Moral uncertainty: A case study of Covid-19 #MMPMID34294493
Greenhalgh T
Patient Educ Couns 2021[Nov]; 104 (11): 2643-2647 PMID34294493show ga
BACKGROUND: Most writing about uncertainty in healthcare has addressed empirical uncertainty - that is, resulting from insufficient or conflicting facts. OBJECTIVE: To consider moral uncertainty by exploring how different theories apply to a single clinical case. METHOD: In this philosophical reflection, I briefly acknowledge empirical uncertainty before introducing and exploring the topic of moral uncertainty - defined as the question of what to do when we do not know what (morally) to do-using a case study of my own mother's deterioration and death from Covid-19. RESULTS: I identify and apply a number of philosophical theories relevant to managing moral uncertainty, including utilitarianism, deontology, practical rationality and feminist philosophy. CONCLUSION: Different moral theories lead to different conclusions about the best course of action in situations of moral uncertainty. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Detailed analysis and close reading of a single case can provide insights into how to act in morally complex situations, but learning is in the form of enriched understanding, not formulaic rules.
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Patient+Educ+Couns 2021 ; 104 (11): 2643-2647
