20. Points of contact
between Maimonides' Jewish Philosophy and Buddhism and implications
for bioethics
Frank J. Leavitt
Medical Health Centre, Faculty
of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva,
Israel
(E-mail: yeruham@bgumail.bgu.ac.il)
One source of foundations for bioethics is ancient spiritual tradition. Spirituality and religion are often thought of as causing differences and conflict between people. But a careful examination of different religious Judaism is supposedly "Western" and Buddhism is supposedly "Eastern". But in truth both are Asian spiritual traditions. Although there are serious differences between them, an examination of a Buddhist text, The philosophical and medical writings reveals surprising similarities.
A major point in common is a certain inner calmness and faith which can be maintained while living activity in a chaotic world. This attitude teaches us not to take material success and failure too seriously. Encouraging this attitude may have positive bioethical effects. For example it may help scientific endeavours become more of a pure search for truth, rather than the race after material success and personal honour. This may further research ethics by nullifying temptations to dishonesty.
Frank J. Leavitt
Medical Health Centre, Faculty
of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva,
Israel
Conclusions will be drawn for cross-cultural West and East Asian Bioethics. In particular:
1. Is moral autonomy desirable and possible for employees in a hierarchical institution such as hospital?
2. Does the nurse-patient relationship require special inter-cultural understanding?
3. In societies where a large
percentage but not all of the people accept dialogue between philosophical
and religious bioethics?
It is essential to ethical medicine that
physicians learn to listen to and to respect the views of nurses,
who are so close physically and emotionally to patients, families
and communities. This should be part of medical education from
first year onward. For the same reason nurses need a major role
in all bioethics allocations.
To Bioethics in India book contents
To Eubios Ethics Institute books
To Eubios Ethics Institute home page