A large proportion of pregnant women in Sweden undergo prenatal diagnosis to assess the likelihood of chromosomal anomalies in the fetus. This initially involves a so-called CUB test, which combines ultrasound with a biochemical test. If the CUB test indicates a high probability of a chromosomal anomaly, further tests are offered. This can be a […]
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How do you handle a reluctant patient who may not want to take their medication or who protests against measures that are deemed to be beneficial to the patient, such as inserting a urinary catheter? Do you just give up because the patient does not consent? Except in acute emergency situations, coercive somatic treatment is […]
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Most people are probably aware that antimicrobial resistance is one of the major threats to global health. When microorganisms develop resistance to antibiotics, more people become seriously ill from common infections and more people will die from them. It is like an arms race. By using antibiotics to defend ourselves against infections, we speed up […]
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Why is the question of truth so marvelous? A common attitude is that the question can make us check that our opinions really are correct before we express them. By being as well-informed as possible, by examining our opinions so that they form as large and coherent a system as possible of well-considered opinions, we […]
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Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often suffer from strong emotions that change rapidly, from one extreme to another. They may fear abandonment and experience an inner emptiness. They may also behave impulsively and have suicidal thoughts or behaviors. BPD is often mis- or underdiagnosed and there is a tendency among clinicians to avoid the […]
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In palliative care of seriously ill and dying patients, healthcare professionals deal not only with medical needs, but also with the existential needs of patients and their families. Although the palliative healthcare teams can receive support from professions that focus on existential conversations, it is the physicians and not least the nurses, care assistants, physiotherapists […]
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Many healthcare professionals who work in nursing report that they experience a sense of dehumanization in their work. Although this is an increasingly recognized problem, it is still unclear how it manifests itself in practice and should be addressed. Previous studies indicate that the experience of dehumanization is often linked to excessive workload, lack of […]
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The possibility of conscious AI is increasingly perceived as a legitimate and important scientific question. This interest has arisen after a long history of scientific doubts about the possibility of consciousness not only in other animals, but sometimes even in humans. The very concept of consciousness was for a period considered scientifically suspect. But now […]
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Healthcare professionals experience ethical dilemmas and ethically challenging situations on a daily basis. A child receiving important treatment may have difficulty sitting still. How should one think about physically restraining children in such situations? In order to provide good care, healthcare professionals may regularly need time and support to reflect on ethical dilemmas that may […]
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Can artificial consciousness be engineered, is the endeavor even conceivable? In a number of previous posts, I have explored the possibility of developing AI consciousness from different perspectives, including ethical analysis, a comparative analysis of artificial and biological consciousness, and a reflection about the fundamental motivation behind the development of AI consciousness. Together with Kathinka […]
Continue readingThe Ethics Blog is published by Uppsala University’s Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics.
Meet the editor
Pär Segerdahl is the editor of the Ethics Blog and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics.