Summary Philosophy & Ethics - Lecture 2

Philosophy & Ethics – Lecture 2 (25-04-2018): Introduction to Research Ethics (Kant)

Research ethics:
- Ancient Ethics (Aristotle + Aquinas)
- Modern Ethics (Kant)


 Ancient ethics:

Daedalus and Icarus:

….

Socrates:
- Why?
- What is?

Aristotle:
Nature was important to Aristotle
Nature = that what is not made/produced by ‘us’ (human). That which emerges, comes forward
on its own accord, that which has its own inherent principles of movement and change

Ethics, technology, culture, politics: that which is brought forward by is, but: In accordance with
nature.

- The Latin verb observare means: to heed, to serve and to respect.

‘’Act in accordance with nature’’

Temperance, balance, the good is the middle (the optimum) between deficiency and excess.

Thomas Aquinas:
Nature is the norm:
- Inclination  obligation
- Self-preservation  respect for life
- The body strives to maintain health  Stewardship over your body: responsibility for
self-care
- Reproduction  family, community (responsibility)
- Strive for knowledge  knowledge is good
- Humans are social animals  Participation in society; societal responsibility.

Stewardship:
- We do not really own things, we do not own nature, but we must care for creation:
responsible management.
- We do not own our bodies, our body is a gift entrusted to us, we should care for and
respect the integrity of the body.
- A physician is a servant of nature (minister naturae).