Search

Catholic and Protestant theologians believe that the resemblance between Christian and non-Christian ethics is due not only to desecration, but also to the fact that we live in the same historical order. Gustavo Gutierrez insists that there are no two histories, one profane and one sacred, juxtaposed and intimately connected, but a single history of human destiny, irrevocably assumed by Christ, the Lord of history. The naive optimism of a moral theology that does not consider human limits, and that considers human actions as if the eschatology had already been achieved, has led to an improper methodology, based exclusively on natural reason. Bernard Häring insisted, however, on the need for moral theology to be based on Scripture and grace, and not just on reason and human nature. Charles E. Curran expressed his right to disagree with the non-infallible teaching of the authority of the Catholic Church, emphasizing that Catholics could in theory and practice disapprove of papal teaching and remain faithful to the Catholic Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1989, Thomas Donaldson requested the California courts to allow physicians to hasten his death. Donaldson had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and he desired to die in order to cryonically preserve his brain, so as to stop its further deterioration. This case elicits an important question: is this a case of euthanasia? In this article, we examine the traditional criteria of death, and contrast it with the information-theoretic criterion. If this criterion is accepted, we posit that Donaldson's case would have been cryocide, but not euthanasia. We then examine if cryocide is an ethically feasible alternative to euthanasia. To do so, we rely on the ethical doctrine of double effect., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Nurses are generally expected to raise concerns when a harm or wrongdoing is committed against patients. Should their concerns not be adequately addressed, then nurses may take the decision to engage in external whistleblowing. Given that it could have a negative effect on the health care organization or service, nurses may question whether they should engage in external whistleblowing. Consequently, is there an ethical criterion to discern whether the negative effect on the health care organization or service is ethically permissible? This paper argues for the suitability of the Principle of Double Effect as an ethical criterion. The position of this paper is that external whistleblowing by a nurse when understood as an advocacy act with two effects (i.e. the effect of defending a patient and the further negative effect on the health care organization or service) can be ethically permissible through meeting the conditions of the Principle of Double Effect., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)