Against Relativism

Ruth Macklin

ISBN 10: 0195116321 / ISBN 13: 9780195116328

Published by Oxford University Press Inc, US, 1999

About this Item

This book provides an analysis of the debate surrounding the facts of cultural diversity, the charge of "ethical imperialism", and the thesis that ethics must be viewed as relative to particular cultures or societies. Macklin examines the role of cultural traditions when used as a defense against critical ethical judgements. She explores key issues in health and medicine seen through the lens of cultural diversity: the physician-patient relationship, disclosing a diagnosis of fatal illness, informed consent, brain death and organ transplantation, rituals surrounding birth and death, female genital mutilation, sex selection of offspring, fertility regulation, and biomedical research involving human subjects. Among the conclusions she reaches are that ethical universals exist, but they should not be confused with ethical absolutes; and that the existence of ethical universals is compatible with a variety of culturally relative interpretations. Some rights related to medicine and healthcare ought to be considered human rights. Illustrative examples are drawn from the author's experience serving on international ethical review committees and her travels to a dozen countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where she conducted educational workshops and carried out her own research.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780195116328

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Against Relativism
• Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc, US
• Publication Date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195116321
• ISBN 13: 9780195116328
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 490 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book analyzes the debate surrounding cultural diversity and its implications for ethics. If ethics are relative to particular cultures or societies, then it is not possible to hold that there are any fundamental human rights. The author examines the role of cultural tradition, often used as a defense against critical ethical judgments, and explores key issues in health and medicine in the context of cultural diversity: the physician-patient relationship, disclosing a diagnosis of a fatal illness, informed consent, brain death and organ transplantation, rituals surrounding birth and death, female genital mutilation, sex selection of offspring, fertility regulation, and biomedical research involving human subjects. Among the conclusions the author reaches are that ethical universals exist but must not be confused with ethical absolutes. The existence of ethical universals is compatible with a variety of culturally relative interpretations, and some rights related to medicine and health care should be considered human rights. Illustrative examples are drawn from the author's experiences serving on international ethical review committees and her travels to countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where she conducted educational workshops and carried out her own research.

About the Author

Ruth Macklin is at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.