Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics
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Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics EJAIB Vol. 24 (5) September 2014 www.eubios.info ISSN 1173-2571 Official Journal of the Asian Bioethics Association (ABA) Copyright ©2014 Eubios Ethics Institute (All rights reserved, for commercial reproductions). Contents page Editorial: Wisdom for our Future Editorial: Wisdom for our Future 137 A theme of the seven papers in this issue is wisdom - Darryl Macer for a sustainable future. How can we teach students Doubt the Analects: An educational session using about bioethics? Asai et al explore the use of the the Analects in medical ethics in Japan 138 Analects of Confucius with quite positive results in - Atsushi Asai, Yasuhiro Kadooka, Sakiko Masaki Japan. Many words of wisdom are found in ancient The Issue of Abortion and Mother- Fetus Relations: literature, which has often survived the test of time A study from Buddhist perspectives 142 because of its utility to humankind’s moral development - Tejasha Kalita and Archana Barua and social futures. Rafique presents the results of a Perspectives of Euthanasia from Terminally Ill Patients: survey of what issues medical students in Pakistan A Philosophical Perspective 146 consider to be ethical. There are some interesting - Deepa P. issues for the way that we teach, and both approaches Islamic Perceptions of Medication with Special can be used in bioethics education. Reference to Ordinary and Extraordinary Means Catherine van Zeeland presents a review of the of Medical Treatment 149 many actors in the Hague, the city of International Law, - Mohammad Manzoor Malik that influence international environmental law. The Roles of The Hague as a Centre for International Law initial paper was presented at the first AUSN overcoming environmental challenges 156 Conference to be held in London late 2013. It is - Catherine van Zeeland followed by a paper by Jeniffer and Mertens on E- Effects of e-waste on human health and waste, a growing environmental problem, that needs environment 161 greater control through the application of such - J.Thresa Jeniffer and J. Joannes Sam Mertens environmental principles and laws. The extent to which Perception of Ethical Issues among Undergraduate principles of law are applied in practice is one of the Medical Students at a Pakistani Medical University 163 important roles of lawyers across the world. - Zoheb Rafique Malik presents a review of Islamic understandings of ABA Elections and Call for Nominations 165 AUSN Masters in Bioethics & Global Public Health 166 the distinction between ordinary and extraordinary life- ABA Renewal and EJAIB Subscription 168 sustaining treatment. Kalita and Barua describe the tensions between ideology and pragmatism used in Buddhist practices on abortion, in Thailand and Japan. Editorial address (and all correspondence to: There is the call for nominations for the Asian Prof. Darryl Macer, Ph.D., Hon.D. Bioethics Association (ABA), whose regular two year Provost, American University of Sovereign Nations term of exchange provides opportunity for more (AUSN), 8800 East Chaparral Road, Suite 250, involvement of scholars around the world. In 2015 the Scottsdale, Arizona, 85250 USA Asian Bioethics Association will hold its 15th Email: [email protected] [email protected] Conference, in Japan. This conference will be an event http://au-sn.com http://www.eubios.info and training for 9 days with cooperation between ABA, AUSN, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) and Registered address of EJAIB: P.O. Box 16 329, Kumamoto University. I look forward to meeting many Hornby, Christchurch 8441, New Zealand readers at conferences across the world, and the new campus and environment. As we promote dialogue on identity there are lessons from Asian bioethics, all around the world. - Darryl Macer 138 Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 24 (September 2014) Japan. First, we describe current worrisome situations Doubt the Analects: An concerning medical ethics and professionalism among educational session using the healthcare professionals, especially physicians in Japan, and argue that further educational attempts Analects in medical ethics in using the Analects with healthcare students and Japan professionals may be meaningful. Second, we consider how to teach medical ethics and professionalism using - Atsushi Asai 1, Yasuhiro Kadooka 2, Sakiko Masaki 3 the Analects and propose conducting a session called, 1 Department of Medical Ethics, Tohoku University Graduate “Doubt the Analects.” For healthcare students and School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan, professionals to acquire appropriate principles of 980-8575 medical ethics and professionalism, becoming Email: [email protected] (corresponding