Putman D A
University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, Menasha 54952.
J Med Philos. 1988 Nov;13(4):433-43. doi: 10.1093/jmp/13.4.433.
Robert Veatch has claimed that virtue theory is not only irrelevant but potentially dangerous in medical ethics. I argue that virtue is a far more prominent factor in contemporary medical practice than Veatch admits. Even if 'stranger medicine' is taken as the norm, proper conduct on the part of physicians depends on certain character traits in order to be maintained consistently over a long period of time and in situations which run counter to the physician's own interests. Right conduct, which Veatch argues is the central moral issue in the physician-patient relationship, is intertwined with certain virtues. Moreover, the virtue of integrity and the concept of a unified life-narrative are especially useful in analyzing an important factor missing in modern medicine. And since medicine relies necessarily on some concept of human flourishing I argue that virtue theory can play a central role in helping to determine the goals of medical practice.
罗伯特·维奇声称，美德理论在医学伦理学中不仅无关紧要，而且可能具有危险性。我认为，在当代医疗实践中，美德所起的作用远比维奇所承认的要显著得多。即便将“陌生人医疗”视为常态，医生的恰当行为要想在很长一段时间内以及在与医生自身利益相悖的情况下始终得以维持，仍需依赖某些性格特质。维奇认为正确行为是医患关系中的核心道德问题，而正确行为与某些美德相互交织。此外，正直的美德以及统一的人生叙事概念，在分析现代医学中缺失的一个重要因素时尤其有用。而且，由于医学必然依赖某种人类福祉的概念，所以我认为美德理论在帮助确定医疗实践目标方面能够发挥核心作用。
