Abstract
The use of the respirator is a major technological breakthrough for modern medicine. However, like other technologies, its use has caused new moral problems. This article concentrates on the moral and ethical components of decisions to employ the respirator. In developing a moral policy for its use, the author attempts to circumvent the standard distinction of ordinary and extraordinary means in favor of a policy of reasonable means which respects a number of values in crisis situations. The article ends with some applications to cases to demonstrate the viability of the proposed moral policy.
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Thomasma, D.C. Decision to use the respirator: Moral policy. Bioethics Quarterly 2, 229–236 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917114
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917114