The age-indifference principle and equality

Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics

Volumn 14, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 93-99

  Harris, John ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AGE DISTRIBUTION; ATTITUDE; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HUMAN; HUMAN RIGHTS; MEDICAL ETHICS; MEDICAL RESEARCH; MORALITY; REVIEW;

EID: 13644271530     PISSN: 09631801     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/s0963180105050103     Document Type: Review

References (25)

1. Dr. Giordano's work (Giordano S. Respect for equality and the treatment of the elderly: Declarations of human rights and age-based rationing. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, this issue, 83-92) arises from a research project in which she and I were both involved. It was funded by the European Commission and granted Dr. Giordano a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship to work with me on issues of justice related to age. These two papers are a product of that research, and we are grateful to the European Commission for financial support of this work. This paper also draws on work I did for Age Concern as chair of its working party Values and Attitudes in an Ageing Society. See The Millennium Papers: Values and Attitudes in an Ageing Society. London: Age Concern England, 1999.
2. Dr. Giordano's work (Giordano S. Respect for equality and the treatment of the elderly: Declarations of human rights and age-based rationing. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, this issue, 83-92) arises from a research project in which she and I were both involved. It was funded by the European Commission and granted Dr. Giordano a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship to work with me on issues of justice related to age. These two papers are a product of that research, and we are grateful to the European Commission for financial support of this work. This paper also draws on work I did for Age Concern as chair of its working party Values and Attitudes in an Ageing Society. See The Millennium Papers: Values and Attitudes in an Ageing Society. London: Age Concern England, 1999.
3. See, for example, Daniels N. Justice and Justification. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1996 and Dworkin R. Life's Dominion. London: Harper Collins; 1993.
4. See, for example, Daniels N. Justice and Justification. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1996 and Dworkin R. Life's Dominion. London: Harper Collins; 1993.
5. See Sen A. What Is Equality? In: Darwall S, ed. Equal Freedom. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press; 1995 and Sen A. Equality of What? In: McMurrin S, ed. Equality, Liberty and Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1987.
6. See Sen A. What Is Equality? In: Darwall S, ed. Equal Freedom. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press; 1995 and Sen A. Equality of What? In: McMurrin S, ed. Equality, Liberty and Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1987.
7. See, for example, Williams A. Economics, society and health care ethics. In: Gillon R, ed. Principles of Medical Ethics. Chichester: John Wiley; 1994 and Harris J. QALYfying the value of life. The Journal of Medical Ethics 1987;13:3.
8. See, for example, Williams A. Economics, society and health care ethics. In: Gillon R, ed. Principles of Medical Ethics. Chichester: John Wiley; 1994 and Harris J. QALYfying the value of life. The Journal of Medical Ethics 1987;13:3.
9. See note 2, Daniels 1996:chap. 12; Dworkin R. Life's Dominion. London: Harper Collins; 1993:87-9, 99; and Harris J. The Value of Life. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul; 1985:chap. 5.
10. See note 2, Daniels 1996:chap. 12; Dworkin R. Life's Dominion. London: Harper Collins; 1993:87-9, 99; and Harris J. The Value of Life. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul; 1985:chap. 5.
11. See note 2, Daniels 1996:chap. 12; Dworkin R. Life's Dominion. London: Harper Collins; 1993:87-9, 99; and Harris J. The Value of Life. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul; 1985:chap. 5.
12. See Daniels N. Seeking Fair Treatment. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1995 and Dworkin R. Justice in the distribution of health care. McGill Law Review 1993;38.
13. See Daniels N. Seeking Fair Treatment. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1995 and Dworkin R. Justice in the distribution of health care. McGill Law Review 1993;38.
14. See Cohen GA. On the currency of egalitarian justice. Ethics 1990; Dworkin R. What Is Equality, Part II. Philosophy & Public Affairs 1981; and Dworkin R. Foundations of liberal equality. In: Darwall S, ed. Equal Freedom. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press; 1995.
15. See Cohen GA. On the currency of egalitarian justice. Ethics 1990; Dworkin R. What Is Equality, Part II. Philosophy & Public Affairs 1981; and Dworkin R. Foundations of liberal equality. In: Darwall S, ed. Equal Freedom. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press; 1995.
16. See Cohen GA. On the currency of egalitarian justice. Ethics 1990; Dworkin R. What Is Equality, Part II. Philosophy & Public Affairs 1981; and Dworkin R. Foundations of liberal equality. In: Darwall S, ed. Equal Freedom. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press; 1995.
17. See note 5, Harris 1985:89. I have now dropped the word "fervently" (so long as they fervently wish ...) from this statement of the argument against ageism. Because we cannot sensibly measure degrees of desire, it is enough that the individuals want their lives to continue given that they understand the costs to themselves and others of granting this wish and accept those costs.
18. See, for example, Callahan D. What Kind of Life: The Limits of Medical Progress. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990.
19. R v Carr, Law report. The Sunday Times, 30 November 1986.
20. I first articulated this principle in my chapter Ethical issues in geriatric medicine. In: Tallis, Brockelhurst, eds. Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 5th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 1998. But its present name was suggested by members of the working party, established by The International Charity Age Concern, to investigate attitudes and values in relation to ageing. I had the honor to chair this working party, and I must thank its distinguished members for many useful insights and helpful suggestions. See note 1.
21. For example, those of the United States of America and France.
22. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 1 and 2) and The European Convention on Human Rights (especially Articles 2 and 14). See note 1, Giordano 2004, for more sources. See also Anderson ES. What is the point of equality? Ethics 1999;109(2):287-338.
23. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 1 and 2) and The European Convention on Human Rights (especially Articles 2 and 14). See note 1, Giordano 2004, for more sources. See also Anderson ES. What is the point of equality? Ethics 1999;109(2):287-338.
24. For a discussion of other features of this sort of discrimination see my article Harris J. What is the good of health care? Bioethics 1996;10(4):269-92.
25. See Harris J. What the principal objective of the NHS should really be. The British Medical Journal 1997;314:669-72. "Genome" of course determines many of these other more readily observable features.