Professional Ethics

Introduction: Digital health has revolutionized the landscape of healthcare through personalized care, moving away from the traditional approach of treating symptoms and conditions. Digital devices provide diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness while equipping patients with control over their health and well-being. Although the growth of technology provides unprecedented opportunities, there are also certain issues arising from the use of such technology. This scoping review aimed to explore perceived gaps and challenges in the use of digital technology by patients and meta-synthesize (...) them. Identifying such gaps and challenges will encourage new insights and understanding, leading to evidence-informed policies and practices. -/- Methods: Three electronic databases were searched (Cinahl EBSCO, Pubmed, and Web of Science) for papers published in English between January 2010 and December 2023. A narrative meta-synthesis was performed. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2009 checklist. -/- Results: A total of 345 papers were retrieved and screened, with a noticeable increase in publication numbers after 2015. After the final selection, a total of 28 papers were included in the final meta-synthesis; these were published between 2015 and 2023. A total of 99 individual reports were included in the synthesis of these papers, comprising 25 identified gaps and 74 challenges. -/- Discussion: Our meta-synthesis revealed several gaps and challenges related to patients' use of digital technology in health, including generational differences in digital propensity and deficiencies in the work process. In terms of ethics, the lack of trust in technology and data ownership was highlighted, with the meta-synthesis identifying issues in the realm of disruption of human rights. We, therefore, propose building a model for ethically aligned technology development and acceptance that considers human rights a crucial parameter in the digital healthcare ecosystem. (shrink)

Contemporary Bioethics: Themes and Dilemmas by Željko Kaluđerović is a thought-provoking exploration of the ethical challenges posed by modern science and technology. ​ From genetic modifications and human cloning to the rights of non-human living beings and the impact of globalization, the book tackles pressing issues that shape our future. With a blend of philosophical insight and practical analysis, Kaluđerović invites readers to reflect on the moral complexities of scientific advancements and their implications for humanity, society, and the environment. ​ (...) Perfect for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the intersection of ethics and innovation, this book offers a compelling guide to navigating the dilemmas of our rapidly changing world. (shrink)

In this chapter, I will demonstrate why the ceaseless advocacy for ‘teaching the controversy’ in schools is both naïvely optimistic for what it hopes to accomplish, and ill-advised for what it fails to consider vis-à-vis the conditions necessary for its implementation. It is naïvely optimistic for what it expects of ordinary teachers under the conventional working conditions in most schools. And it is ill-advised because such exercises are only likely to exacerbate – rather than mitigate – tensions in both classrooms (...) and communities of diverse background and opinion. Nothing in what I will argue means that successfully ‘teaching the controversy’ in schools is impossible. Exceptional teachers do exist. Nevertheless, I will demonstrate why exceptional teachers only serve to prove the rule. Indeed, I aim to show why even the rare teacher who does possess the relevant training, competence and moral courage is nevertheless prudent to abstain from broaching controversial material in class. (shrink)

In this chapter, I will demonstrate why the ceaseless advocacy for ‘teaching the controversy’ in schools is both naïvely optimistic for what it hopes to accomplish, and ill-advised for what it fails to consider vis-à-vis the conditions necessary for its implementation. It is naïvely optimistic for what it expects of ordinary teachers under the conventional working conditions in most schools. And it is ill-advised because such exercises are only likely to exacerbate – rather than mitigate – tensions in both classrooms (...) and communities of diverse background and opinion. Nothing in what I will argue should be taken to mean that I believe that successfully ‘teaching the controversy’ in schools is impossible. Exceptional teachers do exist. Nevertheless, I will demonstrate why even the rare teacher who does possess the relevant training, competence and moral courage is nevertheless prudent to abstain from broaching controversial material in class. (shrink)

