The Moral Rubicon. A Study of the Principles of Sanctity of Life and Quality of Life in Bioethics.
(1998) In Lund Studies in Ethics and Theology 5.- Abstract
- The principles of sanctity of life and quality of life are often appealed to in medical decisions at the "edges of life." Notwithstanding their importance in bioethics, these principles are still badly understood. This study is an attempt to clarify their normative significance and content.
Because these principles pertain to the more general question of the value of life, the study begins by exploring the possibility of formulating such a value in today's secular pluralistic health-care. This context is often marked by intractable moral disagreement on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Despite this disagreement, it is argued that human life might, after all, be considered as an "ultimate" value.
... (More) - The principles of sanctity of life and quality of life are often appealed to in medical decisions at the "edges of life." Notwithstanding their importance in bioethics, these principles are still badly understood. This study is an attempt to clarify their normative significance and content.
Because these principles pertain to the more general question of the value of life, the study begins by exploring the possibility of formulating such a value in today's secular pluralistic health-care. This context is often marked by intractable moral disagreement on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Despite this disagreement, it is argued that human life might, after all, be considered as an "ultimate" value.
The author interprets the sanctity-of-life principle as affirming that human life is not self-possessed and is inviolable from the moment of conception. The quality-of-life principle, on the other hand, is interpreted as insisting that life is valuable only if it can serve the person whose life it is to acquire other values.
The last chapter explores the relationship between the principles. It is argued that, despite their differences, they can be considered as compatible and that sanctity of life should receive priority in the formulation of any theory of respect for human life. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract in Swedish
Avhandlingen behandlar frågan om vad man i Sverige brukar kalla "människovärde". Denna fråga belyses genom en analys av begreppen "livets helgd" och "livskvalitet" som i den anglo-saxiska debatten har kommit att symbolisera två helt olika sätt att tolka det mänskliga livet värde.
Tanken om livets helgd brukar anföras av dem som tror att livets värde är inneboende och inte kan "värderas" med relativa måttstock. Begreppet "livskalité" däremot anförs av dem som menar att livets värde fastställs av personen vars liv det är.
Författaren försöker visa att dessa två begrepp kan sammanföras på ett konstruktivt sätt för att bemöta de utmaningar som den moderna... (More) - Popular Abstract in Swedish
Avhandlingen behandlar frågan om vad man i Sverige brukar kalla "människovärde". Denna fråga belyses genom en analys av begreppen "livets helgd" och "livskvalitet" som i den anglo-saxiska debatten har kommit att symbolisera två helt olika sätt att tolka det mänskliga livet värde.
Tanken om livets helgd brukar anföras av dem som tror att livets värde är inneboende och inte kan "värderas" med relativa måttstock. Begreppet "livskalité" däremot anförs av dem som menar att livets värde fastställs av personen vars liv det är.
Författaren försöker visa att dessa två begrepp kan sammanföras på ett konstruktivt sätt för att bemöta de utmaningar som den moderna medicinska tekninken ställer oss inför. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/18893
- author
- Carlberg, Axel LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Prof. Lantz, Göran, Stockholm
- organization
- publishing date
- 1998
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- secular ethics, bioethics, sanctity of life, quality of life, procedural ethics, utilitarianism, deontology, Peter Singer, Helga Kuhse, H.T. Engelhardt, Theology, Teologi
- in
- Lund Studies in Ethics and Theology
- volume
- 5
- pages
- 208 pages
- publisher
- Axel Carlberg, Sandgatan 8, 223 50 Lund, Sweden,
- defense location
- Carolinasalen, Kungshuset, Lundagård
- defense date
- 1998-05-27 14:15:00
- external identifiers
-
- other:ISRN: LUREDN-1998/1003-SE+208
- ISSN
- 1102-769X
- ISBN
- 91-7966-521-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Ethics (015017072)
- id
- f11625f8-655a-4014-9302-a01300be1b2d (old id 18893)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 16:16:22
- date last changed
- 2019-05-21 19:25:31
@phdthesis{f11625f8-655a-4014-9302-a01300be1b2d,
abstract = {{The principles of sanctity of life and quality of life are often appealed to in medical decisions at the "edges of life." Notwithstanding their importance in bioethics, these principles are still badly understood. This study is an attempt to clarify their normative significance and content.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Because these principles pertain to the more general question of the value of life, the study begins by exploring the possibility of formulating such a value in today's secular pluralistic health-care. This context is often marked by intractable moral disagreement on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Despite this disagreement, it is argued that human life might, after all, be considered as an "ultimate" value.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The author interprets the sanctity-of-life principle as affirming that human life is not self-possessed and is inviolable from the moment of conception. The quality-of-life principle, on the other hand, is interpreted as insisting that life is valuable only if it can serve the person whose life it is to acquire other values.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The last chapter explores the relationship between the principles. It is argued that, despite their differences, they can be considered as compatible and that sanctity of life should receive priority in the formulation of any theory of respect for human life.}},
author = {{Carlberg, Axel}},
isbn = {{91-7966-521-7}},
issn = {{1102-769X}},
keywords = {{secular ethics; bioethics; sanctity of life; quality of life; procedural ethics; utilitarianism; deontology; Peter Singer; Helga Kuhse; H.T. Engelhardt; Theology; Teologi}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Axel Carlberg, Sandgatan 8, 223 50 Lund, Sweden,}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund Studies in Ethics and Theology}},
title = {{The Moral Rubicon. A Study of the Principles of Sanctity of Life and Quality of Life in Bioethics.}},
volume = {{5}},
year = {{1998}},
}