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Dialectical principlism: an approach to finding the most ethical action.
- Source :
-
The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law [J Am Acad Psychiatry Law] 2015 Mar; Vol. 43 (1), pp. 10-20. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Most forensic psychiatrists occasionally face complex situations in forensic work in which ethics dilemmas cause discomfort. They want to determine the most ethical action, but the best choice is unclear. Fostering justice is primary in forensic roles, but secondary duties such as traditional biomedical ethics and personal values like helping society, combating racism, and being sensitive to cultural issues can impinge on or even outweigh the presumptive primary duty in extreme cases. Similarly, in treatment the psychiatrists' primary duty is to patients, but that can be outweighed by secondary duties such as protecting children and the elderly or maintaining security. The implications of one's actions matter. In forensic work, if the psychiatrist determines that he should not assist the party who wants to hire him, despite evidence clearly supporting its side, the only ethical option becomes not to accept the case at all, because the evidence does not support the better side. Sometimes it can be ethical to accept cases only for one side. In ethics-related dilemmas, I call the method of prioritizing and balancing all types of conflicting principles, duties, and personal and societal values in a dialectic to resolve conflicts among them dialectical principlism. This approach is designed to help determine the most ethical action. It is aspirational and is not intended to get the psychiatrist into trouble.<br /> (© 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.)
- Subjects :
- Capital Punishment legislation & jurisprudence
Conflict of Interest legislation & jurisprudence
Expert Testimony ethics
Expert Testimony legislation & jurisprudence
Humans
Moral Obligations
Negotiating
Referral and Consultation ethics
United States
Forensic Psychiatry ethics
Principle-Based Ethics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1943-3662
- Volume :
- 43
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 25770274