This paper explores the issue of racial bias in artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of the bioethical principle of justice, with a focus on Joy Buolamwini’s “Coded Bias” and the work of the “Algorithmic Justice League.” AI technologies, particularly facial recognition systems, have been shown to disproportionately misidentify individuals from marginalised racial groups, raising profound ethical concerns about fairness and equity. The bioethical principle of justice stresses the importance of equal treatment and the protection of vulnerable populations. Through qualitative (...) research, including content analysis of Buolamwini’s works and case studies of AI bias, this paper assesses the efforts of the Algorithmic Justice League to combat racial bias in AI. It emphasises their advocacy for the development of fair, equitable algorithms and calls for systemic reform in AI development to ensure justice for marginalised communities. (shrink)

This chapter revisits the metaphilosophical critique offered in The Racial Contract (Mills 1997). My analysis explicates Mills’s characterization of the “Racial Contract”—and non-ideal theory more broadly—as a conceptual bridge. I consider three questions: (a) what is the nature of the domains it connects, (b) what is the function and orientation of the bridge, (c) what is the relationship between once isolated domains after a bridge has been constructed? In answering these questions, I outline several features of the bridge’s construction, which, (...) though seemingly necessary for its functionality as a bridge, nonetheless compromise its structural integrity. Taking the discipline of philosophy as the primary subject of analysis, I advance an alternative conception of The Racial Contract. I argue that in constructing a bridge, Mills offers a critical cartography of the discipline itself. I contextualize these observations in light of Mills’s metaphilosophical views as they shifted over time and conclude with an invitation to explore new possibilities for non-ideal theory as a methodology of continued necessity. (shrink)

This volume looks at ethical principles for the integration of robotic and digital tools in medicine, healthcare and nursing and presents related case studies. An integrated ethical perspective has become urgent as innovations in the field of digital and robotic systems are rapidly leading to new fields of use, particularly when linked with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The ELSI approach (ethical, legal and social implications) has established itself as a standard for analyzing the complex challenges, opportunities and (...) risks of new technological applications. It is to be recommended in the development phase as well as in subsequent evaluations, especially when combined with a screening and assessment tool (SAT) that is integrated into research and technology development. (shrink)

With the increased rate of the Turkish medical brain drain (MDB) in recent years, there is a need for more comprehensive studies to elucidate its vague migratory factors. The aim of this paper is to try to narrow that gap by analyzing present impacts of the MDB in Turkey and to evaluate if these aspects were driven by professional ethical values, and if so, what ethical principles they were based on. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 doctors from various backgrounds, (...) followed by a thematic analysis. The MDB in Turkey demonstrated a multifactorial structure, with prominent push factors that are intertwined at macro-meso-micro levels. The effort to maintain the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and protecting professional autonomy were the most important in the context of professional ethics. Only deep-rooted regulations might ensure the prevention of the MDB in Turkey and the prospect of doctors returning in the future. Conclusively, the recent criticisms the MDB has been garnering may inspire improvements in deteriorating human and health rights in Turkey. (shrink)

This paper aims to engineer the concept of biomimetic design for its application in agricultural technology as an innovation strategy to sustain non-human species’ adaptation to today’s rapid environmental changes. By questioning the alleged intrinsic morality of biomimicry, a formulation of it is sought that goes beyond the sharp distinction between nature as inspiration and the human field of application of biomimetic technologies. After reviewing the main literature on Responsible Innovation, we support Vincent Blok’s “eco-centric” perspective on biomimicry, which considers (...) the human and natural worlds as indistinguishable parts of a shared Earth. We propose this approach as a complement to the “evomimetic” critique, which warns biomimetic research against the limits of adaptationism. By merging these two reframing of the biomimicry concept, we thus pave the way for a new understanding of the use of human-inspired technology (such as artificial intelligence) to help the “evolution” of domesticated species into (semi)autonomous natural-technological hybrids. In particular, the examples we consider concern the potential of AI-enabled robotic bases in technological beekeeping. (shrink)

