The focus of this paper is how three different ethical frameworks could apply to medical human computer interactions (HCI). As a subset of HCI, medical HCI is interested in researching and resolving questions surrounding human disease. Medical HCI uses the tools, techniques, concepts, and paradigms of general HCI to help advance medical knowledge. Medical HCI itself is a very broad field an could encompass topics as diverse as studying genetic based diseases to training medical professionals to best triage patients in an emergency room.
As a relatively new field there does not appear to be any standardized guidelines yet that govern normative practice in this field. Consequently there is a need for ethics to inform researchers on the most ethical practices and courses of action that they should take.
In this paper consequentialism, non-consequentialism, and virtual ethics are described as systems and then applied to a medical HCI context. Two scenarios are given for each system. First a question regarding how a researcher should manage the confidentiality of the identities of human subjects whose DNA is being modeled in a simulator.
Next a question of how realistic an emergency room simulation should be if the simulation would be evoking gender or racial stereotypes.
Consequentialism
Among the various ethical systems that might help inform professionals in the field of medical HCI is the consequentialist philosophy known as utilitarianism. Although utilitarian thought typically falls within what is called the modern period of philosophical history it’s origins can be traced back to the ancient Greek philosopher
Epicurus. (Bayard, 2009). Epicurus thought that the pursuit and attainment of pleasure was the highest ideal.
Utilitarian...
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...s but are accurate. She may try to represent women as accurately as possible but without playing into insensitive stereotypes.
The challenge it seems to me with employing virtue ethics is to find appropriate vices for the scenarios. There are no doubt limitless possibilities vices that might be recognized. The virtue ethicist might not be able to evaluate enough of a sampling to reasonably determine what the true virtues are.
Conclusion
This paper talks about three ethical systems as applied to two scenarios in medical HCI. Consequentialist, nonconsequentialist, and virtue ethics are applied to a scenario where a researcher has to determine whether to keep confidential the identities of subjects whose DNA she is researching as well as to a scenario of whether or not a researcher should build a simulation of an emergency room that evokes racial and gender stereotypes.
The four major ethical principles in health care are: Autonomy – to honor the patient’s right to make their own decision (the opposite is paternalism - the health care provider knows best for the patient), Beneficence – to help the patient advance his/her own good, Nonmaleficence – to do no harm (many bioethical controversies involves this principle), and Justice – to be fair and treat like cases alike. All 4 principles are considered to be in effect at all times. In theory, each is of equal weight or importance. Ethical responsibilities in a given situation depend in part on the nature of the decision and in part on the roles everyone involved play.
Shafer-Landau, R. (2013) Ethical Theory: An Anthology (Second Edition). West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ingram, David, and Jennifer A. Parks. "Biomedical Ethics." The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Ethics. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha, 2002. N. pag. Print.
Epicurus states that pleasure is “the starting point and the goal of a happy life” which could be interpreted as pleasure being both the means and the end of living a happy life. He believes that in order to achieve the goal of happiness, we must first understand that pleasure is the underlying cause of happiness.
In this essay I will consider the objections to Virtue Ethics (VE) raised by Robert Louden in his article entitled On Some Vices of Virtue Ethics which was published in 1984. It is important to note at the outset of this essay that it was not until 1991 that the v-rules came up in literature. So Louden is assuming throughout his article that the only action guidance that VE can give is “Do what the virtuous agent would do in the circumstances.” I will be addressing Louden’s objections with the benefit of knowing about the v-rules. First of all, let us discuss what VE is. VE is a normative ethical theory that emphasises the virtues or moral character, thus it focuses on the moral agent. It differs from Deontology which emphasises duties or rules, and Utilitarianism which emphasises the consequences of our actions.
The healthcare industry has come a long way in terms of technological advances. These advances have had significant benefits in diagnosis, treatment, and the way medicine is practiced today. Unfortunately, these technological advances also come with ethical issues and dilemmas the healthcare professionals must face.
Ethics in the medical field are very important and should be taken seriously. As a medical professional you will tested daily on making the best choices, using good judgment and being morally responsible for your actions. There are nine principles in the Code of Medical Ethics that in general make up the primary code. As a medical professional you must always consider what is in the best interest of the patient. Code of medical ethics of the American Medical Association, (2012). When determining the proper “Patient-Physician Relationship, the relationship between the patient and physician is based on trust and gives rise to the physicians’ ethical obligations to place a patients’ welfare above their own self-interest” Code of medical ethics of the American Medical Association, (2012).
In conclusion, virtue ethics can make a huge difference on short-term goals, long-term goals, advantages and disadvantages on the American health care system and the ability to compete globally. Finding the highest good and developing a good character will progress to excellence and good habits to have a successful career and life.
Allen, B., (1994). Predictive genetic testing: ethical, legal and social implications. USA Today Nov 1994:66-69. Reference 2.
Hursthouse, R. (2003, July 18). Virtue Ethics. Stanford University. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2013/entries/ethics-virtue
The value of research in the Health Information Management Profession is extremely important. HIM is a growing field, with new technology and problems arising on a daily basis. Technology alone is fast paced and changing by
First we will examine the thesis "The only thing we desire for its own sake is pleasure." As Epicurus argued in throughout his writings, "pleasure is the goal." (Epicurus (1994) text 1.11) It is also is "the starting point ... of living blessedly" (Epicurus (1994) text 4.128)...
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.
General ethical theories have provided guidance for moral decision making for a few years now. Major theories have been created which emphasize different rules or principles to follow when moral difficulties arise, specifically in the medical context. These major ethical theories like Utilitarianism, Deontology, Natural Law of Ethics, Care Ethics, Virtue Ethics, and the Ethics of Reciprocity, to name a few, stand for different principles which overall formulates the major differences between these theories. However, after deliberating over the man principles and rules of each theory, the ethical theory which resonated most with my own decision making process, is the Ethics of Reciprocity.
Macklin R. (2003). Applying the Four Principles, Journal of Medical Ethics; 29: p.275-280 doi:10.1136/jme.29.5.275.retrieved from http:// jme.bmj.com/content/29/5/275.full