title: American moralism and the origin of bioethics in the United States.
abstract: The theology of John Calvin has deeply affected the American mentality through two streams of thought, Puritanism and Jansenism. These traditions formulate moral problems in terms of absolute, clear principles and avoid casuistic analysis of moral problems. This approach is designated American moralism. This article suggests that the bioethics movement in the United States was stimulated by the moralistic mentality but that the work of the bioethics has departed from this viewpoint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical History and Ethics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jonsen
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D026686:Beneficence; D001675:Bioethics / Q000266:history*; D032764:Casuistry; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D028781:Ethical Relativism; D026822:Ethicists; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009014:Morals; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012945:Social Values; D028725:Theology; D014481:United States; D028722:Virtues