Human Ethics Research Articles

Utilising a ‘Community of Practice’ to support pharmacists to work in residential aged care: protocol for a longitudinal evaluation

IntroductionA Community of Practice is briefly defined as a group of people with a shared interest in a given area of practice who work collaboratively to grow collective knowledge. Communities...

Cost-effectiveness of a complex continuum of care intervention targeting women and children: protocol for an economic evaluation of the Bukhali trial in South Africa

IntroductionAs nearly two-thirds of women presenting at their first antenatal visit are either overweight or obese in urban South Africa, the preconception period is an opportunity to optimise health and...

Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia: reimagining an inclusive society through social innovation

Research methodology This case was developed via primary data collected from personal (one to one) interview with the CEO and founder of Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia (Dialogue Malaysia), Stevens Chan. With Stevens’ contact, the authors also conducted personal interviews with Kaye Chan (co-founder and wife of Stevens Chan), Lynn Foo (project manager since inception until early 2022) and Dr Foo Yin Fah (academic researcher in social entrepreneurship and advisor for Dialogue Malaysia). Secondary data included reports on visually impaired context in Malaysia, Dialogue Malaysia’s annual reports and online articles. Prior to the primary data collection, the authors obtained ethics approval from the University Human Ethics Committee (Project ID: 35461). Case overview/synopsis This case narrative focuses on Stevens Chan, a blind social entrepreneur who champions the empowerment of the disabled and marginalised community. Through a social franchising model, Stevens founded Dialogue in the Dark Malaysia in 2012. As a social start-up, Stevens showcases the strengths of blind and visually impaired individuals through transformative experiential encounters and reimagining future possibilities. Although there are constant challenges in securing financial and human capital, Stevens never lacks psychological capital, characterised by hope, self-efficacy, optimism and resilience. His vision is to educate society on the power of empathy (and not sympathy) and to create a holistic experience of celebrating diversity and inclusion through an innovative discovery centre, where the elderly and the disabled community (including the deaf, mute and those with mobility issues) share their lives with the public through fun activities. However, the future of this social enterprise is uncertain, and this case invites participants to embark on this journey with Stevens to uncover future pathways for growth and social impact. Complexity academic level The case is tailored for higher level undergraduates and entry-level and mid-level managers of executive education programs.

3D-Bioprinting and AI-empowered Anatomical Structure Designing: A Review.

The recent advancements and detailed studies in the field of 3D bioprinting have made it a promising avenue in the field of organ shortage, where many patients die awaiting transplantation. The main challenges bioprinting faces are precision during printing, vascularization, and cell proliferation. Additionally, overcoming these shortcomings requires experts from engineering, medicine, physics, etc., and if accomplished, it will significantly benefit humankind. This paper covers the general roadmap of the bioprinting process, different kinds of bioinks, and available bioprinters. The paper also includes designing the anatomical structure, which is the first phase of the bioprinting process, and how AI has facilitated this entire process of 3D printing in healthcare and associated applications like medical modelling and disease modelling. The process of 3D bioprinting involves meticulous structure designing of the anatomical structure under study, which forms the base of the entire bioprinting process. One of the significant applications of 3D printing in healthcare is Medical Modelling and Disease Modelling, which requires the detection of disease in anatomy and its delineation from the rest of anatomy for meticulous creation of ROI using sophisticated segmentation software(s) for the construction of 3D models of diseased anatomy and healthy anatomical surroundings. The study concluded that bioprinting is the future of the worldwide organ transplantation crisis. Anatomical accuracy is an important aspect that must be considered while producing 3D models. The reproduction of patient-specific 3D models requires human rights and ethics approval under four principles of ethics in healthcare: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice.

Geschlechterpoetik

Abstract ‚Geschlechterpoetik‘ as a methodological approach examines the mutual interferences between gender and genre in classicist drama around 1700. It outlines in which way the development of literary genres, especially tragedies, can be described in relation to historically variable and culture-specific gender performativity in dramatic texts. Obviously classicist drama of the early Enlightenment gradually transforms the virile ethics of the ‚Staats- and Heldentragödie‘ established by ancient poetics into a ‚zivile Tragödie‘. The ‚zivile Tragödie‘ is constituted by moral values that can be considered as genuinely human and universal. In the context of 18th-century moral philosophy, the rising influence of empiricism and the polarisation of gender roles morality is increasingly associated with ideals of womanhood. The gender-based transformation of early modern tragedy can be exemplified in selected texts of Johann Christoph Gottsched, Luise Gottsched and Johann Elias Schlegel which visualize the described transformation of ancient heroic tragedy into a so-called ‚zivile Tragödie‘ by using and gradually naturalizing female allegories for pitiful female protagonists who ideally incorporate genuine human ethics.

