Structuring Bioethics Education: Building Bioethical Potential, Experience, Practice

The article is divided into the following main blocks: initiatives of bioethics` capacity building; practices and experiences in the bioethicist`s work. The article aims to investigate the structuring possibilities of bioethical education, and the model of integrative bioethics is seen in this context as a promising device/tool. The figure-scheme, created by the author, shows 2 bioethics' growth lines - educational, as a formal (institutional) line and societal, as informal (cultural) one. In describing the lines, the author has identified the main aspects of influence: the cultural aspect (a); the political aspect (c); the humanistic aspect / human capital (c). In the educational (formal) sphere the following areas of activity were described - school, education, interdisciplinary programs in bioethics. In societal (informal) - experience of participation of community organizations in the creation of projects and grant activities of bioethicists. Hereof the following blocks were discussed - Bioethicist as an activist; Role of bioethicist as a translator, agent of change. Education through bioethics and public discussion of bioethical issues is what can be called a «circle of integrity». Bioethics education prepares community members to deal with ethically challenging issues by providing them with the skills to address ethical challenges in the everyday routine of one community. Bioethics capacity building was reviewed through the creation of a professional network of bioethics experts and their educational programmes - the Integrative Platform of Bioethics (InPlatBio). A network of bioethicists and stakeholders provides a learning-friendly environment. Both - networks and the development of links with different informal organisations and associations are important for essential communicative skills. The use of online courses, webinars is a modern source of information on the development of bioethics in Ukraine as well as in European countries.

Hospital chaplains as ethical consultants in making difficult medical decisions

Background and aimsFew Polish hospitals have Hospital Ethics Committee (HECs) and the services are not always adequate. In this situation, the role of HECs, in providing, among others, ethical advice on the discontinuation of persistent therapies, may be taken over by other entities. The aim of our research was to investigate, how often and on what issues hospital chaplains are asked for ethical advice in reaching difficult medical decisions.MethodsA survey of 100 Roman Catholic chaplains was conducted, that is, at least 10% of all chaplains currently working in Polish hospitals.ResultsOf the participants, 29% confirmed receiving requests for advice in making a morally difficult medical decision. Receiving this type of request was not conditional on the place of their service, duration of their pastoral mission or HEC membership. The largest group of chaplains (21%) encounter questions concerning the ethical dilemmas associated with discontinuing persistent therapy. Patients and their families most often raise issues related to the methods of birth control, and the medical staff raise the issue of termination of pregnancy—as reported by 9% and 15% of chaplains, respectively. Most of the chaplains asked for help (79%) experience a deficit of specialist knowledge in the area of medicine or ethics.ConclusionsIn order to improve the quality of ethical consultations in Polish hospitals, in addition to further development of HECs, it is postulated to develop a system for bioethical education of chaplains.

Current Situation of Homoparental Adoption in Latin America: A Bioethical Problem of Discrimination, Rights and Social Justice

This article raises the current situation of homoparental adoption in Latin America. The problem of discrimination-exclusion and social justice. This work exposes the need to integrate the secular bioethical perspective in the public discussion and the contrast of conservative and liberal arguments on homoparental adoption. Likewise, the article exposes the urgent need to legislate in favor of children and not against same-sex couples or gay individuals who are trying to adopt. We recommend the promotion of bioethical education and social awareness to prevent violence and discrimination against vulnerable minorities through the teaching and practice of tolerance, respect, dialogue, and the bioethical principles of non-maleficence, dignity, integrity, and vulnerability.

Community of philosophical inquiry as a method in early bioethical education

‘Community of inquiry’ is a concept introduced by Charles Sanders Peirce, and was originally restricted to the practitioners of scientific inquiry. M. Lipman (2003) expanded this concept by moving it into a broader setting – the classroom. He converted the classroom into a community of inquiry, in which “students listen to one another with respect, build on one another’s ideas, challenge one another to supply reasons for otherwise unsupported opinions, assist each other in drawing inferences from what has been said, and seek to identify one another’s assumptions.” David Kennedy (2012) claimed how “Lipman, taking a cue from his friend and mentor Justus Buchler, developed and called ‘community of philosophical inquiry’— the most appropriate way to practice with students the philosophical curriculum that he had developed. This idea is also a philosophical one, and it has a farreaching implication, both practical and theoretical – for learning theory, for theory of teaching, for argumentation theory, for theory of knowledge, for group psychology, for moral education, and perhaps, ultimately of the greatest importance, for grounded political theory and practice.” In various and different approaches to philosophy with children, we can find a community of philosophical inquiry as one of the main methods. For instance, a community of philosophical inquiry is one of the methods used in Ethics and Values Education: “The term ethics and values education (EVE) applies to all aspects of education which either explicitly or implicitly relate to ethical dimensions of life and are such that can be structured, regulated and monitored with appropriate educational methods and tools.” (Strahovnik, 2015). Leaning on the cited definition of EVE, if we focus specifically on the issues of the contemporary world with its ecological crisis and rapid digitalization, we can set the relation of the ethical dimensions of life as a bioethical question. Using methodology for the community of philosophical inquiry as a basis for bioethical questioning, we can satisfy the need for innovative and effective bioethical education from an early age. In my lecture, I will show how the community of philosophical inquiry can be connected withbioethical topics such as the relationship between man and wild animals, man and plants, man and nature in global, etc.