The most up-to-date professional ethics reader available, Ethics Across the Professions analyzes the complex ethical issues that arise in such fields as engineering, finance, healthcare, journalism, and law. Organized topically, the anthology covers what it means to be a professional, outlines several ethical models, and addresses key issues including deception in professional life, privacy, loyalty, social welfare, conflicts of interest, and self-regulation. The book includes detailed chapter introductions, several practical case studies at the end of each chapter, and provocative discussion (...) questions on issues like "whistle-blowing," educating illegal immigrant children, sports, and advertisements for pharmaceutical companies. Ethics Across the Professions is especially suited for introductory professional ethics courses taught in philosophy departments as well as in business schools, nursing schools, and other professional programs. (shrink)

What does it mean to be an ethical professional? A professional career can be so demanding that it permeates every aspect of a person's life and personality. In light of this fact, it is especially important for students who are planning to enter a chosen profession to understand its moral status, moral virtues, and possible moral pitfalls, so that they will be equipped to deal with the inevitable moral quandaries that they will encounter as professionals. The most up-to-date professional ethics (...) reader available, Ethics Across the Professions analyzes the complex ethical issues that arise in such fields as engineering, finance, healthcare, journalism, and law. Featuring a wide array of both classic and contemporary sources, it ranges from works by Aristotle and Kant to selections by Michael Bayles, Sissela Bok, Paul Ekman, and Thomas Nagel. Organized topically, the anthology covers what it means to be a professional, outlines several ethical models, and addresses key issues including deception in professional life, privacy, loyalty, social welfare, conflicts of interest, and self-regulation. The book includes detailed chapter introductions, several practical case studies at the end of each chapter, and provocative discussion questions on issues like "whistle-blowing," the Iraq War, educating illegal immigrant children, and advertisements for pharmaceutical companies. Edited by three renowned ethicists, Ethics Across the Professions is especially suited for introductory professional ethics courses taught in philosophy departments as well as in nursing schools, business schools, and other professional programs. (shrink)

The Research Topic “On poverty and its eradication” was inspired by the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, first commemorated in Paris in 1987 and formally designated by the United Nations. This day is dedicated to renewing the commitment to universal human development, enabling all individuals to achieve their highest potential, and reflecting on how poverty hinders this progress. The urgency of addressing poverty has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated existing issues and highlighted the critical need for (...) effective poverty eradication strategies. The studies included in this Research Topic aim to expand knowledge about poverty, its causes, consequences, and connections to crises, inequality, and fairness, and to assess policy measures for poverty reduction. The included contributions use various theoretical, empirical, quantitative, and qualitative approaches to drive sociological and policy-related discussions and initiatives, promoting fair and inclusive societies. (shrink)

We are in a time of rapid change on multiple levels. Change can be seen as positive by one group and negative by another. As a result, different perspectives on any given change can draw completely different conclusions. In these proceedings we want to address different approaches to change from all kinds of perspectives within the realm of citizen science and participatory research. We discuss both active, transformative change, and the observation of change monitored by citizen science in all kinds (...) of disciplines. We highlight the potential of citizen science to be a change maker in research and society, and as a tool to manage the change happening around us. The proceedings "Change - The transformative power of citizen science" showcase a selection of topics that have been presented and discussed at the ECSA/ACSC 2024 double conference in Vienna and highlight the transformative power, citizen science can have. (shrink)

Bridging Social Inequality Gaps - Concepts, Theories, Methods, and Tools focuses on contemporary discussions around multifaceted causes, explanations, and responses to social disparities. The contributors provide studies related to social and cultural dimensions of inequality, economic and technological dimensions of inequality, environmental dimensions of inequality, and political, ethical, and legal dimensions of inequality, as well as a variety of other perspectives on disparities. The volume also covers crucial issues and challenges for the global, national, regional, and local implementation of public (...) policies to reduce inequalities, including innovative actions, projects, and programs focused on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The collection includes chapters encompassing research and practical recommendations from various disciplines such as sociology, economics, management, political science, administrative science, development studies, public health, peace and conflict studies, cultural studies, educational studies, communication studies, and social work. This book is an asset to academic and expert communities interested in theories of social inequality as well as effective measurement tools, public services, and strategies. Moreover, the volume helps students, practitioners, and people working in government, business, and nonprofit organizations to build more equitable social relationships. (shrink)

This volume addresses the eighth Sustainable Development Goal. It not only enquires into its global promulgation and into individual local, national, and international cooperative programs in support of it, but it also considers the framing and elaboration of the goal, its adaptation to particular geographical contexts, stakeholder involvement in it, and the issues concerning decent work conditions worldwide.

