In this thesis I have examined Anti-Natalism, specifically arguments by David Benatar, which conclude that human procreation is under all circumstances wrong, and Seana Shiffrin, which concludes that procreation is a “moral hard case.” I provide objections and responses to each argument of my own, as well as those from Saul Smilansky, Rivka Weinberg, and David Wasserman. I also examine the manner in which female unemployment rates (as well as aggregate female and male) unemployment rates in a year between 2005 and 2014 impact fertility rates in the following year (from 2006-2015).

Thesis advisor: James W. Morris / In the capital city of Nairobi, Kenya, African Catholic and Sunni Muslim leaders working in the field of healthcare for those living with HIV and AIDS are faced with a unique challenge. On the one hand, they are called to attend to the spiritual well-being of the infected individual; and on the other hand, they are increasingly charged with serving as the stewards of the physical bodies of those negatively affected by such a physiologically debilitating and social stigmatized disease through certain identifiable inter-religious traditions common to both faiths. I witnessed this development firsthand while conducting fieldwork in Nairobi, interviewing Muslim and Catholic leaders working in three areas—HIV and AIDS prevention, education, and de-stigmatization. As they pertain to the common good of both religious traditions, these recorded observations and accounts help to illustrate that religious officials from within African Catholicism and Sunni Islam attempt to provide the common inter-religious traditions of mercy, hospitality, and justice in a holistic manner for those living with the virus in the city. The dissertation proceeds in the following way. The initial chapter offers an overview of the African Catholic response to the AIDS epidemic in Nairobi, Kenya. Specifically, it identifies that Catholic leaders have historically faced both a crisis and a kairos moment—or an opportunity to make real God’s presence in the lives of those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS—in practically facing the epidemic in Kenya. Chapter two relies heavily on this structure to provide an overview of the Muslim response to the epidemic in a similar way, where chapter three offers an analysis of the theological traditions common to both faiths: in the strategic area of prevention, leaders of both religions are motivated by mercy; in the area of education, they are motivated by hospitality; and in the area of de-stigmatization, they are motivated by justice. Chapter four offers an examination of remaining questions and issues pertaining to the epidemic in Kenya in relation to matters of sexuality, proposing that the religious strategic initiatives still must confront the troubling topics of sexuality in general, gender roles, and condom use as officials from both religions continue to respond to the AIDS epidemic both individually and collectively in Nairobi. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Introdução: O Facebook é o maior site de rede social do mundo e uma importante ferramenta de comunicação. A maneira como os profissionais de enfermagem utilizam-no pode acarretar implicações éticas e legais para si e para as instituições de saúde. Objetivo: Conhecer as representações sociais de enfermeiros sobre o uso do Facebook por profissionais de enfermagem. Metodologia: Trata-se de estudo qualitativo realizado com doze enfermeiros do Estado de São Paulo por meio de entrevista com questões norteadoras. Após a aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa, houve a obtenção dos depoimentos que foram gravados, transcritos e analisados de acordo com o Discurso de Sujeito Coletivo com fundamentação na Teoria das Representações Sociais de Serge Moscovici. Resultados: Após a análise emergiram cinco Ideias Centrais e seus respectivos Discursos do Sujeito Coletivo: O Facebook como ferramenta de comunicação do profissional de enfermagem; A imaturidade do profissional de enfermagem no uso do Facebook; A fragilidade da ética do profissional da enfermagem no uso do Facebook; A prudência como virtude do profissional de enfermagem no uso do Facebook e O uso do Facebook como instrumento gerencial. Conclusões: O Facebook é um importante instrumento de comunicação que contribui, em decorrência de seu uso, na geração de representações sociais da enfermagem. A imagem que o uso do Facebook tem consolidado