Empirical bioethics and moral craft

Abstract

This study discusses Michael Parker’s concepts of empirical bioethics and moral craft. Bioethics grounded only on theoretical principles cannot properly resolve ethical conflicts, and morals can only be understood
in the real contexts in which people live. Both axioms, among others, have led to the development of empirical bioethics, based on ethnography, demography, social sciences and empirical data. It aims to explore and resolve ethical dilemmas by using facts, daily practice, success and failure, and solutions acquired and validated in practice. Moral craft is a set of moral and theoretical principles and values, individually or collectively built, for the analysis, study or research of a case or problem. Moral craft, according to Michael Parker, reveals the character that perfects empiricist ethics.