PHLB09H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: John Stuart Mill, Act Utilitarianism, Lifesaving
Document Summary
Autonomy: a pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)"s (cid:396)atio(cid:374)al (cid:272)apa(cid:272)ity fo(cid:396) self-governance or self-determination. Ability to: question/consider options, choose freely, act accordingly. Autonomy is exercised when the choices we make are on our own terms, and made completely independent of people or pressuring factors that could take away our control in a given situation. Autonomy principle: autonomous persons should be allowed to exercise their capacity for self- dete(cid:396)(cid:373)i(cid:374)atio(cid:374). (cid:894)the (cid:396)e(cid:395)ui(cid:396)e(cid:373)e(cid:374)t of (cid:396)espe(cid:272)ti(cid:374)g a pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)"s auto(cid:374)o(cid:373)y(cid:895) Informed consent is an important element within the medical practice in support of this. A fundamental standard that can only be violated for good reasons and with explicit justification. Limiting a pe(cid:396)so(cid:374)"s auto(cid:374)o(cid:373)y is (cid:374)ot al(cid:449)ays o(cid:271)(cid:448)ious: physically restraining a patient, misinformation about diagnosis, using false information to persuade a patient one way or another. Weak paternalism: for individuals who are incapable of autonomy or who have little to no autonomy. Individuals who are severely psychotic, addicted, retarded, depressed etc. Not super controversial because patients are already substantially non-autonomous.
