Abstract
The formal traits of oaths and pledges and the reasons to take them are discussed from a moral-philosophical point of view. Some historical examples of medical texts from different cultures are presented and compared with the so-called Hippocratic oath. Genuine oaths are rare but there is considerable agreement about how the ideal physician should behave. The reasons are discussed why medical oaths fade away in modern times. An alternative is suggested which better fits modern ethical requirements.
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Further Readings
Cheney, G., Lair, D., Ritz, D., & Kendall, B. (2010). Just a job? Communication, ethics, and professional life. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.
Heubel, F. (2015). The “Soul of Professionalism” in the Hippocratic Oath and today. Med Health Care and Philos, 18, 185–194.
Kultgen, J. (1988). Ethics and professionalism. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
May, W. F. (1983). The physician’s covenant. Images of the healer in medical ethics. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.
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Heubel, F. (2015). Oath. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_312-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_312-1
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