Priorities in the Teaching of Ethics in a Globalized World

Abstract

Globalization has created the favorable conditions for social, economic and cultural integration in today’s world; but also problems and challenges involving ethics and bioethics. In this context, beside the many benefits of global range, several challenges have emerged, requiring a specific reflection. These challenges involve general disciplines such as anthropology, medicine/healthcare, and ecology as well as specific aspects: in a broad range, those linked to social justice fulfillment, guaranteeing safety, promoting interreligious dialogue, building peace; in a narrow range, those related to professional moral conduct, healthcare delivery, access to healthcare and equitable distribution of healthcare resources, and provision of treatment.

Therefore, new priorities arise also in the teaching of ethics and bioethics in a globalized world.

“Global conscience”: first of all; we have the necessity of providing moral knowledge, skills and attitudes, developing consciences to have a new ethical awareness, enabling first to recognize and then to face the challenge posed by the globalized world.

“Universal values”: second; we must spread universal values, particularly anthropological values such as human dignity (i.e. referring to those documents that have a certain consensus, such as the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, UNESCO, Universal declaration on bioethics and human rights. Retrieved from: http://portal.unesco.org, 2005).

“Common responsibility”: third; rethink and propose again responsibility in seeking a sustainable and integral development. Common (or global) responsibility must take into account both promotion of human beings’ dignity and preservation of creation, showing how all these aspects are absolutely interconnected (integral ecology).