A View From the Borderlands of Philosophical Bioethics and Empirical Social Science Research:How the ‘Is’ Can Inform the ‘Ought’

摘要

I speak from the borderlands of philosophical bioethics (my primary discipline) and empirical social science research (my secondary discipline). As such, I strongly agree with Kon's (2009) core thesis that empirical research is crucial to evolve philosophical bioethics concepts and theories, and thus to improve clinical ethics practice. However, I suggest that Kon's loose language and weak examples from "bioethics theory" undermine his overall argument. I do so to argue that a reasonably deep and subtle understanding of philosophical bioethics theory is necessary for anyone seeking to effectively interrogate and/or revise it through empirical research. Finally, I share several examples from my own empirical research and philosophical analysis to elucidate my own view-from these interdisciplinary borders—of how the "is" can inform the "ought". I incorporate brief suggestions about how to strengthen interdisciplinary cross-fertilizations and bioethics theory.