do profissional da área é de imaturidade no uso da rede social e fragilidade ética pela possibilidade de quebra de privacidade e de confidencialidade. Essa última pode estar relacionada à falta de discussões e reflexões durante a formação e prática profissional e ao fato de ser um meio de comunicação relativamente novo que carece de divulgação de regulamentações. Os enfermeiros percebem tal situação e reconhecem a necessidade de desenvolver a prudência como virtude ética. Para tanto, recomendam ações, a fim de evitar possíveis infrações éticas, pautadas nos princípios éticos e no Código de Ética da Enfermagem, além de alertarem que essa mídia social tem sido cada vez mais utilizada como instrumento de análise para recrutamento e gerenciamento de recursos humanos na área. / Background: Facebook is considered to be one of the largest existing online platforms for social networking and is also an important communication tool communication tool. The way that nursing professionals use this tool may have important health and legal implications to themselves and to health institutions Objective: To explore nurses social representations about the use of Facebook by nursing professionals. Method: A qualitative study was conducted with twelve nurses from São Paulo State using guided questions one-to-one interviews. After the Research Ethics Committee approval, the interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the Collective Subject Discourse, following Serge Moscovici\'s Theory of Social Representations. Findings: Five Central Ideas and their Collective Subject Discourses were identified: \"Facebook as a nursing professional communication tool\"; \"The nursing professionals immaturity when using Facebook\"; \"The fragility of the nursing professionals ethics in the use of Facebook\"; \"Discretion as an important virtue for nurses when using Facebook\" and \"Facebook as a management tool.\" Conclusions: Facebook is an important communication tool that contributes to social representations of the nursing profession. Nurses understand the use of Facebook by other nursing professionals as being immature and often unethical, which may compromise patients and professionals privacy and confidentiality. This might be a reflection of the lack of discussions about the use of social media by health professionals during training and practice and of the fact that Facebook is a relatively new communication channel with not well established and disseminated confidentiality regulations. Nurses recognize the need for improvement of nurses discretion as ethical virtue when using social media. Participants recommended the implementation of actions based on ethical principles and on the Code of Ethics of Nursing to prevent ethical infractions. They also warned about the potential implications around the use of social media as a means of recruitment and human resources management in the area.

Thesis advisor: Cherie McGill / Thesis advisor: Marius Stan / Seriously ill newborns are a part of a recent bioethical phenomenon that emerged during the late 1970s. With the rise of new, innovative medical technology, doctors can keep these seriously ill newborns alive, but at monumental financial and psychological costs. This thesis utilizes several economic and ethical frameworks to contextualize these newborns within our healthcare system. After all, our healthcare resources are limited. We must therefore discern between the continuation of an infant’s treatment and conversely, the withdrawal of treatment. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Philosophy.

Thesis advisor: James F. Keenan / Secular voices have contributed immensely to the emergence of bioethical discourse in India. The media and the intellectuals frequently employ the language of human dignity, rights and justice to critique the policies of the government or medical institutions and the contemporary healthcare practices. In analyzing the healthcare concerns and in proposing remedial measures to better the situation, they also refer to the notions of care and access but in secular terms. Recognizing that insufficient attention has been paid to the religious dimension in this process and arguing that peoples' religious worldviews bear enormous influence on the entire spectrum of healthcare and in making it better accessible, the thesis examines the Catholic and Hindu religious traditions to find out how they have historically wrestled with and incorporated the theological values of care and access in dealing with healthcare. The study also draws upon the contemporary practices and policies of two select Catholic and Hindu healthcare institutions to illustrate how care and access inform their services and policies. In conclusion, I propose that the inclusion of religious insights and foundational theological values and principles into the mainstream bioethical discourse in India will both enrich the interreligious learning and enhance the various initiatives to promote basic healthcare more participatory and successful. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Esta dissertação tem como foco a Pesquisa Clínica em Emergência e, em primeiro lugar, procura definir e determinar situações de emergência. Apresentamos os aspectos próprios do setor de emergência e tentamos caracterizar as pessoas que buscam esse tipo de atendimento. Realizamos uma pesquisa nacional e internacional sobre as normas regulamentadoras que orientam a pesquisa clínica tentando apontar os aspectos regulatórios que interessam à Pesquisa Clínica em Emergência. Percorremos o Código de Nuremberg, a Declaração de Helsinque e as normas regulatórias de pesquisa no Brasil, nos EUA e na Europa. Foram pesquisadas regulamentações que autorizam o início de projetos de pesquisa clínica sem a obtenção de consentimento informado, muito embora seja obrigatória a sua coleta na primeira oportunidade viável, proveniente do próprio participante ou de seu representante. Foram discutidos, igualmente, os aspectos éticos das pesquisas clínicas, especialmente os princípios, as virtudes e os direitos dos participantes e pesquisadores envolvidos. Foram realizados levantamentos do volume de pesquisas realizadas em Emergência que estão cadastradas no Clinical Trials e no sistema GPPG 8.0. No mundo as pesquisas em Emergência totalizam 0,68% dos projetos cadastrados. No Brasil, utilizando os dados do Clinical Trials, esta frequência se reduz a 0,24%. No HCPA as pesquisas em Emergência representam 0,79% dos projetos realizados. Por fim, elaboramos um produto, na forma de uma lista de recomendações, relativa às questões importantes ao propor a adesão de uma pessoa à pesquisa e também ao conduzir projeto de pesquisa clínica na emergência. Essa lista deve ser conferida e confirmada pelo pesquisador antes de iniciar a pesquisa. O produto elaborado é fundamental para a realização adequada de pesquisas clínicas em ambiente de Emergência, envolvendo questões relativas à Dignidade, Liberdade, Vulnerabilidade e Integridade do participante e do pesquisador, assim como o método a ser empregado. / This dissertation focuses on Emergency Clinical Research and, firstly, seeks to define and determine emergency situations. We present the aspects of the emergency sector and try to characterize the people who seek this type of care. We conduct national and international research on regulatory standards that guide clinical research by attempting to identify the regulatory aspects of Emergency Clinical Research. We went through the Nuremberg Code, the Helsinki Declaration and the regulatory standards of research in Brazil, the US and Europe. We searched for regulations that authorize the initiation of clinical research projects without obtaining Informed Consent, although it is mandatory to collect it at the earliest possible opportunity, from the participant himself or his representative. The ethical aspects of clinical research, especially the principles, virtues and rights of the participants and researchers involved, were also discussed. Surveys on the volume of research carried out in Emergency, registered in Clinical Trials and in the GPPG 8.0 system were done. In the world, the surveys in Emergency totaled 0.68% of the registered projects. In Brazil, using Clinical Trials data, this frequency is reduced to 0.24%. In the HCPA, the researches in Emergency represent 0,79% of the realized projects. Ultimately, we have developed a product in the form of recommendations on important issues in proposing a person's adherence to research and also in conducting a clinical research project in the emergency room. This list must be checked and confirmed by the researcher before starting the research. The elaborated product is fundamental for the proper conduct of Clinical Research in Emergency environment, involving issues related to Dignity, Freedom, Vulnerability and Integrity of the participant and the researcher, as well as the method to be used.

