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A Contribution of the Bioethics of Intervention to Rethinking the Concept of “Principle” Sussumo Matsui 1, Isis Laynne De Oliveira Machado 1, Volnei Garrafa 1

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A Contribution of the Bioethics of Intervention to Rethinking the Concept of “Principle” Sussumo Matsui 1, Isis Laynne De Oliveira Machado 1, Volnei Garrafa 1 Revista Bioética ISSN: 1983-8042 ISSN: 1983-8034 Conselho Federal de Medicina Matsui, Sussumo; Machado, Isis Laynne de Oliveira; Garrafa, Volnei Contribuição da bioética de intervenção à releitura do conceito de “princípio” Revista Bioética, vol. 26, núm. 4, 2018, Outubro-Dezembro, pp. 514-522 Conselho Federal de Medicina DOI: 10.1590/1983-80422018264269 Disponível em: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=361558432005 Como citar este artigo Número completo Sistema de Informação Científica Redalyc Mais informações do artigo Rede de Revistas Científicas da América Latina e do Caribe, Espanha e Portugal Site da revista em redalyc.org Sem fins lucrativos acadêmica projeto, desenvolvido no âmbito da iniciativa acesso aberto 514 Revista Bioética Print version ISSN 1983-8042 On-line version ISSN 1983-8034 Rev. Bioét. vol.26 no.4 Brasília Oct/Dec. 2018 Doi: 10.1590/1983-80422018264269 UPDATE A contribution of the Bioethics of Intervention to rethinking the concept of “principle” Sussumo Matsui 1, Isis Laynne de Oliveira Machado 1, Volnei Garrafa 1 1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioética, Cátedra Unesco de Bioética, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília/DF, Brasil. Abstract The word “principle” has acquired an increasing semantic range over the centuries and continues to be used today in the search for the solution of moral conflicts. The present study begins by analyzing the different concepts of principle in Philosophy and Law. In addition to these fields, the research sought to study the interpretation of bioethics about the idea of principle, especially in the case of principlism. It was observed that the basic notion of principle has been used in the three fields analyzed - philosophy, law and bioethics - in a vertical way. Having presented the different concepts of principle (relative and absolute), these are discussed in a critical comparative way, and compared with the presumably universal notion of common morality. Finally, the text discusses the possibility of constructing a horizontal approach to these principles, using as reference the respect for moral pluralism, in the theoretical-applied line proposed by the Bioethics of Intervention. Keywords: Foundation. Morals. Philosophy. Pluralism. Bioethics. Resumo Contribuição da bioética de intervenção à releitura do conceito de “princípio” O vocábulo “princípio” adquiriu crescente carga semântica durante os séculos, e hoje é utilizado na busca de solução para conflitos morais. Este estudo se inicia com a análise de diferentes conceitos de princípio na filosofia e no direito. Além desses campos, a pesquisa buscou estudar a interpretação da bioética sobre a ideia de princípio, especialmente no caso do principialismo. Observou-se que a noção básica de princípio tem sido utilizada nos três campos de modo verticalizado. Depois de apresentados, esses diferentes conceitos (relativos e absolutos) são discutidos a partir de perspectiva crítico-comparativa e cotejados com a noção presumivelmente universal de moralidade comum. Finalmente, explora-se a possibilidade de estabelecer abordagem horizontal dos princípios, tendo como referência o respeito ao pluralismo moral, na linha teórico-aplicada proposta pela bioética de intervenção. Palavras-chave: Fundamentos. Princípios morais. Filosofia. Pluralismo. Bioética. Resumen Una contribución de la Bioética de Intervención a la relectura del concepto de “principio” El vocablo “principio” adquirió una creciente carga semántica a lo largo de los siglos y hoy es utilizado en la búsqueda de soluciones a conflictos morales. Este estudio se inicia con el análisis de diferentes conceptos de principio en filosofía y derecho. Además de estos campos, la investigación procuró estudiar la interpretación de la bioética sobre la idea de principio, especialmente en el caso del principialismo. Se observó que la noción básica de principio ha sido utilizada, en los tres campos analizados de modo verticalizado. Presentados estos diferentes conceptos (relativos y absolutos), se discuten a partir de la perspectiva crítico-comparativa, cotejándolos con la noción presumiblemente universal de moralidad común. Finalmente, se explora la posibilidad de establecer un abordaje horizontal de los principios, teniendo como referencia el respeto al pluralismo moral, en la línea teórico- aplicada propuesta por la bioética de intervención. Palabras clave: Fundamentos. Principios Morales. Filosofía. Pluralismo. Bioética. Declaram não haver conflito de interesse. Rev. bioét. (Impr.). 