Sara Kolmes's Proseminar Research
I did my research on the dialogue between Buddhist and Catholic medical ethics
The Nursing Profession
Rodgers, Beth L. "Re-Thinking Nursing Science Through the Understanding of Buddhism." Nursing Philosophy: An International Journal for Healthcare Professionals 3.3 (2002): 213-221. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract:” Western thought has dominated scientific development for a long time, and nursing has not escaped the influence of such ideology. Nurse scholars, in an attempt to fit the dominant scientific ideology, typically have had to struggle with non-empirical elements of nursing. This orientation in science, however, may have contributed inadvertently to a form of scientific ethnocentrism in the culture of inquiry in nursing as in other fields. The result has been a narrow view of science and knowledge and failure to recognize the potential significance of Eastern philosophy in nursing knowledge development. Recently, intensive cultural exchanges between the East and the West have contributed to Western scientists becoming aware of the limits of Western linear thinking and concomitant efforts to explore the mysteries of Eastern philosophy. In this article, we explore Buddhism as one example of such philosophies that have great potential to enrich nursing as it continues to strive for definition and identity. “
This article argues that when nursing strives to fit into the mold of a scientific field it is a bad fit, and that the methods of Buddhism could improve nursing’s effectiveness. Although this is somewhat taboo because of the miscategorization of Buddhist philosophy as entirely mystic, Buddhism can inform the side of nursing that is not just prescribing medicine. A Buddhist understanding of suffering and sickness focuses more on lifestyle and environmental changes and understanding how the individual became sick than simply giving a cure, and a way to accept the sometimes inevitable suffering and death that patients face.
Rich, Karen. "Critical Response to Rodgers and Yen's Article: Rethinking Nursing Science through the Understanding of Buddhism." Nursing Philosophy: An International Journal for Healthcare Professionals4.2 (2003): 168-172. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract:” I do agree with Beth Rodgers and Wen-Jiuan Yen that a look that a look at the philosophy of Buddhism is very relevant for nursing in moving beyond scientific ethnocentrism. In an attempt to further the science of nursing, nurses often reject anything that remotely challenges those limits. However, in 'emptying our cups', we must also acknowledge that some of the most brilliant Western philosophers and scientists have challenged those boundaries before us. For those nurses who are courageous enough to argue that the worth of the profession is not confined to a positivistic approach founded on the preeminence of technological competence, they may find that incorporating the wisdom andphilosophy of the East can move the profession forward. Finally, in expanding the limits of what nurses consider being within the realm of nursing science, we might follow Kant's lead in allowing David Hume to awaken us from our dogmatic slumber, in this instance realizing that a philosophy of science and a philosophy of life may coincide.”
This article is a response to the suggestions that Buddhist models be integrated into nursing practices. It agrees with the article in that a Buddhist look at nursing would benefit the profession, but points out that many western thinkers have also expressed a similar perspective on options for nursing, including Hume, Einstein, Bohr, and Jung.
Rich, Karen. "Using a Buddhist 'Sangha' As a Model of Communitarianism in Nursing." Nursing Ethics: An International Journal for Health Care Professionals 14.4 (2007): 466-477. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract: “In spite of a continuing long and rich history of caring for patients, many nurses have not been satisfied with their work. One cause among others for this dissatisfaction is that nurses often do not care for one another. The philosophy of a Buddhist 'Sangha', or community, is similar to the philosophy of Western communitarian ethics. Both philosophies emphasize the importance of people working together harmoniously towards a common good. In this article, unsatisfactory nurse-nurse relationships have been considered and a model for communitarian nursing practice has been suggested based on a Buddhist 'Sangha'.”
This article explores a problem that it suggests is widespread in nursing—what it calls ‘horizontal violence’, or nurses acting uncaringly or even malevolently towards each other. It suggests that the nursing profession should adopt a community-based ethic and that the only way to solve this problem is to emphasize that, like the Buddhist ideal of the Sangha community, they are powerful only together and this is the only way they can solve many of the problems they face as a profession. It uses the examples of the original Sangha as well as nursing schools in Asia which are less rife with argument and a lack of support for students as why this is desirable.