A disciplina de Bioética é oferecida aos alunos de graduação da FOUSP no primeiro semestre do primeiro ano. De certo, a reflexão sobre dilemas éticos não termina com o fim da disciplina de Bioética, então, na tentativa de auxiliar o aluno na reflexão de dilemas a que venha enfrentar após ter cursado a disciplina de Bioética, planejou-se o desenvolvimento de um material didático, sem custos para os alunos, de fácil acesso, para que o aluno pudesse re-encontrar o conteúdo estudado na disciplina de Bioética durante todo o período de sua graduação. Atualmente, o uso da informática, de suas novas ferramentas eletrônicas e a diminuição do custo para a aquisição de computadores têm favorecido o desenvolvimento de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem na área da educação. Assim, o objetivo principal deste trabalho foi desenvolver um conteúdo para o material didático eletrônico de Bioética, de modo que possa ser utilizado como material de apoio no processo de ensino-aprendizagem pelos alunos de graduação da FOUSP. Os textos elaborados sobre cada tema apresentado aos alunos foram formatados em páginas eletrônicas utilizando os programas FlashPageFlip e Photoshop CS4. O material produzido foi disponibilizado aos alunos em uma plataforma de ensino chamada Moodle. Como as informações sobre cada tema não se esgotam no texto elaborado para este material de estudos de apoio, ao final do texto de cada tema, há indicações de outras referências livros, sites, artigos, jornais, filmes. Essas indicações permitem que o aluno amplie o mapa de conhecimento, inicialmente delineado pelo professor, de acordo com sua necessidade pessoal. Buscou-se, em cada tema, apresentar uma contextualização do assunto - com informações sobre dados estatísticos, situação no Brasil e no mundo, contexto social e histórico, etc - identificar as principais questões éticas envolvidas e os diferentes argumentos, os valores envolvidos e os possíveis conflitos entre eles. Para uma primeira avaliação, foi utilizado um questionário semi-estruturado com perguntas fechadas e perguntas abertas. Foram convidados 140 alunos convidados para participar da pesquisa e 62,85% responderam ao questionário. Os resultados foram avaliados por cálculo de estatística simples e as perguntas abertas serviram para receber sugestões dos usuários para possíveis melhorias futuras. Concluímos que mesmo com todas as vantagens que os recursos virtuais podem oferecer ao ensino da Bioética, tais recursos ainda não são capazes de substituir o principal elemento do ensino: as vivências com o outro. Estas só poderão ser transformadas em experiências humanas quando lhes atribuímos um significado baseado em juízos de valores. O material de estudos de apoio eletrônico produzido foi tido como satisfatório pelos alunos/usuários enquanto auxílio nos estudos de temáticas bioéticas. Dentre as sugestões de melhorias estão a possibilidade de maior interações entre professor e aluno propiciadas por essas redes. / The Bioethics discipline is offered to the undergraduates of FOUSP in the first semester of the first term. Certainly, the reflexion about ethical dilemmas does not finish with the end of the Bioethics discipline, so, in the attempt of helping the student in the reflexion about dilemmas that may come to be faced after having attended to the Bioethics discipline, it was planned the development of a didactic material, with no cost to the students, of easy access. So that the student could review the content studied in the Bioethics discipline during the whole period of the undergraduation course. At the present time, the use of computing, of its new electronic tools and the decrease in the cost for the acquisition computers have being favoring the development of virtual learning environments in the education area. Therefore, the main objective of this paper was to develop some content for the electronic didactic material of Bioethics, in order to be used as a support material in the teaching-learning process by the undergraduate students of FOUSP. The texts elaborated about each theme presented to the students were formatted in electronic pages using the programs FlashPageFlip and Photoshop CS4. The material produced was made available to the students in the platform Moodle. As the information about each theme does not become exhausted in the text elaborated for this support study material, at end of the text of each theme there are indications of other references. These indications allow the student to increase the knowledge map initially outlined by the teacher according to his/her necessity. It was sought to contextualize each subject, identify the main ethical issues involved and the different arguments, the values involved and the possible conflicts among them. A semi-structured questionnaire was used in the first evaluation. 140 students were invited to participate of the research and 62.85% answered to the questionnaire. The results were evaluated through a simple statistical calculation and the open questions were used to receive suggestions from the users for possible future improvements. We concluded that even with all the advantages that the virtual resources can offer to the teaching of Bioethics, such resources are still not capable of substituting the main element of the teaching, the experience with the other. The experiences will only be able to be transformed in human experiences when we attribute them a meaning based on value judgments. The material produced was considered satisfactory by the students in the support in the studies of bioethics themes. Among the suggestions of improvement is the possibility of a higher interaction between the teacher and the student enabled by the networks.

