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01-11-2013 | Short Communication

Respect for cultural diversity in bioethics is an ethical imperative

Authors: Subrata Chattopadhyay, Raymond De Vries

Published in: Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy | Issue 4/2013

Abstract

The field of bioethics continues to struggle with the problem of cultural diversity: can universal principles guide ethical decision making, regardless of the culture in which those decisions take place? Or should bioethical principles be derived from the moral traditions of local cultures? Ten Have and Gordijn (Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 14:1–3, 2011) and Bracanovic (Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 14:229–236, 2011) defend the universalist position, arguing that respect for cultural diversity in matters ethical will lead to a dangerous cultural relativity where vulnerable patients and research subjects will be harmed. We challenge the premises of moral universalism, showing how this approach imports and imposes moral notions of Western society and leads to harm in non-western cultures.

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Title: Respect for cultural diversity in bioethics is an ethical imperative
Authors: Subrata Chattopadhyay
Raymond De Vries
Publication date: 01-11-2013
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy / Issue 4/2013
Print ISSN: 1386-7423
Electronic ISSN: 1572-8633
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-012-9433-5

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Respect for cultural diversity in bioethics is an ethical imperative

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