RT Article
T1 Pragmatism and Experimental Bioethics
JF Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics
VO 33
IS 2
SP 174
OP 184
A1 Rydenfelt, Henrik 1982-
LA English
YR 2024
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1916591663
AB Pragmatism gained considerable attention in bioethical discussions in the early 21st century. However, some dimensions and contributions of pragmatism to bioethics remain underexplored in both research and practice. It is argued that pragmatism can make a distinctive contribution to bioethics through its concept, developed by Charles S. Peirce and John Dewey, that ethical issues can be resolved through experimental inquiry. Dewey’s proposal that policies can be confirmed or disconfirmed through experimentation is developed by comparing it to the confirmation of scientific hypotheses, with a focus on the objection that the consequences of following a moral view or policy do not provide guidance on choosing among competing ethical perspectives. As confirmation of scientific hypotheses typically relies on evidence gathered from observation, the possibility of ethically relevant observation is then explored based on Peirce’s views on feelings as emotional interpretants. Finally, the connection between Dewey’s experimental ethics and democracy is outlined and compared to unfettered ethical progressivism.
K1 Pragmatism
K1 Confirmation
K1 experimental ethics
K1 Moral Progress
K1 Observation
DO 10.1017/S0963180123000282