Bioethics and choices
Darryl R.J. Macer, Ph.D.
Moral dilemmas face everyone of us. There have been numerous books written to explain moral theories and how these can be applied to dilemmas we face in medicine, daily life and a range of professions. Given the rapid development of science and technology, for example, genetic engineering, neuro-engineering, and nanotechnology, and the implications these raise for individuals and society, people need to have the opportunity to shape the direction, purposes and goals of science and technology.
Bioethics includes ethical issues related to all branches of knowledge, including the environment, life sciences, and medicine and associated technologies. To ensure public participation and making wise decisions about their own and their children’s future, providing bioethics education at all levels is necessary. Although the primary audience of this book is teachers, the debates generated in the classroom are likely to spill over into the family and community in general. This book aims to bring moral theory to life by a participatory style featuring a number of moral games that can be used and adapted to teach ethics in a practical manner.
There has been universal agreement for more than a decade that bioethics education at all levels should be provided to citizens through the adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights by the UNESCO General Conference in 1997, and by the United Nations General Assembly in 1998. The international standards for bioethics education were reinforced in the International Declaration on Human Genetic Data, adopted in 2003; and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, adopted by UNESCO’s 33rd General Conference, in 2005. In essence the apparently new choices raised by new technology acted as a catalyst to stimulate the consideration of how people make decisions in general. The work of educators in moral values through millennia was applied to the issues raised by science and technology, and empowering learners to make choices that make them live a better life.
For some the title of this book “moral games” would imply that the games here are all moral. There have been discussions of whether electronic games are moral or too violent. This is not the meaning of “moral” taken here. Rather morality is something that is learned through clarification of our values and application of these values to cases. The participatory games explored in this book aim to guide moral decision making.
Critical thinking capacity is essential for empowering persons to cope with changing times. Critical thinking should not only promote the creation of ideas but also the formation and adoption of humane moral values while treating patients, or while forming social decisions with regard to human health and life.
Participation can promote the creation of ideas and individuality, which we all need in the era of globalization. Learning is acknowledged as being the result of complex interacting influences thus teaching must recognize numerous interconnections because of the impact it has upon peoples’ lives.
A teacher’s job is to ask questions to make students think for themselves. There are some general characteristics of good questions. Good questions should stimulate thought, be hort, simple and clear, be definite and unambiguous, encourage persons to express themselves, be relevant to the content covered and be appropriate to the learner’s ability.
This concept of using moral games is also linked to movements such as student-centred learning, participatory learning and action. There is a number of approaches, tools, attitudes and behaviours to enable and empower people to present, share, analyze and enhance their knowledge of life and conditions. These games may help them to plan, act, monitor, evaluate, and reflect on moral choices.