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF HYBRID SIMULATION IN ENHANCING THE LEARNING DOMAINS OF MEDICAL UNDERGRADUATES: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Objectivs: Medical education, crucial for understanding physiological processes and clinical application, faces limitations in traditional methods. Simulation-based training addresses this gap, providing a secure environment for hands-on skill practice. The objectives of the study are to (1) evaluate the impact of simulation on enhancing the learning domains of medical undergraduates and (2) gauge students’ perceptions of simulation based medical education (SBME) through a pre-validated, pre-designed questionnaire. Methods: A quasi-experimental study, involving 60 medical undergraduates, selected by convenient sampling. The study began after obtaining approval from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee and obtaining informed consent from students. A pre-test was conducted for all 60 students followed by a lecture on simulation and then a post-test. The students were then divided into two groups: Group A – SBME using part-task trainers and standardized patients and Group B – (non-SBME) with video lectures on simulation. After 1 month, an assessment of all domains, namely cognitive, affective, and psychomotor, was done by post-test and objective structured clinical examination, respectively. Perception was obtained using the pre-validated questionnaire. Results: The assessment scores of all domains of Group A (SBME) showed significant improvement p<0.05 except cognitive domain. Conclusion: SBME is an effective teaching method for improving the learning domains of medical undergraduates.

The Ethics of Life as It Could Be: Do We Have Moral Obligations to Artificial Life?

The field of Artificial Life studies the nature of the living state by modeling and synthesizing living systems. Such systems, under certain conditions, may come to deserve moral consideration similar to that given to nonhuman vertebrates or even human beings. The fact that these systems are nonhuman and evolve in a potentially radically different substrate should not be seen as an insurmountable obstacle to their potentially having rights, if they are sufficiently sophisticated in other respects. Nor should the fact that they owe their existence to us be seen as reducing their status as targets of moral concern. On the contrary, creators of Artificial Life may have special obligations to their creations, resembling those of an owner to their pet or a parent to their child. For a field that aims to create artificial life-forms with increasing levels of sophistication, it is crucial to consider the possible ethical implications of our activities, with an eye toward assessing potential moral obligations for which we should be prepared. If Artificial Life is larger than life, then the ethics of artificial beings should be larger than human ethics.

Protocol for cost-effectiveness analysis of a randomised trial of mHealth coaching (Bump2Baby and Me) compared with usual care for healthy gestational weight gain and postnatal outcomes in at-risk women and their offspring in the UK, Australia, Ireland and Spain

IntroductionGestational diabetes mellitus and overweight are associated with an increased likelihood of complications during birth and for the newborn baby. These complications lead to increased immediate and long-term healthcare costs...

Sustainable and ethical supply chain management: The role of HR in current practices and future directions

This study systematically reviews the integration of Human Resources (HR), sustainability, and ethics within the framework of supply chain management, illuminating the pivotal role of HR practices in enhancing the sustainability and ethical integrity of supply chains. Employing a systematic literature review coupled with content analysis, this research scrutinizes scholarly articles and case studies across various databases, focusing on the period from 2000 to 2024. The methodology hinges on precise inclusion and exclusion criteria to distill relevant literature, which is then subjected to rigorous content analysis to identify prevailing themes and insights. Key findings reveal that strategic HR practices, including talent management, training and development, and leadership cultivation, are central to embedding sustainability and ethical considerations into supply chain operations. These practices not only foster a culture of sustainability and ethics but also drive organizational change towards more sustainable supply chain models. The review identifies a dual challenge for sustainable supply chain management: the complexity of global supply chains and the increasing demands for transparency and ethical conduct, presenting both significant challenges and opportunities for innovation. Finally, the study underscores the critical role of HR in sustainable and ethical supply chain management, highlighting the necessity of integrating sustainability into HR practices. Strategic recommendations for organizations and HR professionals are provided to navigate the evolving landscape of supply chain sustainability. The study calls for further research into the dynamic interplay between HR practices and supply chain sustainability, particularly in the context of emerging technologies and global supply chain complexities.

