BIOETHICS, VIRTUES AND HUMAN DIGNITY: WESTERN NOTION AND THE INDIAN PERCEPTION

Abstract

Political rivalries and economic competition notwithstanding, the world is moving
towards totality and unification. What religion and culture could not achieve for
thousands of years has been accomplished by technology. Bioethics deals with the
organic world, embracing in its fold inherent need for harmonization of diverse
perspectives, respecting individual interests, aspirations and attitudes. This
inclusivity is imperative in order to concretize scientific promise in to a purposeful
pursuit. The roots of orderly human conduct lie in human virtues, which are innate
and universal, and fortunately not obscure, manifesting as human dignity, providing
candid and spontaneous tool to determine the moral content of human pursuits. In
this article I explore the wisdom of Indian cultural thought as enshrined in Dharma
in the context of Western notion of human dignity and find that if candidly
understood and applied this ancient doctrine can act as a universally accepted
foundation of holistic and integrative bioethics in these times of advancing
biotechnology oriented around quest for power and profit, rather than welfare and
service.