THE FUTURE OF MORAL THEORIES: REFLECTING ON TORBJÖRN TÄNNSJÖ’S BOOK “SETTING HEALTH-CARE PRIORITIES”

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Published: Dec 5, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19090/arhe.2020.33.289-299
Keywords:
Moral Theory, Utilitarianism, Maximin/Leximin Theory, Egalitarianism, Prioritarianism, Population Ethics, distributive justice, scarce medical resources, sum total of happiness, Ideal and Nonideal Theory, Triage in Situations of Mass Casualty

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HANNA HUBENKO
Sumy State University, Medical Institute, Department of Public Health, Ukraine
NATALIIA BOICHENKO
Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Department of Philosophy, Ukraine

Abstract

Torbjörn Tännsjö’s monograph “Setting Health-Care Priorities” clearly demonstrates its position in finest details involving case studies. It seems to be an especially valuable assistance, not least for study purposes, for those who are interested in a comprehensive review of plausible moral theories and the practice of fair resource distribution in the field of healthcare.


The author’s approach suggests engagement of the most applicable moral theories attempting to solve the important problem of sharing scarce and deficit resources in the healthcare. The book doesn’t aim for developing a single correct and effective moral theory for fair resource sharing, it rather discusses reaching a consensus regarding distribution decisions based on thoroughly reviewed theories.


The appeal to Population Ethics in the present paper emphasizes the difference between patient-centered approach in the situation of limited medical resources and distribution of resources among the population in general. The book represents author’s views towards the open problems in bioethics: prolongation of life of terminal patients; “right-to-die” (euthanasia); moral side of the assisted reproductive technologies; futile medical treatment; attitude towards abortion, etc.

Article Details

How to Cite
HUBENKO, H., & BOICHENKO, N. (2020). THE FUTURE OF MORAL THEORIES: REFLECTING ON TORBJÖRN TÄNNSJÖ’S BOOK “SETTING HEALTH-CARE PRIORITIES”. Arhe, 17(33), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.19090/arhe.2020.33.289-299
Issue
Vol. 17 No. 33 (2020): MARKSISTI XX VEKA
Section
STUDIES AND INQUIRIES
Author Biographies

HANNA HUBENKO, Sumy State University, Medical Institute, Department of Public Health, Ukraine

Sumy State University, Medical Institute, Department of Public Health, Ukraine

NATALIIA BOICHENKO, Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Department of Philosophy, Ukraine

Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Department of Philosophy, Ukraine

References

Tännsjö, T. (2010) From Reasons to Norms: On the Basic Question in Ethics Dordrecht: Springer.

Tännsjö, T. (2019) Setting Health-Care Priorities New York: Oxford University Press.

Tännsjö, T. (2015) Taking Life. Three Theories on the Ethics of Killing New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Tännsjö, T. (2008) Understanding Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Theory 2nd ed., Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd.

Cookson, R. and Dolan, P. (2000) “Principles of Justice in Health Care Rationing”. Journal of Medical Ethics 26, no. 5: 323-29.

Jecker, N. S. and Schneiderman, L. J. (1992) “Futility and rationing”. The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 92, Issue 2: 189-196.

Locke, J. (1689) An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Oxford University Press.

McMahan, J. (2002) The Ethics of Killing. Problems at the Margins of Life Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Nozick, R. (1974) Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.

Rawls, J. (1987) “The Idea of an Overlapping Consensus”. Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1 Spring: 1-25.

Parfit, D. (1984) Reasons and Persons. Oxford: Clarendon Press.