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Can ethnography save the life of medical ethics?

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  • Hoffmaster, Barry

Abstract

Since its inception contemporary medical ethics has been regarded by many of its practitioners as 'applied ethics', that is, the application of philosophical theories to the moral problems that arise in health care. This 'applied ethics' model of medical ethics is, however, beset with internal and external difficulties. The internal difficulties point out that the model is intrinsically flawed. The external difficulties arise because the model does not fit work in the field. Indeed, the strengths of that work are its highly nuanced, particularized analyses of cases and issues and its appreciation of the circumstances and contexts that generate and structure these cases and issues. A shift away from a theory-driven 'applied ethics' to a more situational, contextual approach to medical ethics opens the way for ethnographic studies of moral problems in health care as well as a conception of moral theory that is more responsive to the empirical dimensions of those problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoffmaster, Barry, 1992. "Can ethnography save the life of medical ethics?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 1421-1431, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:35:y:1992:i:12:p:1421-1431
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    Cited by:

    1. Huniche, Lotte, 2011. "Moral landscapes and everyday life in families with Huntington's disease: Aligning ethnographic description and bioethics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(11), pages 1810-1816, June.
    2. Gerrits, Trudie & Reis, Ria & Braat, Didi, D.M. & Kremer, Jan, A.M. & Hardon, Anita, P., 2013. "Bioethics in practice: Addressing ethically sensitive requests in a Dutch fertility clinic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 330-339.
    3. Kathy Charmaz & Virginia Olesen, 1997. "Ethnographic Research in Medical Sociology," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 25(4), pages 452-494, May.
    4. Petersen, Alan, 2013. "From bioethics to a sociology of bio-knowledge," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 264-270.
    5. Molyneux, C.S. & Wassenaar, D.R. & Peshu, N. & Marsh, K., 2005. "'Even if they ask you to stand by a tree all day, you will have to do it (laughter)...!': Community voices on the notion and practice of informed consent for biomedical research in developing countrie," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 443-454, July.
    6. Parker, Michael, 2007. "Ethnography/ethics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 2248-2259, December.
    7. Kok, Niek & Hoedemaekers, Cornelia & Fuchs, Malaika & van der Hoeven, Hans & Zegers, Marieke & van Gurp, Jelle, 2024. "Evaluating the use of casuistry during moral case deliberation in the ICU: A multiple qualitative case study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 345(C).

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