In various medical arenas, it is sometimes said that there are no correct resolutions to ethical problems that arise in clinical practice. At least in the present author's experience, comments to this effect have often been made in ethics classes at some medical schools or in some cases at conferences held in medical settings. But are there really no resolutions to any ethical problems? If not, what is the point of discussing ethical questions that arise in the realm of medicine? Especially for persons who work in this field, does the practice of discussing ethical problems hold any meaning? This study aims to investigate whether or not there can be any correct resolutions to ethical problems by scrutinizing philosophical arguments about "moral dilemma," and then to clarify what contributions ethical theory can make when parties involved in a moral dilemma attempt to arrive at some solutions. First, this paper will analyze what is meant when people refer to "ethical problems." Second, it will summarize discussions in moral philosophy about the concept of moral dilemma. Third, on the basis of the discussions about this concept, the paper will examine the two questions stated above. Finally, the results show that there surely might be some ethical problems to which the parties involved cannot provide any correct resolutions, but that one important role of ethics is to underpin certain activities to arrange medical environments with the goal of avoiding a moral dilemma.

特集 : 西脇与作君・樽井正義君退職記念
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