THE IMPACT OF ETHICS PHILOSOPHY ON MORAL DECISION-MAKINGS IN MEDICINE

In recent decades, traditional medical ethics which is confined to certain commands and prohibitions, is substituted by modern medical ethics which deals with problems such as euthanasia, abortion, organ transplantation, etc. and tries to find proper ethical solutions. These solutions wittingly or unwittingly are rooted in certain philosophical foundations. The philosophy of medical ethics constitutes the basic part of medical ethics which tries to clarify the right and wrong in practice in various subjects of medicine and health care. Philosophy of ethics, on the one hand, makes an analysis of the principals of ethical theories and on the other hand, it offers some criterions for ethical actions as to what is good or bad. Four principles have been proposed in the West as clues to make decision about medical ethics which are as follows: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. However, some questions or interpretations may arise concerning these principles in various cultures and schools of thought. Evidently there is a different between the philosophical foundations of the Western thought with that of Islamic one concerning ethical decision-making in medicine. Thus it is necessary to explain the philosophical position of medical ethics in Islam which can be realized only through the exchange of views between philosophers and physicians. The authors of this article try to explain the effect of different outlooks in philosophy on ethical decision-makings of physicians with special reference to the necessity of formulating the comprehensive principals of Islam in this field.