The Best Compassion from Nurses and Doctors
Walsh-Frank, Patricia. "Compassion: An East-West Comparison." Asian Philosophy 6.1 (1996): 5-16.Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract:” Compassion is an emotion that occupies a central position in Mahayana Buddhist philosophy while it is often a neglected subject in contemporary western philosophy. This essay is a comparison between an Eastern view of compassion based upon Mahayana Buddhist perspectives and a western view of the same emotion. Certain principles found in Mahayana Buddhist philosophy such as the Bodhisattva Ideal, and suffering (dukkha) to name two, are explored for the information they contain about compassion. An essay by Lawrence Blum is taken as representative of a Western view (but not exclusively) and it is analyzed for its shortcomings in light of the Buddhist view. The conclusion briefly describes the value of understanding an eastern view on compassion as a means of filling the void one finds in western medical ethics discourse which focuses so heavily, and redundantly, upon issues such as patient autonomy and paternalism.”
This article compares the Western and Eastern (specifically Buddhist) theories on compassion with the thesis that the Western view has an overly simplified model. The author argues that in the Western tradition emotion has been placed as an aggressor against reason and so has been devalued, whereas in an Asian tradition reason and emotion are equally valued. In a Buddhist tradition emotions are more universalized, and so compassion can be felt even though you have never experienced the pain that the subject of your compassion is going through, because all pain comes from the same lack of acceptance of impermanence. A Buddhist perspective on emotions provides a way to reason through them on their own ground, and the author argues it is a better path than just dismissing them.
Boleyn-Fitzgerald, Patrick. "Care and the Problem of Pity." Bioethics 17.1 (2003): 1-20. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract:” This paper tries to fill a gap left in our understanding of the concept of care itself by distinguishing between compassion and two kinds of pity. While all three are kinds of caring, we should not give them similar moral evaluations. Consequently, the distinction between compassion and different kinds of pity gives us an important insight into the question of whether we can consider care a virtue for health care professionals.”
This paper explores the different ways that a caregiver can connect emotionally with a patient, and challenges the presupposition that caring is always good. It uses Buddhist ethics to argue that not just care but ‘equanimity’, or caring that recognizes the other person’s pain without fear or disgust but also deems it worthy of thought is the most productive feeling to strive for in medical treatments, for the good of the nurses as well as the patients.
Repenshek, Mark. "Moral Distress: Inability to Act or Discomfort with Moral Subjectivity?." Nursing Ethics: An International Journal for Health Care Professionals 16.6 (2009): 734-742. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
Abstract: “Amidst the wealth of literature on the topic of moral distress in nursing, a single citation is ubiquitous, Andrew Jameton's 1984 book 'Nursing Practice'. The definition Jameton formulated reads "...moral distress arises when one knows the right thing to do, but institutional constraints make it nearly impossible to pursue the right course of action". Unfortunately, it appears that, despite the frequent use of Jameton's definition of moral distress, the definition itself remains uncritically examined. It seems as if the context of how moral distress arises (i.e., anger, frustration etc.) has been co-opted as its definition. This current work suggests that the current definition is not moral distress as defined by Jameton, but rather, in large part, nursing's discomfort with moral subjectivity in end-of-life decision making. A critical examination of how the Catholic tradition's normative ethical framework accounts for moral subjectivity in end-of-life decision making serves to aid nursing's discomfort and as a starting point to recontextualize moral distress.”
This article examines the reasons that nurses are often dissatisfied with their jobs because they feel they have been forced to do things that they do not believe are moral. Using a Catholic perspective it tries to explain why this happens and how it can be fixed—that most ‘moral distress’ felt by nurses is a result of moral ambiguity in situations that they do not know how to resolve, and that Catholic traditions in medical ethics can help nurses accept the things they see that bother them.
