Bioethics

VALUES
⚫ What is it?
Ideals, beliefs, principals, or goals that are highly
prized or preferred by individuals, groups, or society, to
help judge “what is important” and thus guiding our
behaviour (actions).

*Behaviour is shaped by values – but also by:

needs, interests and habits

* Examples of values: honesty, kindness, compassion,

respect, and personal responsibility.
VALUES CLARIFICATION
⚫ The process of becoming more conscious of one’s values
⚫ Able to name what one values or considers worthy
⚫VALUES CONFLICT

⚫internal or interpersonal
conflict that occurs in
circumstances in which personal
values are at odds with those of
patients, colleagues or the
institution
⚫MORALS
⚫ guidelines for conduct (system of rules) -
address question about morality – more unified
than values.
⚫ branch of philosophy that “involves systematising,
defending and recommending concepts of right
and wrong behaviour
⚫ standards of right & wrong
⚫ learned & internalized at early age

⚫MORAL VALUES
⚫ preferences or dispositions reflective of right &
wrong, should or should not, in human
behavior
⚫MORAL INTEGRITY
⚫ A focal virtue that relates to soundness,
reliability, wholeness, an integration of
character & fidelity in adherence to moral
norms sustained over time

⚫MORAL THOUGHT
⚫ individual’s cognitive examination of
right &
wrong, good & bad
⚫MORAL DISTRESS

⚫the reaction to a situation in which

there are moral problems that seem to
have clear solutions, yet one is unable
to follow one’s moral beliefs because
of external restraints; this may be
evidenced in anger, frustration,
dissatisfaction & poor performance in
the work setting
 Values Ethics/morals
Effect Motivate constrains

Level Individual collective

Goal What’s important? What’s right?
Types Moral values, social Meta-Ethics, Normative
values, aesthetic Ethics, Applied Ethics.
values, religious
values, political
values.
 Religion
⚫ Religion is man’s faith in a supernatural power and to
⚫ satisfy this power or establish a relationship with this
power he organizes worship and service. A religious
person identifies this power as ‘God’ and he believes
in the existence of God in this world.
Religions arguably have two common
features:
⚫1. Each living religion of the world has some
particular faith in regard to the world and life
situation as a whole.

⚫2. In the light of such faith of man each living

religion gives directions for a specific way of life
for it’s followers