title: Pragmatic neuroethics: the social aspects of ethics in disorders of consciousness.
abstract: In this chapter, evolution of ethics and bioethics is traced to show how an abstract and individualistic paradigm was at the core of mainstream ethics prior to the advent of bioethics and applied ethics. Bioethics has transformed this individualistic paradigm because of its inherent interdisciplinarity and real-world connection. This evolution has raised questions regarding how nonabstract (e.g., experiential) and nonindividualistic (e.g., social, relational) components of ethics could be married to normative theory and ethics reflection, the latter usually not amenable to empiric research. In the first part of this chapter, pragmatism is introduced as an approach offering perspectives on the integration of social, nonindividualistic aspects of ethics, supporting the use of social science methods within ethics and neuroethics. In the second part of this chapter, using the example of disorders of consciousness, a pragmatic perspective is explored to reframe questions and help foster nonreductionistic understandings of ethical questions and ethical dilemmas. This chapter aims to generate reflections on a set of specific clinical contexts that will also stimulate a discussion on the nature of ethical approaches.
authors.affiliation: Neuroethics Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal; Department of Medicine and Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal and Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: eric.racine@ircm.qc.ca.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Racine
mesh_terms: D003244:Consciousness Disorders; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology / Q000941:ethics*
keywords: disorders of consciousness; ethics; media; neuroethics; pragmatism