2018; 26 (4): 514-22 514 A contribution of the Bioethics of Intervention to rethinking the concept of “principle” The word “principle” is constantly invoked to politicization of moral conflicts and respect for solve moral dilemmas in different spheres, especially pluralism, with a contextualized and horizontal in philosophy, law and, more recently, bioethics. It approach. Due to the extension of the theme, is opportune, therefore, to analyze its real meaning epistemological issues per se will not be addressed 22, and the meanings attributed to it in these distinct nor will the controversy over concepts of morality but interrelated fields, especially in bioethics. and ethics, much less the history of ethics, since 23,24 Since ancient times Western thought has there is extensive bibliography on the subject . sought natural or divine laws to guide it. It was thus with the Greeks, as Mckirahan points out 1, Concepts of “principle” in philosophy and with Christians, more specifically in medieval christianity 2. Throughout the Middle Ages, for almost a thousand years, one of the central It is not easy to define the concept of principle, thoughts was the world view based on metaphysical since it has acquired different meanings in the history principles 3. Engelhardt 4 considers that many people of philosophy. This is directly or indirectly reflected Update miss the Middle Ages, especially when they seek in the attempts to define the term in the various stable principles to support bioethical action. This philosophical dictionaries, which have distinct metaphysical conception will be interpreted here as definitions: that from which all things derive and 25 a vertical view of principle. the reason why all things are what they are ; point of departure and ground 26; theoretical beginning 27; In opposition to this perspective, the purpose origin, base and beginning 28. Other dictionaries 29-31 of this essay is to present a horizontal interpretation avoid conceptualization, only differentiating the of principle, according to a bioethics based on types of principles. respect for moral pluralism, and to question the In a way, most of these definitions were already adoption of predefined principles for the solution 32 of moral conflicts in different sociocultural contexts. found in Aristotle , who was probably the first to attempt to explain the word. For him, principle is: 1) To do so, the study starts from the roots of vertical part of something that can begin to move; 2) starting conception, from Antiquity to principlist bioethics, point; 3) originating part from which it derives; 4) first through the fields of philosophy and law. cause, not immanent; 5) that by whose will things The method of study was a bibliographical move and change; 6) starting point of knowledge, review, with an analysis of works by Aristotle 5,6 premises. These principles, applied to science, have and Kant 7-9 to deepen the study of philosophy; no demonstration and do not need one, because Dworking 10 and Alexy 11,12 for law issues; Beauchamp they are the ultimate foundation of knowledge. and Childress 13-15 and Gert 16 for the field of bioethics; Thus, Aristotle’s theory of science became known as and Garrafa 17,18, Schramm 19,20 and Kottow 21 to “fundamentalist” 33 or “foundational” 34. address intervention bioethics. Other authors’ It should therefore be pointed out that, for works were also consulted in order to enrich the this philosopher, practical knowledge, specifically discussion. ethics, does not have precision and regularity proper The analysis of the different concepts to mathematics and geometry; on the contrary, of principle from philosophy is indispensable this knowledge must be flexible as the ruler of because this discipline is the basis of the search Lesbos 35, which fits the stones to be measured. for understanding of thought and reality. The same Thus, the principle of right action need not derive importance lies in the sphere of law, since most legal from theorists, nor seek cause, but must be situated decisions are resolved by applying such assumptions. in the field of praxis: it is enough to show only in a Finally, the study needs to be deepened also in the convenient way the fact that it is so, as it happens contemporary context of bioethics, since principles with respect to fundamental principles 36. are constantly invoked to solve moral conflicts Following the Aristotelian interpretation in related to the ethics of life, as well as being the the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas 2 used the notion branch of applied ethics that has been developed in of principle with the sense of incipere (incipient), recent years. that is, relative to the beginning, beginning. But This study contrasts the principlist theory, this idea is linked to that of primacy, priority, which which treats hierarchical and verbal principles, presupposes succession or ordered set. Thus, and the so-called “intervention bioethics”, a for him, the principle has chronological, spatial, Latin American line of thought
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