author) convinced of the significance of Confucius’ sayings 2 Research fellow, Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Life through initial skepticism is essential. Finally, we Sciences, Kumamoto University describe three hypothetical “Doubt the Analects” 3 Department of Bioethics, Kumamoto University Graduate sessions and deliberate their potential implications. School of Medical Science At the outset, we would like to make it clear that we 1. Introduction: Confucius and the Analects are not concerned here with the details of Confucian The Analects is a collection of the sayings of ethics such as the Decree of Heaven, what Confucius, one of the most influential thinkers of “Gentleman” (the superior man, a man of virtue, a true Eastern philosophy and a representative of Eastern gentleman) means in Confucianism, the concepts of the culture (1). The traditional dates for his birth and death Way, or political statements found in the Analects. are 551 and 479 BC, and he was born in Lu in eastern These themes have already been discussed China (2). Jaspers (3) regards Confucius, together with extensively elsewhere and are not the points in Socrates, Gautama Buddha, and Jesus Christ, as the question in our arguments. four paradigmatic individuals, based on their influence on all philosophy (1, 4). The Analects is highly regarded 2. Further educational attempts are necessary in in the history of philosophy, and have been read by one Japan generation after another for two and a half millennia in The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan the Asian cultural sphere as well as in China. recently announced that 44 physicians and dentists Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shintoism are deeply were subject to administrative disposition in 2012 and rooted in the Japanese psyche, and have influenced 24 in 2013, and that five had their licenses revoked in behavior and governed Japanese spirituality, especially 2012 and one in 2013 for crimes such as rape and human relationships, for centuries (5). As in China, the fraud (10, 11). It was also reported that a physician in Analects have been long read in Japan and have his fifties was arrested because he raped a woman in influenced many Japanese; it is the classic of the her twenties after giving alcohol and possibly sedatives classics among the Japanese people (6). The Analects, (12). The wrongdoings of medical scientists repeatedly as well as Confucius, is well known and very popular in make headlines, including fabrication, falsification, present Japanese society, and books concerning the plagiarism, and inappropriate use of national research Analects continue to be published (7). It can be said funds. Such misconduct has been demonstrated by that some of Confucius’s sayings constitute valuable both individual researchers and organizations (13-15). mottos regarding a way of life for modern Japanese There is concern that rapid infiltration of people. commercialism into healthcare might lead healthcare The key virtue of Confucian ethics is humanity (ren institutions or professionals to prioritize financial in Pinyin, jen in Wade-Giles, jin in Japanese). It has a benefits over the best interests of patients. It is variety of translations, such as perfect virtue, kindness, commonly said in Japan that medicine is a goodness, human-heartedness, and benevolence, and humanitarian profession (I ha jin-jutsu), implying that summarizes how a human being should ideally behave healthcare is socially expected to serve the public towards other human beings. It embraces all the social regardless of loss or gain by the professionals involved. virtues (2). In the Analects, humanity is regarded as a However, medicine is often criticized nowadays as an supreme virtue or central principle. It has loyalty and arithmetic profession that is aimed at making money. compassion at its core, i.e., following the dictates of Distrust of medicine and healthcare professionals has one's conscience and being compassionate to others continued, with no sign of improvement. At the same (8, 9). When asked about humanity in the Analects, time, devoted and conscientious healthcare Confucius refers to courtesy, tolerance, good faith, professionals have faced various and frequent ethical diligence, and kindness as five characteristics for dilemmas in the clinical setting (16). In addition, as life achieving humanity (2). It is also argued that humanity, science and technology advances make possible the righteousness, and rule of propriety comprise the most clinical uses of enhancement rather than treatment, the fundamental thoughts and principles of Confucian goals, legitimate boundaries, and central value of ethics (1). medicine become less certain (17). Thus, it is highly The aim of the present paper is to examine the necessary for us to consider what true medical