1. Define Law
A System of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible
Shapes politics, economics and society
Serves as a social mediator between people
Regulates everything

2. Introducing Ethics

3. Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality, concepts such as good & evil, right & wrong, virtue and vice, justice & crime

4. Branches of Ethics Meta-Ethics: How truth is determined
Normative Ethics: Practical means of determining a moral course of action, what is Right or Wrong?
Applied Ethics: how moral outcomes can be achieved in specific situation

5. So What is Ethics?
First response many people tend to equate ethics with their feelings
May recoil from what is right because of feelings
Although feelings often arise from what is ethical

6. So What is Ethics? Second response people connect ethics to religion
But then ethics would apply only to religious people
But ethics applies to all

7. So What is Ethics?
Third response people view ethics as the same thing as the law
Ethical standards are often part of a law
Laws like feeling can deviate from ethics

8. So What is Ethics?
Last, many view ethics as doing “whatever society accepts”
Most society standards are in fact ethical
But those standards of behavior can deviate from what is ethical

9. What does Ethics Mean to You?
"Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong." "Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs." "Being ethical is doing what the law requires." "Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts." "I don't know what the word means."

10. Ethics is…
1) Well- founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations benefits to society, fairness, specific virtues

11. Ethics is…
2) Study and development of one’s ethical standards

12. Bioethics
Study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine
Ethical Questions involving: Life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law and philosophy

13. Bioethics Term was coined in 1927 by Fritz Jahr
Anticipated issues with animal research
Gained attention with Nazi
Biomedical experiments

14. “Coining” of Bioethics
1970 by U.S. Biochemist Van Rensselaer Potter II
Defined as: “Biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that sets a system of medical & environmental priorities for acceptable survival.”

15. Bioethics Today Technological advances Organ transplantation
End-of-Life care
Boundaries of life
Health care rationing
Right to refuse

16. Politics and Bioethics

17. Bioethics Principles
1974 ethical principles that should be applied to biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects

18. Bioethical Terms
Autonomy: Capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision

19. Bioethical Terms
Beneficence: Actions that promote the well being of others
Taking actions that serve the best interest of patients

20. Bioethical Terms Non-Maleficence: “First, do no harm”
Is it more important not to harm your patient, than to do them good?

21. Bioethical Terms
Justice: A concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity
The act of being just and/or fair

22. Bioethical Terms
Human Dignity: Humans have the innate right to respect and ethical treatment