The 4.0 Era's Difficulties with Learning Islamic Religious Education

This study aims to address the challenges associated with learning Islamic religious education in the digital era, or Era 4.0. One of the main effects of this era has been the rise of online learning and e-learning, which has changed many aspects of life, including education, particularly Islamic religious education. The phenomena of disruption had emerged in this century, forcing adaptation in the field of Islamic religious education. The study employs a qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach. Books, scientific articles, journals, and papers are the primary and secondary data sources. The discussion's conclusions demonstrate that Islamic religious education is currently dealing with issues, demands, and needs that have never been encountered before. Thus, it is imperative to implement updates and innovations to the infrastructure and facilities, human resource capabilities, curriculum, governance, culture, work ethic, and other areas. If not, Islamic religious education will become outdated and more and more out of date. Therefore, in order to use the term ilmu amali amal ilmi, specific actions or answers must be found.

Food Choice as an Ethical Practice: Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches to a Possible Synthesis

Food, reflecting individual and collective ethical choices, is the focus of this essay, which explores the profound interrelationship between food practices and the moral principles that govern them. Beginning with Feuerbach’s maxim ‘Man is what he eats,’ the essay explores the complex relationship between diet, ethics, and philosophy, showing how every food decision is inextricably linked to ethical, social, and environmental considerations. It explores the transformation of the concept of ‘food’ from a mere dietary choice to an expression of a conscious lifestyle. It shows how everyone’s food choices reflect and influence our interaction with the world. Through historical and contemporary analysis, the multiple dimensions of diet are explored: from responsibility towards undernourished people to environmental sustainability, from the debate on omnivorism to the promotion of ethical diets such as vegetarianism and veganism. The exposition is then articulated through two dominant ethical currents: the top-down approach, based on universal principles, and the bottom-up approach, which emphasizes the importance of virtues and values in the specific context of food. The essay not only brings these perspectives into dialoguebut also invites critical reflection on the role of food in defining human identity and morality, underlining the urgency of a global ethical commitment that reconciles personal needs with collective and environmental ones.

Gaging "JoJo Rabbit " Skies - Film Deconstruction and Reshaping of Literature

In contemporary film and television, many creative works use excellent literary works as the basis of adapted scripts. Many not-so-excellent literary works have been adapted into film and television works that the audience knows and loves. Adapting literary works into film and television has always occupied a significant position in film history. This article will compare JoJo Rabbit and the original novel Gaging Skies to explore the adaptation of movies based on literary works that align with human ethics in today's social environment and the successful deconstruction of literature by film. And reinvention. This article elaborates on the expression of the theme in JoJo Rabbit from multiple dimensions, such as the comparison between the script and the original work, the current situation of film adaptations, and the excellent use of audio-visual language in the film. Finally, a multi-angle comparison of the original novel and the film summarizes how the film deconstructs and reshapes the literary adaptation of the original work and the profound impact of scholarly works on adapters.

GRADE good practice statements: a time to say “good-bye”? A new typology for normative statements on interventions

BackgroundClinical and public health guidelines include a variety of types of normative statements concerning interventions. “Recommendations” are usually the central focus, and are based on one or more systematic reviews of research evidence. Guidelines may include other types of normative statements, however, including Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Develoment, and Evaluation (GRADE) good (or best) practice statements (GPS), which represent recommendations that guideline panels feel are important but are not appropriate for formal ratings of quality of evidence because it is sufficiently obvious that desirable effects outweigh undesirable effects. These normative statements are typically supported by a great deal of high-certainty, indirect evidence, which the authors feel would be a waste of time to examine. There are a number of conceptual and methodological issues with GRADE GPS, however, and these are manifested in guidelines, including both inappropriate overuse and underuse, and unclear interpretation and impact among end-users. This situation has arisen in part from lack of clarity in, and misunderstandings of, GRADE guidance, the lumping of many different types of normative statements under one label (“GPS”), from limitations in GRADE's approach to linked bodies of evidence, and because the appropriate basis for many normative statements about interventions is not reviews of research evidence. A new typology is needed for normative statements on interventions and policies that are not optimally based on reviews of research evidence. Proposed TypologyThis proposed typology differentiates normative statements about interventions by the type or nature of the most appropriate basis for the statement. The typology encompasses the range of statements encompassed by GPS, but provides a more nuanced categorization designed to assist both guideline developers and end-users. This typology encompasses two main types of normative statements about interventions (including policies): (1) statements that indicate when to use (or not) an intervention, which intervention to use, and if, when and how to use it and (2) the principles, practices, or norms that inform or underpin such interventions. These correspond to normative statements based on empirical evidence, and those based on human rights, ethics, or norms, respectively. Normative statements based on empirical evidence include: (1) recommendations based on systematic reviews of human or animal evidence on effectiveness and harms, including linked bodies of evidence; (2) normative statements based on scientific fundamentals (eg, physical/biological/chemical properties, theories, laws, or principles); and (3) implementation guidance based most commonly on experiential evidence such as case studies. Normative statements based on human rights, ethics, or norms include: (1) guiding principles, based on human rights standards and conventions and/or ethics principles; and (2) practice norms and standards, based on clinical and public health norms and/or professional standards. ConclusionThere are conceptual and methodological problems with GRADE GPS, leading to their misapplication, with overuse and underuse. This paper presents a proposal for a new typology for normative statements on interventions, according to the basis for the statement. This typology encompasses and replaces GPS, providing a more nuanced set of statements. Testing of this proposed approach is needed among both guideline developers and end-users.

