PHI 2396 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Categorical Imperative, Lifesaving, Paternalism
10 Jan 2018
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Document Summary
Autonomy is a persons rational capacity for self governance or self determination. Gives them the power to deliberate about options given and the freedom to choose and act how they see t. Limitations can be physical, psychological, subtle, obvious, accepted, and controversial. Paternalism is when on makes overriding decisions over ones autonomy which is in their minds in the ill persons best interest. Early medicine was strongly paternalistic in nature. The hippocratic oath emerged later to oblige to help and do no harm but did not declare much about patients rights. Weak paternalism is when a person who has no or greatly diminished autonomy has paternalism directed toward them. Strong paternalism is the paternalism is directed at fully autonomous persons. The right to refuse treatment is the right of an autonomous person, so it is fairly straight forward when an adult does so. It is more complicated when a child wants to refuse treatment.
