Can bioethics be an honest way of making a living? : A reflection on normativity, governance and expertise

Camporesi, Silvia and Cavaliere, Giulia (2021) Can bioethics be an honest way of making a living? : A reflection on normativity, governance and expertise. Journal of Medical Ethics, 47 (3). pp. 159-163. ISSN 0306-6800

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Abstract

The authority of bioethics as a field of inquiry and of bioethicists as scholars with a distinctive expertise is being questioned on various fronts. Sarah Franklin’s 2019 Nature commentary ‘Ethical research – the long and bumpy road from shirked to shared’ is the latest example . In this paper, we respond to these challenges by focusing on two key issues. First, we discuss the theory and practice of bioethics. We argue that both of these endeavours are fundamental components of this field of inquiry and that bioethics cannot be reduced to the contribution that it makes to the production of biopolicy, as Franklin suggests. Second, we contend that bioethicists have distinctive skills and knowledge that place them at an epistemic advantage in discussing normative questions. Hence, we reject views that deny the specific contribution that bioethicists can bring to assessing the ethics and governance of science and technology. We conclude by arguing that—despite formal and substantive differences between disciplines—philosophers, social scientists and other scholars should join forces and engage in critical friendships rather than turf wars to move towards the just governance of science and technology.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of Medical Ethics
Additional Information:
This article has been accepted for publication in Journal of Medical Ethics, 2021 following peer review, and the Version of Record can be accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105954
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3300/3306
Subjects:
?? health(social science)issues, ethics and legal aspectshealth policy ??
ID Code:
142844
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
30 Mar 2020 15:55
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
03 Oct 2024 00:17