The Porosity of Autonomy: Social and Biological Constitution of the Patient in Biomedicine

American Journal of Bioethics 16 (2):34-45 (2016)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The nature and role of the patient in biomedicine comprise issues central to bioethical inquiry. Given its developmental history grounded firmly in a backlash against 20th-century cases of egregious human subjects abuse, contemporary medical bioethics has come to rely on a fundamental assumption: the unit of care is the autonomous self-directing patient. In this article we examine first the structure of the feminist social critique of autonomy. Then we show that a parallel argument can be made against relational autonomy as well, demonstrating how this second concept of autonomy fails to take sufficiently into account an array of biological determinants, particularly those from microbial biology. Finally, in light of this biological critique, we question whether or to what extent any relevant and meaningful view of autonomy can be recovered in the contemporary landscape of bioethics

Author Profiles

Jonathan Beever
University of Central Florida
Nicolae Morar
University of Oregon

Analytics

Added to PP
2015-04-30

Downloads
1,279 (#10,925)

6 months
161 (#27,364)

Historical graph of downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks on external links on PhilPapers.
How can I increase my downloads?