Jackson J
Leeds University.
J Med Ethics. 1991 Mar;17(1):5-9. doi: 10.1136/jme.17.1.5.
Are doctors and nurses bound by just the same constraints as everyone else in regard to honesty? What, anyway, does honesty require? Telling no lies? Avoiding intentional deception by whatever means? From a utilitarian standpoint lying would seem to be on the same footing as other forms of intentional deception: yielding the same consequences. But utilitarianism fails to explain the wrongness of lying. Doctors and nurses, like everyone else, have a prima facie duty not to lie--but again like everyone else, they are not duty-bound to avoid intentional deception, lying apart; except where it would involve a breach of trust.
在诚实方面,医生和护士是否受到与其他人相同的约束?那么,诚实到底要求什么呢?不说谎?以任何手段避免故意欺骗?从功利主义的角度来看,说谎似乎与其他形式的故意欺骗处于同等地位:产生相同的后果。但功利主义无法解释说谎的错误性。医生和护士与其他人一样,有一项初步的义务,即不说谎——但同样与其他人一样,他们没有义务避免故意欺骗,除了说谎之外;除非这会涉及到违背信任。