Ethics and Medical Practice
Since Alasdair MacIntyre's landmark book, After Virtue, there has been renewed interest in the role of the virtues in the moral life and attention paid to reappropriating the Aristotelian notion of a "practice." (1) Recent reappropriations of the virtues and virtue theory in medical ethics have contributed to conceiving more adequately the nature of good medicine. In this paper, I wish to explore some of these insights and the special relevance the notion of a practice has in an account of good medicine. Yet, I want to suggest, too, that much remains to be done. This renewed attention to the virtues needs to be supplemented by a similar reappropriation and transposition of the notion of nature in order to navigate successfully the Dardanelles of an ahistorical essentialism and the Bosphorus of a historical relativism. (2)
Practices are essentially cooperative endeavors. In order to satisfy some need, individuals perform certain acts in the hope of relieving some distress or of attaining some object. Rarely if ever, though, can either be done through one's own efforts alone. When we act, we participate in already expected and agreed upon ways of doing things, and our participation in them is structured in large measure by mutual sets of expectations to which we hold each other accountable. Because it makes possible the attainment of desired goods on a regular basis, this pattern of cooperative human activity is itself a good. For this reason, Bernard Lonergan termed the actual functioning of human institutions a "good of order." (3) While particular goods may satisfy some human want or need, the regular and recurrent enjoyment and the ordering of human action are themselves distinctly valuable. ...
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...ysician, and the Ethics of Medicine," p. 246, and Pellegrino and Thomasma, For the Patient's Good, Chapter 9, p. 118.
(20) See Lonergan, Method in Theology, Chapter 3, p. 80.
(21) See Kai Nielson, "Critique of Pure Virtue: Aniadversions on a Virtue-Based Ethic," in Virtue and Medicine, pp. 133-150. Robert Veatch's criticism is, in part, similar (see his, "Against Virtue: A Deontological Critique of Virtue Theory in Medical Ethics," in Virtue and Medicine, pp. 329-345). If one defines virtue as a praiseworthy habit or characteristic, then it may very well be the case that what is praised is in fact neither good nor right. For this reason, the virtues must be defined not in terms of praise and blame but in terms of the ends of medicine and the good it seeks.
(22) Lonergan, Insight, Chapter 18, p. 629.23 See MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapter 12, p. 139.121
Born in Rogers, Texas on January 5, 1931, Alvin Ailey spent his formative years going to Sunday School and participating in The Baptist Young People's Union. At age twelve, he moved to Los Angeles and, on a junior high school class trip to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, fell in love with concert dance. Ailey began his formal dance training inspired by the performances of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and the classes with Lester Horton that his friend, Carmen de Lavallade, urged him to take. Horton, the founder of the first racially integrated dance company in the US, was a catalyst for Ailey as the young dancer embarked on his professional career. After Horton's death in 1953, Ailey became the director of the Lester Horton Dance Theater and began to choreograph his own works. In New York, Ailey studied with many outstanding dance artists, including Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm and Karel Shook, and took acting classes with Stella Adler. A versatile performer, Ailey won a number of acting roles while continuing to choreograph and dance professionally. In 1958, Ailey founded his own company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. During the Company's first decade, Ailey created approximately twenty new ballets, among them Hermit Songs and Reflections in D. These were followed by The River, The Lark Ascending, Love Songs and many others.
Alvin Ailey played a large role in the diversification and cultural storytelling that can be seen in modern dance today. With the founding of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, his dance company stands strong as one of the most respected and prosperous dance companies because of its artistic representation of the beauty that is otherwise known as the African culture. His work absolutely changed the atmosphere of modern dance because he was able to provide the modern dance community with a wider variety of content that had otherwise not been popularized before. Not only did he draw his inspiration from the African culture, but he also amalgamated this with his personal experience growing up as a black child during times of segregation.