The Forgotten Language of Nontheistic Mysticism: Religious Factors in Erich Fromm’s Humanism

In You Shall Be as Gods, Erich Fromm (1900–1980) defines his position as nontheistic mysticism. This research clarifies the term, considers its importance within Fromm’s humanism, and explores its potential origins. The nontheistic mystical position plays a central role in Fromm’s understanding of the relationship between mysticism and organized religion, religion and religiosity, and it clarifies the relationship between religion, philosophy, and social psychoanalysis, whose combination constitutes his humanistic ethics. Nontheistic mysticism relates, as well, to Fromm’s understanding of human nature; it involves the question of the relationship between language, perception, and experience. The nontheistic mystical position is linked to Fromm’s negative theology, the x experience, and idolatry. Hence, the nontheistic mystical position is relevant to Fromm’s understanding of self-realization and his vision of a sane society. Unlike some scholarly opinion, the conclusions of this paper suggest that Fromm’s humanism is not radical, as long as radical is defined as an absolute atheistic secular feature that eliminates the range of religious language and experience. Rather, it is a broad and cautious humanism that, on the one hand, internalizes the transcendent divinity into the human subject and transforms it into anthropological–ethical phenomena, but, on the other, implies that atheism carries the risk of an idolatrous identification of the human being with God. Consequently, this humanism requires a religious–mystical component to adequately portray the spiritual and ethical potentials of humanity and its challenges. Nontheistic mysticism is a consciousness mechanism aimed at the fine-tuning of the individual’s moral compass, which is affected by the pathologies of normalcy that prevail in all societies.

An Evaluation of Controversial Statements in Etica Teologica Della Vita.

The teachings of the Catholic Church on human sexuality, contraception and the treatment of infertility are well established and clearly explained in many Church documents, including Humanae vitae and Familiaris consortio. In 2022, a book was published in Italian which reported on a seminar organised by an Academy of the Catholic Church about the ethics of life. Titled the Theological Ethics of Life (abbreviated 'ETV' in Italian), the conclusion of chapter VII contains statements about contraception and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) which, though somewhat difficult to interpret, appear to be controversial with regard to accepted Church teaching on these subjects. This paper presents a detailed analysis by a group of Australian Catholic doctors and ethicists of an English translation of paragraphs 172 and 173 of ETV and concludes that they contain statements which deviate from and contradict accepted Catholic teaching on contraception and ART. The authors also claim that a thorough up-to-date knowledge and understanding of suitable current alternatives to contraception and ART (e.g. in-vitro fertilization, IVF) which are safe, effective, readily accessible and consistent with Catholic ethics appears to be lacking in paragraphs 172 and 173 of ETV. The authors suggest a better understanding of currently available methods to assist with fertility care, aided by input from Catholic medical experts working in the areas of Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) and Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) would better inform ongoing debates about contraception and ART within the Church and be of service to the Faithful who should be encouraged to pursue these alternatives which are both effective and consistent with Church teaching on human sexuality and morals.

Pendidikan Akhlak Perspektif Al-Qur’an

The purpose of this study is to discuss morals in the perspective of Islamic education. The type of research used in this study is a descriptive method with a research approach using qualitative methods. As for this research method, it uses the method of literature review or library research on books, scientific journals, the Qur'an and Hadith and other sources. The results of this study explain that morals have a very important role to learn and to be applied in everyday life. Morals have such a high position and are considered to be the key determinants in educational success. The role of morals according to the perspective of Islamic education refers to human behavior, attitudes and morals which include aspects such as ethics, morals and manners regulated in Islamic religious teachings. Morals in Islamic education are useful to prepare humans towards a prosperous life both in the world and in the hereafter.

