Question

What are the "extremely influential and particularly relevant" five moral principles of bioethics that Vaughn describes (collectively, these principles have become known as "principlism")? Do you believe this list is complete? What could/should be added/omitted from this list? Do you believe these principles "universal" or are they "relative"? Do they ever conflict with each other? What are some examples of how these principles might/might not conflict with each other? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Explanation:

The five moral principles of Bioethics described by Vaughn are:

1. Autonomy,
2. Non-maleficence,
3. Beneficence,
4. Utility and
5. Justice.

I believe that this list is complete because all five Vaughn principles are succinct and authentic, and unlike a more abstract approach, such as the normative ethical approach, such as the ethical approach to virtue and deontology, principlism corresponds to a methodology of better understanding and practicality for solving ethical dilemmas in the real world.

The five moral principles are of universal origin and not relative, because they are based on characteristics of a common morality, which is shared by all members of a society, is based on common sense and non-philosophical traditions.

This approach does not conflict with other ethical, theological and social approaches, as this is a consistent, practical approach that can be derived.