The findings indicate that technical completeness, safety enhancement, and AI system regulation through risk classification influence autonomous ship innovation. The challenges of reviewing the commercialization of new technologies for autonomous ships may result in market failures or decreased industry competitiveness. The study emphasizes the need to balance AI safety and ethical responsibility with autonomous ship development innovations. To ensure the sustainable application of AI technology, innovators must adapt to the EU AI Directive. Hence, this study confirms that the ethical and legal regulation of AI technology is crucial in technological innovation and development related to autonomous ships.

THE CATEGORY OF THE “OTHER” IN THE AXIOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY LITERARY FAIRY TALES OF KAZAKHSTAN

The article examines various aspects of the discourse of the "Other" through the lens of psychoanalytic, decolonial, and ecological theories. The leitmotif mythologem of the initiation and the accompanying archetypal dichotomy of "self/other" in the literary fairy tale implies the actualization of the discourse of the "Other." The encounter with the "Other" represents a fundamental ethical event for each individual. Understanding being begins with ethical responsibility towards the "Other." The "Other" is also essential for the self-knowledge of the subject (successful completion of the initiation stage). Moreover, the "Other" plays a key role in the formation of the human subject through the symbolic order of language and culture. The main focus is on analyzing the motif of encountering otherness, which is key to understanding the ethical and existential transformation of fairy tale characters. The study integrates multidisciplinary perspectives, including Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, decolonial literary studies, feminist literary criticism, and ecological philosophy. Lacan's theory defines the "Other" as central to subjectivity; the decolonial approach explores the suppression of marginalized voices, while feminist criticism deconstructs patriarchal norms defining women as the "Other." Ecophilosophy extends the category of the "Other" to natural phenomena, reflecting a pantheistic worldview where all living beings have value. The authors conclude that contemporary Kazakh literary fairy tales demonstrate the deconstruction of traditional negative hierarchies through integrating ecological sensitivity and anti-power discourse. These categories emphasize a shift from an object paradigm to a subject paradigm, recognizing nature and people as active subjects of being. Thus, the Kazakh literary fairy tale, by actualizing the discourse of the "Other," significantly contributes to forming a contemporary axiological worldview, promoting a critical rethinking of negative hierarchies. This allows overcoming various forms of oppression and inequality, contributing to creating a just and inclusive society.

A streamlined approach to scale adaptation: Enhancing validity and feasibility in educational measurement

In educational research, the adaptation of measurement scales to different contexts is necessary but often lacks thorough validation, leading to unreliable and invalid results that compromise research integrity and the effectiveness of educational policies. In this paper, I highlight these issues and advocate for elevated research standards and rigorous validation processes. I propose a practical validation approach that balances feasibility and rigor, including initial content validity checks, pilot testing with small samples, simplified statistical validation, and cross-validation when possible. While practical, this method has limitations, such as potential biases and incomplete psychometric assessments. Despite these, it enhances the reliability and validity of adapted scales, contributing to more robust and trustworthy educational research. By prioritizing meticulous validation, I believe researchers can uphold their ethical responsibilities and advance educational practices and policies grounded in robust evidence.

Investigating Data Protection Compliance Challenges

In today's landscape, safeguarding sensitive data is crucial for Organizations, but navigating data protection regulations and ensuring compliance is increasingly challenging. This research project explores Organizations' hurdles in achieving data protection compliance, offering insights to develop more effective strategies. A survey via Google Forms gathered insights from data protection experts and professionals, revealing key challenges such as difficulty understanding complex regulations, limited resources, and obstacles in implementing compliance measures. The study also reviewed the existing data protection regulatory framework and relevant literature, uncovering a common theme of confusion and a gap between regulatory requirements and practical application across Organizations. The research recognises that data protection extends beyond regulatory compliance, reflecting the evolving expectations of individuals and customers regarding the ethical handling of their data. This underscores the importance of data protection as both a legal and ethical responsibility closely tied to organisational reputation and public trust. The findings highlight the need for more precise, accessible guidelines and support mechanisms to bridge the gap between regulatory demands and organisational implementation. By addressing these challenges, Organizations can strengthen their data protection measures, foster trust, and ensure the security of sensitive information.

Ethical governance and implementation paths for global marine science data sharing

While global marine science data sharing plays a crucial role in advancing scientific research and knowledge dissemination, it also brings with it two major ethical conflicts: those between individual interests and the public interest and those between data privacy and data sharing, which are rooted in conflict of interest. In the context of globalization and rapid technological progress, current ethical governance frameworks are inadequate in regulating these conflicts. On the one hand, governance cannot meet the needs of rapidly evolving technologies; on the other hand, the complexity and diversity of stakeholders involved in governance make it more difficult. By introducing the theory of legal hierarchy and innovatively proposing the theory of ethical hierarchy, which classifies the ethical principles to be followed according to their importance and applicability, the priority and scope of application between different ethical principles can be clearly defined so that various stakeholders can make the right ethical choices. Using research methods such as literature review, case studies, and comparative analysis, we propose to construct an ethical governance framework that consists of a stakeholder consultation and communication network in terms of governance structure and clarifies the ethical responsibilities of each party in data sharing in terms of governance measures. This framework not only provides a platform for communication and cooperation among different stakeholders but also helps to balance the interests of different stakeholders and improve the level and extent of global marine science data sharing.

Justifying access to kidney care in low resource and humanitarian settings.

Access to and quality of kidney care is not equitable between or within countries. A natural question is whether global kidney care inequities are always unjustifiable and unfair, or are sometimes due to unavoidable competing or conflicting ethical duties or responsibilities. Health is a fundamental right for all people. People with kidney conditions should have the same claim on this human right as others. Countries have an obligation to progressively fulfil this right and a duty to do so equitably, but global progress has been slow. Countries with limited resources or faced with humanitarian emergencies must set priorities to allocate resources fairly. This process involves trade-offs and often people requiring kidney replacement therapy are left out because of costs, logistics and lack of data. Major burdens are placed on clinicians who grapple between their duty to their patient and professional codes and their responsibility to a 'greater good'. These dilemmas apply also to industry, governments and the international community who must recognize their share in these duties. Inequities in kidney health and care must be acknowledged and sustainable and collaborative solutions urgently found such that right to kidney care is progressively upheld for everyone everywhere.