This Research Topic focuses on the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by the UN, which aims to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere.” Progress toward this goal is evaluated through various targets and indicators. The most recent SDG progress report highlighted how poverty reduction has significantly slowed and worsened, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic (United Nations, 2024). This unprecedented emergency has particularly affected informal workers, young people, and women. With the goal of eradicating poverty by 2030 currently off (...) track, intensified action is crucial. Moreover, amid a growing climate crisis, significant efforts are needed to bring the 2030 targets within reach. This Research Topic examines SDG1 from a sociological perspective, focusing on its framing, geographic adaptations, stakeholder involvement, and the influence of social mobility and stratification studies, especially in the context of the challenges of the post-COVID-19 pandemic. (shrink)

This Research Topic explores Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) eight, which is to “promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.” It highlights the COVID-19 pandemic’s severe impact and triggered global economic recession, worsened gender pay gaps, increased undeclared employment, and significantly raised unemployment (United Nations, 2024). From a sociology-specific perspective, this Research Topic examines the global and local implementation of SDG8, its adaptation to different geographical contexts, stakeholder involvement, and issues related to (...) decent work conditions worldwide. (shrink)

Social inequalities abound worldwide. However, those social inequalities that encompass the lack of access to resources, including primary healthcare, are more prevalent at older ages in low- and middle-income countries, which is the focus of this chapter. This challenge has become critical due to the increasing population of older age. The design and implementation of key policy measures, including primary healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, is essential in reducing such social disparities. Access to primary healthcare is perhaps the principal (...) determinant of social equality and/or equity for older people, which in turn supports achieving Sustainable Development Goals and comprehensive healthcare access. (shrink)

A risk-based reinterpretation ofWeber’s ethic of responsibility can resolve core problems of professional ethics (the role of values, the multilevel problem, etc.) and address current issues—such as the social responsibility of professions or the accountability of professionals. From this perspective, professions as organizations and professionals as their individual members share and distribute responsibility (and risk) in that the primary responsibility of a profession is to provide domain-specific quality standards, while that of individual professionals is to be able to justify service (...) against those standards on a case-by-case basis. In this way, as argued in the paper, professionalism translates (sometimes conflicting) values into a case-specific quality. (shrink)

Journal of Social Philosophy, EarlyView.

This paper explores the phenomenon of moral distress in veterinary practice, particularly in environments like animal husbandry, where real-life barriers are in conflict with veterinarians’ moral beliefs. This paper draws controversial parallels, at least on first sight, with Just War Theory, which is understood as a non-ideal theory in response to morally non-ideal circumstances. The paper examines how veterinarians, corresponding to combatants, can navigate moral conundrums within their profession. It discusses the limitations of general ethics in guiding professionals like veterinarians (...) who operate, just like soldiers, in morally non-ideal circumstances. It argues that while general ethics offers universal claims, it fails to address the complexities of real-world barriers faced by veterinarians, such as conflicting interests, economic pressures, and legal regulations. Using Just War Theory as a framework, the paper distinguishes between systemic factors and individual conduct in understanding moral distress. It suggests that veterinarians are not responsible for changing the system but are best advised to ensure ethical conduct within their profession. This perspective acknowledges the tension between moral beliefs and professional demands, highlighting the importance of maintaining agential integrity while recognizing the limitations in effecting systemic change. Ultimately, the paper concludes that veterinarians are permitted to focus on fulfilling their professional duties while remaining cognizant of their moral beliefs. (shrink)