As the first African-American to create a multicultural, international concert dance company, Alvin Ailey’s dance company has been dubbed the “cultural ambassador of the world” (Gorman 36). Through his Alvin Ailey Dance Company, he addressed the racism and injustice faced by ethnic minorities across the globe. Ailey clearly revolutionized African American participation in 20th century concert dance as well as revived interest in modern dance. As an extremely talented dancer and choreographer, Ailey’s success is attributed to his dedication and passion for expression through dance, but what is often overlooked is his resilience to the hardships he faced, the mentors he had, and the opportunities
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
William Shakespeare is a master of satire, and it is very evident in his work “The Taming Of The Shrew”. His use of exaggeration is impeccable, and he managed to make the entire work one giant parody. Through this satire, he makes a very important social commentary, using his influence to bring new ideas into people’s minds, and make them realize the flaws in their
Revelations is a contemporary style dance that tells the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through a suite of dances set to spirituals and blues music.This choreographic work was first performed in New York City on January 31,1960 at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and later recognized to be a signature piece for the theater. Alvin Ailey is the original choreographer of the masterpiece titled “Revelations” and also the founder of the dance theater where the piece Revelations is mainly showcased, Ailey was an African-American born January 5,1931 in Rogers, TX , only 29 when he decided to develop this dance piece. There was a time where opportunities for male dancers like himself was severely limited, so that 's when he decided to establish his work, this dance performance was Ailey 's idea for African Americans to express their talents,cultural history, and experience and was also encouraged by his memories of living in the south and his understanding of human development.
Alvin Ailey, a dancer born in 1931, founded what is known today as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Born in Texas, Ailey faced intense racism and discrimination growing up. As a result he strove to created a multi-racial company where dancers were judged upon ability and not their race or background. This was groundbreaking since at the time racism led to limited opportunities for African American dancers. At 22 Ailey joined the Horton dance company where he would eventually become the artistic director after Horton’s passing. Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. Popularizing modern dance, Ailey became known throughout the world as he traveled internationally with his dance company. Emphasizing the theatricality of dance, Ailey utilized intricate costumes, stunning lighting displays and makeup in his performances. The style of Ailey’s choreography incorporates aligned ballet legs with a more loose, “modern” torso. Ailey choreographed 79 pieces for the company before his death in December of 1989, one of the most acclaimed being Revelations. Revelations was created by Ailey in 1960 and brought fame to the company. The highly acclaimed piece is still preformed today by the company’s dancers. Ailey died of AIDS in 1989 after choreographing countless pieces for his own company and others such as the American Ballet Theater.
In this diverse society we are confronted everyday with so many ethical choices in provision of healthcare for individuals. It becomes very difficult to find a guideline that would include a border perspective which might include individual’s beliefs and preference across the world. Due to these controversies, the four principles in biomedical ethic which includes autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice help us understand and explain which medical practices are ethical and acceptable. These principles are not only used to protect the rights of a patient but also the physician from being violated.
Born January 5th, 1931 in Texas, Alvin Ailey was an African-American dancer and choreographer. Leaving Texas to move to Los Angeles, he studied dance under modern choreographer Lester Horton, a teacher and choreographer of a modern dance school and company. He then moved on to pursue broadway, making his debut in Truman Capote’s House of Flowers in 1954, in New York (Alvin Ailey Biography n.d). It was here that he also had to opportunity to study dance with Martha Graham and in 1958 Ailey founded his own dance company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (Alvin Ailey Biography n.d). Over the course of his career Ailey both choreographed and danced in his pieces until his death in 1989. Ailey’s pieces include influence of African culture, most evident in his piece Revelations (1960). Studying this particular piece of work over the course of five weeks I saw that it
"Alvin Ailey." The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. .
9) Wall, L.L. (2006). The medical ethics of Dr J Marion Sims: a fresh look at the historical record. Journal of Medical Ethics, 32(6), 346-350. doi: 10.1136/jme.2005.012559
Thích Nh’at Hanh is a world renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, religious figure and accomplished writer. Living Buddha, Living Christ is only one of his many famous publications. Thích Nh’at Hanh, is famous for his insights into spiritual heritage and mindfulness in the present moment. Many Americans are seeking religious understanding and personal spirituality, even if they do not practice in the traditional manner. Throughout this book Nh’at Hang encourages readers to find meaning, understanding, mindfulness, and peace in the teachings of Buddha and Christ. His main focus is to open meaningful dialogue between different traditions, cultures, and religious groups around the world, for the betterment
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Miyazaki’s strong support for Japanese culture often becomes prominent in the film. Once chihiro has learned that her parents are pigs, she believes that she is dreaming. “Go away. Go away. Disappear…” she tells herself, only to find that she is literally disappearing. This is because she has not yet eaten food from the realm she is in. Here she meets Haku, a young apprentice of the bathhouse. He feeds her food, and she begins to reappear. This scene reflects old Japanese mythological stories that hold the belief that eating food from another realm will keep you ...
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.