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Zasada sprawiedliwości a dostęp do opieki zdrowotnej
The Principle of Justice and Health Care Availability

Author(s): Beata Szymańska
Subject(s): Ethics / Practical Philosophy, Health and medicine and law, Philosophy of Law
Published by: Oficyna Wydawnicza KA AFM
Keywords: justice; medical care; Rawls’ theory of ethics; dispassionate observer; “veil of ignorance”; ethical dilemmas;

Summary/Abstract: The main purpose of my paper is to consider a problem of justice in a context of health care. The John Rawls’ theory is my point of methodological departure. He states in it the importance of the concept of fairness and equality from behind what he terms a “veil of ignorance”. Rawls refers to the “original position” in which a person is attempting to determine a fair arrangement for society without any preconceived notions or prejudices. I refer, however, his theory to the health care field and I consider such problems as fair distribution of medical care or fair partition of taxes for personal insurance. Further problems appear there in consequence, e.g. who has the privilege to attain the medical help as a first and the resulting doctor’s ethical dilemmas.

  • Issue Year: XII/2012
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 159-178
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Polish