End Of Life Care
Bruce, Anne. "Time(lessness): Buddhist Perspectives and End-of-Life." Nursing Philosophy: An International Journal for Healthcare Professionals 8.3 (2007): 151-157. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Abstract: “The perception of time shifts as patients enter hospice care. As a complex, socially determined construct, time plays a significant role in end-of-life care. Drawing on Buddhist and Western perspectives, conceptualizations of linear and cyclical time are discussed alongside notions of time as interplay of embodied experience and concept. Buddhist understandings of self as patterns of relating and the theory of 'dependent origination' are introduced. Implications for understanding death, dying and end-of-life care within these differing perspectives are considered. These explorations contribute to the growing dialogue in nursing between Buddhist and Western traditions.”
This article explores how viewing time as cyclical and experiences as causal rather than self-based would help nurses provide a level of care that is more compatible with the experience of a patient at end of life and help them work through the intricacies involved in end of life care.
Kelly, David F. "Medical Care at the End of Life: A Catholic Perspective." Heythrop Journal: A Bimonthly Review of Philosophy and Theology 49.1 (2008): 161-164. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
This is a review and summary of two books that explors a Catholic moral philosophy on end of life care. The first book includes an exploration of the reasons that a patient might chose not to lengthen their lifespan as far as is possible medically once they are terminal and the reasons this is moral in the view of the Catholic Church, and the second book describes the need for a physician to provide spiritual/moral care for patients at the end of their lives as incredibly important. This spiritual care can help both the patient and the physician make the best decisions and, he argues, raises the level of care as well as is one of the things that should be required of a physician.
Donovan, G Kevin. "Decisions at the End of Life: Catholic Tradition." Christian Bioethics: Non-Eucumenical Studies in Medical Ethics 3.3 (1997): 188-203. Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 27 Oct. 2010.
Abstract:” Medical decisions regarding end-of-life care have undergone significant changes in recent decades, driven by changes in both medicine and society. Catholic tradition in medical ethics offers clear guidance in many issues, and a moral framework accessible to those who do not share the same faith as well as to members of its faith community. In some areas, a Catholic perspective can be seen clearly and confidently, such as in teachings on the permissibility of suicide and euthanasia. In others, such as withdrawal of nutrition and hydration, the Church does not yet speak with one voice and has not closed out the discussion. Yet, it is not in the teaching on individual issues that a Catholic moral tradition offers the most help and comfort, but in its account of what it means to lead a life in Christ, and to prepare for a Christian death. As in the problem of pain and suffering, it is the spiritual support more than the ethical guidance that helps both patients and physicians bear the unbearable and fathom the unfathomable.”
This paper describes the Catholic Church’s positions on issues like euthanasia, pain and suffering, organ transplant and brain death, arguing that the Catholic Church’s unique history of scholarship on and involvement in medical care makes it an excellent source of philosophical as well as religious opinions on medical ethics.
LaFleur, William R. "From 'Agape' to Organs: Religious Difference between Japan and America in Judging the Ethics of the Transplant." Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 37.3 (2002): 623-642.Philosopher's Index. EBSCO. Web. 28 Oct. 2010.
Abstract: “Traditional reserve about corpse mutilation had weakened and, especially as presented by the theologian Joseph Fletcher, organ donation was touted as both expressive of 'agape' and a way of "updating" Christianity via the ethics of utilitarianism. Many Japanese, largely Buddhist and Confucian in their orientation, view these changed valorizations as neither necessary nor patently more ethical than those of their own traditions. “
This article explores the resistance in Japan, particularly in it’s Buddhist community, to organ transplants from brain-dead bodies. This resistance stems from a disbelief in a strictly Cartesian divide between body and mind as well as a rejection of what LaFleur argues was the most important part of convincing Christian and Jewish communities in the united states to endorse organ transplants—the idea of Agape. This all-consuming love shown through action is not the same love that the Japanese believe is much more emotional and personal. A more personal and emotional love as the ideal love legitimizes a family’s repulsion at the idea of taking organs from their newly dead family member rather than a perfect love that involves a requirement of sacrifice which does not legitimize their concerns. The western tradition stemming from Utilitarianism led to a view of dead bodies as something created by death, whereas the eastern tradition more connected to Confucianism which is much more attached to the sanctity of human relations and does not like the implication that human emotions and attachments must be set aside for practicality.
