Africa Focus Debates on Contemporary Contentious Biomedical Issues

Munyaradzi Mawere

Description

This is a vivid, thought-provoking and fascinating text on some contentious issues in contemporary medical ethics. The book acknowledges the contribution of �African tradition� and Western scholarship to the development of medical ethics as a university discipline. It questions the lack of consensus around such biomedical issues as euthanasia and traditional medicine. In many countries, the failure has resulted in public outcries. Its thrust centres on the nexus of practice and theory, and the importance of pragmatism and critical questioning in dealing with different cases on and around biomedicine. Its virtue is its significant shift from the traditional positions on selected biomedical issues to a more rigorous, pragmatic and critical questioning and understanding of the reasoning and positions of all involved and/or affected parties.

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 26 septembre 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789956726882
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

COANFRTIECNATIFOEDSECAITEBDUSIBMOCSUALOINTCONYRAROPMESSUES FRIC FOCUS DEBATES ON CONTEMPORARY CONTENTIOUS BIOMEDICAL ISSUES

Munyaradzi Mawere

Munyaradzi Mawere

Africa Focus Debates on Contemporary Contentious Biomedical Issues Munyaradzi Mawere Langaa Research & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookcollective.com

ISBN: 9956-726-02-8 ©Munyaradzi Mawere 2011

DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

Dedication To my aunt, Maria Machata, my brothers and sisters I humbly and gratefully dedicate this book, which you spiritually and morally initiated and nurtured until it has become a laudable reality.

Table of Contents Preface………………………………………………….. vii Introduction…………………………………………….. xiii Chapter One……………………………………………1 Ethics in Medicine: A Philosophical Analysis…………… 1 Historical Background of Ethics in Medicine…………… 1 Conceptual Analysis of Euthanasia………………………6 Euthanasia……………………………………………… 6 Traditional Types of Euthanasia…………………………8 Voluntary Euthanasia…………………………………… 8 Involuntary Euthanasia…………………………………. 11 Non-voluntary Euthanasia……………………………….12 Reflection on the Distinction between Active and Passive Euthanasia……………………………………………….13 Active Euthanasia………………………………………..14 Passive Euthanasia……………………………………… 14 Chapter Two…………………………………………... 23 Clashing Views on Euthanasia………………………….. 23 Pro- euthanasia Arguments……………………………... 23 Con- euthanasia Arguments…………………………….. 27 African Traditional View of Euthanasia………………… 32 Chapter Three…………………………………………. 43 Critical Assessment of Views on Euthanasia……………. 43 Critical Analysis of Pro- euthanasia Arguments…………. 43 Critical Reflection on Con- euthanasia Arguments……… 46 The Problems and Dilemma of Euthanasia in Contemporary Africa: A Closer Look…………………………………... 49 iii

Chapter Four…………………………………………... 55 Challenging the African traditional View of Euthanasia: The st 21 Century African Dilemma…………………………...55 Towards a Moderate View of Euthanasia……………….. 58 The Principle of Beneficence…………………………….66 Rawls’ Theory of Justice…………………………………68 The Principle of Negotiated Justice……………………... 71 Chapter Five……………………………………………75 Medical Doctors’ Strike…………………………………. 75 Background to Strikes in the Medical Fraternity………… 76 Conceptual Analysis of Strike…………………………… 79 Clashing Views on Physicians’ Strike…………………… 80 The Pro-physicians Strike View(s)………………………. 81 The Con-physician Strike View…………………………. 85 Argument from Hippocratic Oath……………………….85 Argument from the Principle of Beneficence…………… 88 Argument from Utilitarianism…………………………... 89 Argument from African Communalism………………….93 Conclusion……………………………………………… 96 Chapter Six…………………………………………….. 101 Advertising in Traditional Medicine…………………….. 101 Background to Traditional Medicine Advertising……….. 102 Conceptual Analysis of Herbal Medicine, Spiritual Healing &/or Traditional Medicine……………………………… 106 Advertising in Traditional Medicine in sub-Saharan Africa……………………………………… 109 Ethical Questions and Methodological Issues in Traditional Medicine………………………………………………... 114 Common Advertising Moral Wrongs in Traditional Medicine in Southern Africa………………………………………. 117 Exaggerated Competence……………………………….. 117

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False Guarantees………………………………………... 120 Misinformation…………………………………………..122 False Testimonials and Claims of Sources of Herbs…….. 123 Conclusion……………………………………………… 126 Chapter Seven…………………………………………. 131 Beneficence and Life Serving in Biomedicine…………… 131 The Nature of the Principle of Beneficence……………... 131 The Complexities of Beneficence in Biomedicine………. 133 The Implication of Beneficence in Biomedicine………… 136 On behalf of a Pragmatic and Rationalized Medical Ethic…………………………………………… 138

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