Ethical Reasoning During a Pandemic

Results of a Five Country European Study

verfasst von

S. B. Johnson, F. Lucivero, B. M. Zimmermann, E. Stendahl, G. Samuel, A. Phillips, N. Hangel

Abstract

Introduction: There has been no work that identifies the hidden or implicit normative assumptions on which participants base their views during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their reasoning and how they reach moral or ethical judgements. Our analysis focused on participants’ moral values, ethical reasoning and normative positions around the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.Methods: We analyzed data from 177 semi-structured interviews across five European countries (Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) conducted in April 2020.Results: Findings are structured in four themes: ethical contention in the context of normative uncertainty; patterns of ethical deliberation when contemplating restrictions and measures to reduce viral transmission; moral judgements regarding “good” and “bad” people; using existing structures of meaning for moral reasoning and ethical judgement.Discussion: Moral tools are an integral part of people’s reaction to and experience of a pandemic. ‘Moral preparedness’ for the next phases of this pandemic and for future pandemics will require an understanding of the moral values and normative concepts citizens use in their own decision-making. Three important elements of this preparedness are: conceptual clarity over what responsibility or respect mean in practice; better understanding of collective mindsets and how to encourage them; and a situated, rather than universalist, approach to the development of normative standards.

Externe Organisation(en)

University of Oxford
Universität Basel
Technische Universität München (TUM)
University College Dublin
King's College London
KU Leuven

Typ

Artikel

Journal

AJOB Empirical Bioethics

Band

13

Seiten

67-78

Anzahl der Seiten

12

ISSN

2329-4515

Publikationsdatum

2022

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Gesundheit (Sozialwissenschaften), Philosophie, Health policy

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1080/23294515.2022.2040645 (Zugang: Offen)