The lenses of cultural relativism and ethical egoism

summarize and include APA in-text citations: The case study “From Chronic to Critical: A Latino Family Confronts End-of-Life Decisions” by Peterson-Iyer (2019) can be analyzed through the lenses of cultural relativism and ethical egoism, as well as the principles of consistency and universality. Cultural relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs, values, and practices should be understood based on their own culture, rather than be judged against the criteria of another.

In the case study, the Latino family’s cultural and religious beliefs significantly influence their decisions about end-of-life care. They may have different views on what constitutes a good death, the role of family in decision-making, and the use of life-sustaining treatments compared to mainstream Western medical ethics. Ethical egoism, on the other hand, is the belief that individuals should act in their own self-interest.

This could be seen in the healthcare providers who may prioritize their professional obligations, legal responsibilities, or personal beliefs over the family’s wishes. Consistency and universality are principles that are often used in ethical reasoning. Consistency refers to the idea that our ethical principles should not contradict each other, and universality means that if an action is right (or wrong) in one situation, it should be right (or wrong) in all similar situations.

In the case study, these principles could be applied to evaluate the actions and decisions of both the family and the healthcare providers. For example, if it is considered right to respect the family’s cultural beliefs in this case, then it should also be considered right in all similar cases (universality). Similarly, if the healthcare providers believe in the principle of patient autonomy, they should respect it consistently, even when it conflicts with their personal beliefs or professional guidelines (consistency). In conclusion, this case study provides a rich context for exploring these ethical concepts and principles. It highlights the complexities and challenges of ethical decision-making in healthcare, especially when dealing with culturally diverse patients and families.