Ethical Dilemmas in Bioethics: A Diagnostic Tool and the Limits of Its Implementation with Artificial Intelligence

Luis ECHARTE

Unit of Humanities and Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Navarre, Irunlarrea, 1, 31008-Pamplona. Spain (Luis Echarte) , Spain

Antonio PARDO

Unit of Humanities and Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Navarre; Irunlarrea, 1, 31008-Pamplona. Spain , Spain

Abstract

The adoption of the American model of bioethics in medical practice was a remarkable swift following its introduction roughly half a century ago. This rapid dissemination can largely be attributed to its structure around readily applicable practical principles. These principles employ easily understood terminology that, however, diverges significantly from the meaning of those same terms within the context of classical Hippocratic-Christian medical ethics. This terminological convergence, devoid of semantic equivalence, can lead to misinterpretations of bioethical texts and undesirable technological drifts. To address these interpretive ambiguities, we analyze fundamental elements of both classical and bioethical ethical approaches, identifying key differences. These differences, particularly regarding the terminology of ethical dilemmas or conflicts, can help illuminate the underlying assumptions of various texts and guide the optimal ways in which AI can assist in medical decision-making.

Keywords:

classical ethics, enlightened ethics, ethical dilemmas, artificial intelligence, machine ethics, principialism, bioethics, principles of ethics