1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910409994403321

Autore

Molefe Motsamai

Titolo

An African Ethics of Personhood and Bioethics : A Reflection on Abortion and Euthanasia / / by Motsamai Molefe

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer International Publishing : , : Imprint : Palgrave Macmillan, , 2020

ISBN

3-030-46519-5

Edizione

[1st ed. 2020.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (145 pages) : illustrations

Disciplina

174.2

100

Soggetti

Philosophy, Asian

Bioethics

Ethics

Non-Western Philosophy

Moral Philosophy

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Includes index.

Nota di contenuto

Chapter 1: Introduction: Personhood, Dignity and (African) Bioethics -- Chapter 2: Personhood, Morality and Dignity in African Philosophy -- Chapter 3: Personhood and Abortion in African Philosophy -- Chapter 4: Personhood and Euthanasia in African Philosophy. .

Sommario/riassunto

This book articulates an African conception of dignity in light of the salient axiological category of personhood in African cultures. The idea of personhood embodies a moral system for evaluating human lives exuding with virtue or ones that are morally excellent. This book argues that this idea of personhood embodies an under-explored conception of dignity, which accounts for it in terms of our capacity for the virtue of sympathy. It then proceeds to apply this personhood-based conception of dignity to bioethical questions, specifically, those of abortion and euthanasia. Regarding abortion, it concludes that it is impermissible since foetuses possess partial moral status. Regarding euthanasia, it argues that it is permissible for reasons revolving around avoiding the reversing of personhood. It also, though, minimally, touches on the questions regarding the mentally disabled and animals,



to which it assigns lower moral status.