Fritz Jahr as Methodological Paradigm in Bioethical Education

The paper examines Fritz Jahr as a possible role-model in bioethical education. It consists of two parts. The first part builds upon the acknowledged data and theories about how Fritz Jahr proposed the bioethical imperative and changed his way of thinking. It provides arguments for and against known claims and expands the knowledge background with the focus on reconstructing the thought process and some presumptions that led to the formulation of bioethical imperative. The second part uses these results to infer five features to show how we can extract and define methodological features from Jahr’s personality and activity, which confirm and enhance integrative projects. An attempt has been made to understand that something, such as “Jahrian methodology”, might be sensible enough to provide scientific knowledge and cultural orientation without simplifying the bios, but that it is pointless without integration with educational models, and to emphasise this I conclusively consider the role of bioethicists in the 21st century.

The Possibility of Introducing Bioethical Education to High Schools and Faculties in North Macedonia

Bioethics is a very important and complex contemporary field of thinking and activity. Knocking strong on our doors, various problems of health, environmental pollution, violence, conflicts, human indolence, criminal deeds, as well as bad behaviors of all different kinds, come to the core of humankind. All these problems require a serious and rapid human action. That is why it is very important to introduce bioethical education to all people. This paper is dealing with the issue of implementing ethical and bioethical education in the North Macedonian school system. It offers a brief review of the activities in this field so far, and it attempts to contextualize some theoretical approaches for ethical and bioethical education. The main thesis is that at the basic level ethical and bioethical education should be organized as moral education, but at the level of secondary school and faculty teaching the approach should be through critical thinking as the most appropriate for that age.

Η βιοηθική στην εκπαίδευση

During recent years, bioethics have become increasingly important as it has become clear that citizens of all ages will be called upon to take ethical decisions about the use of science and technology at some stage of their lives. Research shows that there is a global agreement on the need to teach more of these ethical and social issues related to science and technology at all levels of education.This article attempts to investigate the importance and role of bioethics in secondary and undergraduate university education. Examples of primary and secondary education curricula, their goals and their contribution to improving students' understanding of the different aspects of bioethics are presented. Then, it is attempted to review the situation of bioethics in universities curricula. The article analyzes the different philosophies of approaching bioethical education, its relation with human rights and compares the advantages and disadvantages of the teaching strategies of integration and specialization.In conclusion, it seems that bioethics is worthwhile being joined together with other disciplines and integrated into a wider framework of effective and informed decision-making skills, whether the person is a health professional or a modern citizen.

Mathetiks - a transdisciplinary education paradigm (the case of bioethics)

The novelty of the article is related to the use of the resources of the philosophy of transdisciplinarity to justify the relevance and heuristic importance of the concept of "Mathetiks", introduced by the Czech pedagogue-humanist Jan Amos Comenius (Komensky) to refer to practices of self-education. The aim of the article is to use resources of the philosophy of transdisciplinarity to justify the relevance and heuristic importance of the concept of "Mathetiks", introduced by the Czech pedagogue-humanist J. A. Kоmensky three centuries ago to distinguish and establish coordination in the unified educational process of pedagogical practices of teaching and self-learning of students. The modern interpretation of the ideas of mathetiks (on the example of the problems of bioethical education) is carried out with the implementation of the concepts of the philosophy of science Th. Kuhn and R. Merton in the context of post-nonclassical studies. The notion of "paradigmatic syndrome", which arises as a result of philosophical reflection on the peculiarities of the formation of the post-classical matrix of the development of modern scientific knowledge, is introduced. One of its defining factors is the conceptualization and institutionalization of processes to ensure continuity of knowledge (education) and constant innovative changes taking place in society. The most adequate form of philosophical and methodological reflection in this situation, according to the author, is the philosophy of transdisciplinarity as an integrating mechanism not only of the disciplinary knowledge, but also of education and innovation, the necessary components of the social system aimed at self-renewal. The philosophy of transdisciplinarity and the philosophy of education have in many ways similar paradigm structures, oriented target cause of the actor on self – education -mathetiks. The target specifies the reason for the project-based nature of the paradigmatic constructs in education and bioethics. First of all, this is the clarification of the problem field, training and teaching to act in it according to the existing rules and the creative nature of project activities. Orientation to the value priorities of the community expressed both in symbolic generalizations and implicit forms (M. Polanyi) of personal knowledge and practice.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF BIOETHICAL EDUCATION PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Education is universally recognized as an inviolable human right in the universal declaration of human rights. It is a chance for people to satisfy their innate desire to learn, and to prepare for future, and to enable them to make contributions to the future of the society. Therefore, bioethics education means education about, for and within democracy, based on full participation of the people within social, political and cultural affairs at all levels of government, concerning them as citizens. In the present era of high tech revolution, the great task of ethically based education is to reform the human mind. The way of life of human being may change during the 21st century. However bioethical issues impact upon all the people, the public should actively join the discussion. People have a right to reflect on their opinions in policy making; it could be argued that all have a duty to make responsible decision for the range of bioethical issues. Bioethics should be made a compulsory course with requisite attendance for the award of professional degrees. Studies have shown that making ethics an optional course in medical or professional colleges even school levels does not serve its purpose. Education and awareness are solutions to these bioethical issues. A structured curriculum is necessary for teaching of bioethics. Our decisions affect not only our individual life, but also our family, society, future generations and other living organisms. We all have a chance to study bioethics sometimes in our life.