Comparative Study Of Western And Eastern Theories Of Medical Ethics
- Author:
Shagdarsuren D
1
;
Damdinjav Kh
1
Author Information
1. New Medicine Institute
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Medical ethic;
western and eastern
- From:
Journal of Oriental Medicine
2012;3(2):12-13
- CountryMongolia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Purpose: The study was conducted to compare ethical precepts of physicians and other health care professionals between western and eastern medicine and analyze the ethical principles methodically. To achieve this purpose we put following goals. 1. Finding the fundamental universal principles of Western and Eastern medical ethics 2. Determining effectiveness of the fundamental principles of medical ethics 3. Aiming to executing ethical standards by health care professionals and examine the ways to resolve ethical dilemmas correctly based on historical facts and the primary texts Materials and methods: Indian, Tibetan, Mongolian, Chinese, Greek and Arabian medical texts, its explications, modern biomedical ethical theories and facts were used in the abstract. Document analysis, logical argumentation, analytic-synthetic distinction, hermeneutics, grouping and content analysis were utilized in the abstract. Discussions: “Ashtanga”, “Charaka”, “Sushruta” are the primary texts of Indian ayurvedic medicine and its ethical theories are based on the philosophies of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu of Hindu religion, ethical theories of ancient Chinese medical text, “Neijing” are from the philosophies of Confucius and Dao, and ethical theories in Arabian medical book, “Avicenna” are based on ethical principles of the Koran of Muslim religion. “Dumta” is the primary philosophical basics of Mongolian medicine. According to the Dumta, philosophy of “I” or “creator” is faulty that is mentioned in Christianity and Shamanism. Love and compassion are taught in these teachings. However, the love and compassion attached to discrimination and shortsighted principles, not the love for any living beings. However, Tibetan and Mongolian traditional medicine teach to love every living being as your own mother and it is based on compassion, integration, causes, the law of causality of Mahayana philosophy in “Four Tantra”, “Four Holy Water”. Therefore, there were two traditional ways such as “seven masteries of causality” and “being in one’s position” to train physicians and medical professionals to have compassion for others. Consequences: 1. The principle of compassion is the fundamental universal principle of western and eastern medical ethical principles. 2. Being highly ethical medical professional is essential to diagnose and treat diseases, prevent, cure the untreatable patients, enhance the strength of drug, purify the poison of drug raw material (i.e., mercury) and generate psychotronic skills of physicians. 3. The beginning of ethical education start with loving own parents. It is not useful when physicians swear “I will give all my love for others” and nurses swear “I will possess genuine compassion” if they do not love their own mother properly. According to Mongolian and Tibetan traditional ethics, anything is not created by power of God, the existence of everything is explained by interrelatedness and positive impacts of others. Moreover, it is not worth to have sworn statement that “We prefer public priorities than our own interest” in ethical principle of clinical professionals when they don’t realize the law of causality. Conclusions: In order to find ways to execute medical ethical standards in Mongolia and resolve ethical dilemmas we have to obtain Mongolian traditional medical ethical training that is one of the traditional culture and wisdom. Mongolians need to study some ethical resolution related to modern medical precise activities such as genetic engineering and cloning humans from others. However, Mongolian medical professionals have richer medical ethical traditional culture with ethical issue of physician-costumer and physician-active or inactive nature than professionals in other countries.