Modeling children’s moral development in postwar Taiwan through naturalistic observations preserved in historical texts

A core issue in the interdisciplinary study of human morality is its ontogeny in diverse cultures, but systematic, naturalistic data in specific cultural contexts are rare to find. This study conducts a novel analysis of 213 children’s socio-moral behavior in a historical, non-Western, rural setting, based on a unique dataset of naturalistic observations from the first field research on Han Chinese children. Using multilevel multinomial modeling, we examined a range of proactive behaviors in 0-to-12-year-old children’s peer cooperation and conflict in an entire community in postwar Taiwan. We modeled the effects of age, sex, kinship, and behavioral roles, and revealed complex interactions between these four variables in shaping children’s moral development. We discovered linkages between coercive and non-coercive behaviors as children strategically negotiated leadership dynamics. We identified connections between prosocial and aggressive behaviors, illuminating the nuances of morality in real life. Our analysis also revealed gendered patterns and age-related trends that deviated from cultural norms and contradicted popular assumptions about Chinese family values. These findings highlight the importance of naturalistic observations in cultural contexts for understanding how we become moral persons. This re-analysis of historically significant fieldnotes also enriches the interdisciplinary study of child development across societies.

Philosophical Thought of Nguyen Trai

Nguyen Trai (1380-1442) - a bright star in Vietnamese history, the most beautiful crystallization of the nation's talents, virtues, spirit, and mettle, not only illuminating in his time but also shine forever in the future. Nguyen Trai is not only a politician, a genius strategist, a culturalist, but also a great thinker, reflected in his philosophical views on the universe, on all things and people, with his view of the universe. the concept of “Heaven's orders” through the concepts of “heaven's heart”, “heaven's will”, “heaven's way”; and the views about awareness and education, about human morality, about humanity, about the people, about the times and about the nation and nation are very special.

Pemikiran Driyarkara tentang Pendidikan dan Implikasinya bagi Etika Pancasila

This writing aims to explain and analyze Driyarkara's educational model, the role of Driyarkara's thinking in Indonesian education, and Driyarkara's efforts in realizing his point of view on education in Indonesia. The writing of this article uses the socio-historical method with the stages of verification, heuristics, interpretation, and historiography using a sociocultural approach and analytical descriptive writing. The results of this article explain that: (1) Driyarkara's educational model includes humanization, humanism, humanity, and humanism, (2) the role of Driyarkara's thinking in contributing to the nature of humanity in a complex manner through character building in educational institutions, 3) Efforts Driyarakara in realizing his point of view in expressing ideas in a book and implementing the realization of the application of character-based education in the field of education in order to create graduates with competent characters, compassion, and conscience. (4) An outline of Driyarkara's thoughts that are mutually sustainable and fundamentally related, including human characteristics, human morality, and conscience. (5) The ethical dimension of Driyarkara: Theological deontology. (6) The ethical implications of Pancasila from the Driyarkara perspective.

Is Antibiotic Prophylaxis Needed for the Extraction of Premolars for Orthodontic Purposes?

Introduction Antibiotic prophylaxis for tooth extractions is a common practice in dentistry to prevent postoperative infections. However, the routine use of antibiotics has been questioned due to concerns about bacterial resistance and potential side effects. This study aimed to evaluate the necessity of postoperative antibiotics in patients undergoing orthodontic tooth extraction. Materials and methods This prospective study involved 100 patients requiring orthodontic tooth extraction, divided into two groups. The patients were recruited from Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India, after obtaining approval from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee, Saveetha Dental College (approval number: IHEC/SDC/OMFS-2103/23/293). Group 1 (n = 50) received antibiotics (amoxicillin 500 mg, three times a day for three days) after extraction, while Group 2 (n = 50) did not receive antibiotics. Postoperative infection was assessed on postoperative days (POD) 3and 7.Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (released 2019, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages, and differences between groups were assessed using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The incidence of postoperative infection was recorded in both groups. In group 1 at POD 3 and POD 7, there were two patients and one patientwith infection, respectively. In group 2 at POD 3 and POD 7, there were four patients and two patients with infection, respectively. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that the routine administration of antibiotics for the non-traumatic extraction of teethin healthy patients might not be necessary. The absence of postoperative infections in patients who did not receive antibiotics indicates that antibiotics may be avoidable in many cases of orthodontic tooth extraction. These results emphasize the importance of reconsidering the widespread use of antibiotics to combat the growing concern of bacterial resistance. Antibiotics should be prescribed judiciously, only for patients with specific medical conditions who are prone to infection. One of the limitations of this study is the limited sample size; hence, studies with larger and heterogeneous groups should be done to validate the same.