High hopes and automatic escalators: A critique of some"new" arguments in bioethics

S. Holm, T. Takala

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Two protechnology arguments, the "hopeful principle" and the "automatic escalator", often used in bioethics, are identified and critically analysed in this paper. It is shown that the hopeful principle is closely related to the problematic precautionary principle, and the automatic escalator argument has close affinities to the often criticised empirical slippery slope argument. The hopeful principle is shown to be really hopeless as an argument, and automatic escalator arguments often lead nowhere when critically analysed. These arguments should therefore only be used with great caution.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-4
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Medical Ethics
Volume33
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2007

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'High hopes and automatic escalators: A critique of some"new" arguments in bioethics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this