Healthcare practitioners have access to a range of ethical guidance. However, the normative role of this guidance in ethical decision-making is underexplored. This paper considers two ways that healthcare practitioners could approach ethics guidance. We first outline the idea of deference to ethics guidance, showing how an attitude of deference raises three key problems: moral value; moral understanding; and moral error. Drawing on philosophical literature, we then advocate an alternative framing of ethics guidance as a form of moral testimony by (...) colleagues and suggest that a more promising attitude to ethics guidance is to approach it in the spirit of ‘critical engagement’ rather than deference. (shrink)

Physicians frequently encounter situations in which their professional practice is intermingled with moral affordances stemming from other domains of the physician’s lifeworld, such as family and friends, or from general morality pertaining to all humans. This article offers a typology of moral conflicts ‘at the margins of professionalism’ as well as a new theoretical framework for dealing with them. We start out by arguing that established theories of professional ethics do not offer sufficient guidance in situations where professional ethics overlaps (...) with moral duties of other origins. Therefore, we introduce the moral theory developed by Christine M. Korsgaard, that centres around the concept of practical identity. We show how Korsgaard’s account offers a framework for interpreting different types of moral conflicts ‘at the margins of professionalism’ to provide either orientation for solving the conflict or an explanation for the emotional and moral burden involved in moral dilemmas. (shrink)

The term "code of conduct" includes any code where a significant part of the content consists of ethical principles. This volume sets out in alphabetical order the organizations in the UK that have drawn up professional codes of conduct. Each entry either reproduces the code verbatim or summarizes its content. The introduction considers the development of codes, their growth in numbers, their purpose, and current trends. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Ondanks antidiscriminatiebeleid en de lippendienst die universiteiten tegenwoordig bewijzen aan ‘inclusie’, ‘sociale veiligheid’ en ‘gelijke kansen’, is discriminatie binnen de universiteit nog steeds wijdverspreid. Ervaringen met discriminatie op de universiteit zijn vooral pijnlijk voor degenen die geen hogere functie krijgen, ook al voldoen ze aan alle eisen. Klachten worden vaak niet serieus genomen, waarna universiteitsbestuurders vaak hardnekkig ontkennen dat ze iets verkeerd hebben gedaan, waardoor de slachtoffers zich vernederd en gedemoraliseerd voelen.

How does one make the right choices when faced with ethical dilemmas? Social service professionals use a unique set of principles to guide their decisions within a broad and complex array of situations. Straight Talk about Professional Ethics, Second Edition provides readers with the guidelines that will help them make decisions in a manner that is clinically and ethically effective. This book explains the seven core concepts that guide ethical practice in the helping professions: self-determination, informed consent, competence, confidentiality and (...) privacy, attention to conflicts of interest, maintenance of professional boundaries, and professionalism and integrity. Developing a commitment to the ethics of a profession and an understanding of how those ethics apply to commonly occurring workplace situations is a major element of professional preparation. (shrink)

‘Disruptive technologies’ is a euphemism for new technologies released lacking adequate regulation, causing significant unemployment and costly, inefficient additional labour. So it stands with LLMs. They output lookalikes of authored writing. Most output remixes existing materials, effectively stealing, since lacking understanding and intention original meaning is not added. LLMs enable low-cost, high-reward dishonesty. Students attempt to submit these products as their own texts. Some in education propose to use LLMs to allow students to generate text and then revise it. This (...) is feasible in groups small enough to ensure that students can be monitored continuously and substantially rewrite the texts while reflecting on the editing process. However, such highlighting of what is important about rewriting tasks reveals that LLMs do not add value to such activities. The recommended policy is to restrict and regulate LLMs. This protects jobs; it ensures that students have to develop skills that enhance their agency and their character development; and alleviates the problem of massive scale intellectual property misuse. Resistance to AI is urgent: no company promoting it will back down from doing so, no matter the risks of their products. This is a case of a game where one agent will never cooperate, and both agents endorse incompatible value sets. Consequently, no group potentially adversely affected should have qualms about intense opposition and has a duty to lobby for regulation and conditional supervised rollout of LLMs. (shrink)

Just like other experts, members of the professions develop their craft thanks to a deep internalisation of both complex cognitive structures and a mix of habits and intuitive understandings. These non-cognitive aspects of expertise can be what distinguishes the merely competent from the truly brilliant. Yet habits can also be what makes us blind to important features of the world we inhabit. In the life of a professional, these features include the vulnerability of those seeking her services, which in turn (...) grounds the professional's particular ethical responsibility. This book develops an in-depth account of habit to understand its impact upon the way moral decisions are made in a professional context. Its central thesis is the following: what most often stands in the way of a professional meeting her ethical responsibility is not so much stupidity (or character defects) but rather the deleterious aspects of habituation. This book calls for renewed attention to be paid to habits and their relationship to ethical agency. Mostly neglected in moral and legal theory, such an inquiry not only conditions an adequate understanding of the risks inherent in a legal system's institutional structure. It is also essential if we are to come to grips with the challenges raised by the professions' growing reliance upon automated systems."--Publisher description. (shrink)

This article is about a virtue ethical approach to the professional ethics of teaching, centred around the ideal of _phronesis_ (practical wisdom) in an Aristotelian sense. It is grounded empirically in extensive research conducted at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues into teachers and other UK professionals, and it is grounded theoretically in recent efforts to revive an Aristotelian concept of _phronesis_ as excellence in ethical decision-making. The article argues for the need for a virtue-based approach to professional practice, (...) based on time-honoured Aristotelian assumptions and culminating in a conceptually viable construct of _phronesis_ as a psycho-moral integrator and adjudicator. After setting some of the historical background in Sect. 1, Sect. 2 charts the most relevant empirical findings. Section 3 introduces a call for _phronesis_ as a guide to virtue-based professional ethics: its role, nature, and methods of instruction. Section 4 adds some caveats and concerns about if and how _phronesis_ can be cultivated as part of teacher training. Finally, Sect. 5 offers some concluding remarks about the novelty and radicality of the approach on offer in this article. (shrink)

Ethics/morality/professional ethics is a subject that can be discussed in many aspects in the field of health sciences and social sciences. Every social event that takes place in social life is also the subject of ethics. Ethics can be dealt with in every field from education to economy, from old age to media. In this book, experts from different fields of social sciences and health sciences have revealed their relations with the main theme of ethics. In terms of social sciences, (...) education, economy, academic studies for disadvantaged groups, old age and ethics are discussed. In terms of health sciences, health problems in nursing, psychiatry, cancer and obesity were discussed ethically. The increasing importance of the interdisciplinary approach in all fields of science is valid in the main topic of ethics. For this purpose, it is aimed to reach the richness provided by the intersection sets of different perspectives. (shrink)

A volume with 14 chapters on various aspects of the relationship between responsibility and healthcare, plus a substantial introduction that offers a comprehensive overview of the relevant debates and how they relate to one another. Questions of responsibility arise at all levels of health care. Most prominent has been the issue of patient responsibility. Some health conditions that risk death or serious harm are partly the result of lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, lack of exercise, or extreme sports. Are patients (...) with such conditions responsible for them? If so, might healthcare providers, be they state-run systems or private entities, be justified in treating such patients differently? And if they are, which forms of differential treatment are justified? Responsibility isn’t just relevant for patients. Even when individuals affect their health through voluntary behaviour, other influences are also at work before, during, and after the patient’s interaction with the health care system. What are the responsibilities of individual clinicians and other medical professionals, when thinking about individual and public health? What about institutions such as governments or national health care services, or society as a whole? This collection brings together work by world-renowned experts in population ethics, distributive justice, philosophy of action, cognitive science, and medical ethics in order to push the debate forward by elucidating our understanding of these questions, their possible answers, and how they are related. (shrink)

This chapter explores the realm of professional ethics. It begins by asking about the usefulness of professional ethics. It then turns to consider some of the ethical theories that undergird professional ethics: utilitarianism, deontology and justice ethics, virtue ethics, and the ethics of care. The discussion examines three different stages in the development of a professional code of ethics. Given the role of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) as “leading the profession through research” the discussion focuses on AHRD (...) and the AHRD Standards on Ethics and Integrity. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for future development and research. (shrink)