Harms to dignity, bioethics, and the scope of biolaw

Journal of Palliative Care

Volumn 20, Issue 3, 2004, Pages 185-192

  Simpson, Evan ^a  

^a MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CONFERENCE PAPER; DYING; ETHICS; EUTHANASIA; HEALTH CARE; HEALTH CARE POLICY; HUMAN; LAW; LIFESPAN; MEDICAL RESEARCH; PALLIATIVE THERAPY;

EID: 4644273927     PISSN: 08258597     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/082585970402000311     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (21)

1. Article 1 of the German Constitution, on "Human Dignity," reads in its entirely as follows: (1) Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority. (2) The German people therefore acknowledge inviolable and inalienable human rights as the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world. (3) The following basic rights shall bind the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary as directly applicable law.
2. A character in Janet Frame's novel The Carpathians (Auckland: Century Hutchinson, 1988) says, p. 141, "I don't think we should fraternise with the servants....You have to show some dignity."
3. See: Dwyer D. Beyond autonomy: the role of dignity in 'biolaw.' Oxf J Leg Stud 2003; 23: 327-328
4. The book Restoring Dignity: responding to child abuse in Canadian institutions (Law Commission of Canada, 2000) rarely actually mentions dignity and, when it does (as on p. 52), equates the concept with self-respect and identity.
5. All of these factors are encompassed in Memorial University of Newfoundland's Policy on Ethics of Research Involving Human Participants. 〈http://www.mun.ca/research/ethics/index.html〉
6. See the extensive review of efforts to legalize physician-assisted suicide in: Hillyard D, Dombrink J. Dying Right: the death with dignity movement. New York and London: Routledge, 2001.
7. Gewirth A. The Community of Rights. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1996; p. 19.
8. Kitwood T. Dementia Reconsidered: the person comes first. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press, 1999; p. 144.
9. Nicholas Agar shows clearly how claims made on behalf of the intrinsic value of human beings might be extended to animals and other living things. See: Agar N. Life's Intrinsic Value: science, ethics, and nature. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001; pp. 164-173.
10. See: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 204, September 3, 2003, pp. 33-35 (headline: Die Würde des Menschen war unantastbar) and Die Zeit, No. 38, September 11, 2003, p. 9 (headline: Wahret die Anfängel) . I thank Robert Gould for these references.
11. See: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 204, September 3, 2003, pp. 33-35 (headline: Die Würde des Menschen war unantastbar) and Die Zeit, No. 38, September 11, 2003, p. 9 (headline: Wahret die Anfängel) . I thank Robert Gould for these references.
12. These assertions were made by Günther Dürig in his respected commentary on Article 1 of the German Constitution. Cf. Maunz T, Dürig G. Kommentar zum Grudngesetz. München: CH Beck Verlag, 1958.
13. della Mirandola P. Oration on the Dignity of Man. In: Cassirer E, Kristeller PO, Randall JH, Jr (eds). The Renaissance Philosophy of Man. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1948; pp. 225-227. It is interesting that this title appears to have been supplied by later editors.
14. In this respect, my approach differs from that of Daryl Pullman. See: Pullman D. The ethics of autonomy and dignity in long-term care. Can J Aging 1999; 19: 36.
15. These points have been evident for some time. See, e.g.: Ankersmit FR. Narrative Logic: a semantic analysis of the historian's language. The Hague: Martinus Hijhoff, 1983; pp. 98-99.
16. Nussbaum MC. Upheavels of Thought: the intelligence of emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001; p. 2.
17. See the comments on Aristotle's Position in: Jonsen AR, Toulmin S. The Abuse of Casuistry: a history of moral reasoning. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988; p. 299.
18. This is one way of interpreting Harry Emson. See: Emson H. It is immoral to require consent for cadaver organ donation. J Med Ethics 2003; 29: 125-127.
19. Nussbaum, Upheavals of Thought, p. 432
20. Hume D. My own life [appendix]. In: Mossner EC. The Life of David Hurne. Edinburgh: Nelson, 1954; p. 615. Hume's life, Mossner comments, "provides a fitting commentary upon the perennial theme of the dignity of human nature," p. 5.
21. I am grateful to Peter Hemenway and Chris Parkin for challenging discussions and disagreements concerning the issues explored in this paper.