PHLB09H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Middleground, Paternalism
Document Summary
If not, some form of p may be permissible. The most inclusive notion of harm is relative to the values and preferences of the particular individual (94) Assume: harm is objective (pain, depression, death) Claim: honoring a won"t cause harm (thus ~p) Assume: harm relative to value orderings (can harm life projects) Reason: refusing treatment implies ranking (projects interrupted by treatment worse than advanced illness) Reason: patients want to know about condition. Reason: physicians can"t know whole patient history. Doctors should act on best risk/benefit calculation. This at most shows doctors need training to judge effects of disclosure. Doctors must practice full disclosure to enable patient a. Assume strong role differentiation: doctors don"t act in same moral framework as us. Objection: p authority isn"t unique to doctors. Rebuttal: medical profession may still be the only one, or one of only a few, paternalistic in this way (authority over driving vs. health)
