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The Virtues in their Place: Virtue Ethics in Medicine

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Abstract

We are currently in the midst of a revival of interest in thevirtues. A number of contemporary moral philosophers havedefended a virtue-based approach to ethics. But does thisrenewal of interest in the virtues have much to contributeto medical ethics and medical practice? This paper criticallydiscusses this question. It considers and rejects a number ofimportant arguments that purport to establish the significanceof the virtues for medical practice. Against these arguments,the paper seeks to show that while the virtues have a genuinerole to play in medical ethics, it is a limited role, one thatis subordinate to the role that other moral concepts such asrules and principles play.

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Jansen, L.A. The Virtues in their Place: Virtue Ethics in Medicine. Theor Med Bioeth 21, 261–275 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009988003614

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