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Who am I? It is one of life's basic questions and it has troubled philosophers through the centuries. One aspect of the answer lies in working out what it is to be a person. This is not just of academic interest. Your conclusion will affect the way you think about...
Putting principles into practice Autonomy: rights balanced with responsibilities I believe Christians can give considerable support to autonomy in so far as it endorses the unique value of each human being - someone created in the image of God (Gn 1:26-7) and for whom alone Christ died (Jn 3:16). However, Christians would...
Is it ever ethical to withdraw nutrition from patients? Are there circumstances in which treatment can be legitimately withdrawn? Is feeding a form of medical treatment? At present the law is open to interpretation on these issues. However, a court can declare that it is lawful to withdraw medical assistance...
The ethical dilemmas faced by health professionals in the developing world ultimately revolve around two main problems: not enough money, and not enough time. There is not enough money to do the job that needs to be done, and there is not enough time in which to do it. This...
A good friend of mine, aged 82, whose life had been characterised by humour, independence and good health, suffered a severe stroke. He had few relatives and lived alone. When admitted to hospital he was stuporose and paralysed on one side. During the next six weeks, until he died, there...
Some points to make: Premarital sex leads to a higher incidence of marriage breakdown. Most first sex experiences are not consented to fully and are later regretted. The dangers: STDs, emotional hurt, unplanned pregnancy, infertility, abortion. Bible equally condemns all sex outside marriage. Genetic basis for homosexuality not proven. Substantial...
1. How can a non-sentient being have value? We do not know that the fetus is 'non-sentient'. We do know that brain function, as measured by EEG is present in the fetus at about 6 weeks after conception and that responses to tactile sensation (skin tightening, bending, fist forming) can be...
Do we have a right to 'impose our morality'? We live in a pluralist culture where religious belief is seen as a private matter and the supreme virtue is tolerance. It's not surprising that when we submit to God's rule in the way we behave, we will be accused of...
We should resist the temptation to construct a pharisaical list of do's and don't's but rather look for biblical ethical principles to guide our decision making. These can be summed up in the commandments to 'love God with all our heart, soul and mind' and 'to love our neighbour as...