The aim of this thesis is to provide an argument that enhancement technologies are a form of enablement more significant than their physical effects; rather, that enhancement might be a fundamental element of humanity. This allows a refutation of the standard bioconservative position, that to increase capacity beyond that of a "normal" Homo sapiens necessarily defeats humanity, or at least nebulous aspects of it. I here argue instead that humanity is affirmed, and furthermore that enhancements are in fact inherently good, valuable, and worthwhile pursuits; on the assumption that it is, as critics of enhancements and transhumanism say, inherently good, valuable, and worthy of preservation to be human. I suggest thus that to enhance is the essence of, and the key to, the continuum of humanity. In the introduction, I set out the reasons why this type of research is increasingly necessary, namely that it is important to rationally consider the effects which new enhancement and related technologies will have on our persons and on our society. Secondly, it presents my rationales for taking liberal stances on questions such as the scope and definition of enhancement, the supposed therapy- enhancement divide, and on access to enhancement technology; in order to provide a reasoned base from which to build the core themes of the thesis. It goes on to address a number of the archetypical critical arguments against enhancement, in support of these core themes. Part II of the thesis contains the papers and delivers the main arguments in sequence- firstly, the need for the application of rationality in policymaking and commentary on bioethical concerns, and secondly the importance of considering motivation when attempting to divine the best course of action to regulate beings and technologies that we have not yet experienced, and the manner of which we cannot entirely predict. This is followed by an argument as to whether it is reasonable to treat enhanced or other purported novel beings that could result from these technologies as different from ourselves, and thus warranting such policy considerations. To accomplish this, the thesis delivers a fresh angle on the relationship between Homo sapiens sapiens, the human, and whatever is posited to supersede it, the posthuman. A central theme is the idea that humanity is a "matter of sufficiency"- an end-state for moral status, not a stepping-stone which one can be 'post'. These arguments culminate in a contention that it is enhancement that acts as the unifying factor in our evolution and existence, and that there is therefore unlikely to be any good reason to see beings that follow the humans of today as being different in any significant way. The thesis concludes with an exploration of the progression of these themes, as well as identifying the place of my work amongst the wider academic literature around enhancement and the nature of the human. Finally, the most promising avenues for future research are explored.

Submitted by Natalia Vieira (natalia.vieira@famerp.br) on 2016-05-19T21:52:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 anacarolinadeabreu_dissert.pdf: 490120 bytes, checksum: 25e56f07305d458ef011d69e87061a78 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-19T21:52:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 anacarolinadeabreu_dissert.pdf: 490120 bytes, checksum: 25e56f07305d458ef011d69e87061a78 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-14 / Since ancient times to nowadays, the Erectile Dysfunction has been considered a condition that has always affected men. It has been not only a reason for embarrassment, but also an issue of multifactorial cause related either to psychological or organic and drug factors. For this reason, a significant impact can be observed on the individuals quality of life and their partners while this is associated with low self-esteem, depression, difficult relationship and increased anxiety. As this issue is currently a bioethical matter, it is feasible and necessary to be solved. Its main focus is the principle of life protection; introduced into the Ethics of scientific progress and outlining the guiding and protective limits of the person. There is also the autonomy of the individual's will which has valued the man according to his own individuality as a human being with rationality and liberty. The majority of individuals are not well informed. They search also for easier or less embarrassing ways for treatment and solutions. As a result, it is up to them to choose, "searching for a skilled professional", or a searching for Websites, mysticisms and charlatan. Thus, this study by means of a search on databases such as Pubmed Index, Google and Google Scholar shows publications and data research approaching Erectile Dysfunction from 1930 to today. / Desde os tempos antigos até os dias de hoje, a Disfunção Erétil tem sido considerada uma condição que sempre afetou os homens. É não só um motivo para constrangimento, mas também uma questão de causa multifatorial e tem relação tanto a fatores, psicológicos, biológicos ou medicamentosos. Por esta razão, um impacto significativo pode ser observado na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos e suas parceiras e assim associada à diminuição da autoestima, depressão, difícil relacionamento e aumento da ansiedade. Como esta questão é atualmente de caráter bioético, torna-se oportuna e necessária para ser solucionada, esta nova ciência da vida. Seu foco principal é o princípio da proteção da vida; introduzido na ética do progresso científico e delineando os limites orientadores e protetores à pessoa. Há também a autonomia da vontade do indivíduo que tem valorizado cada um, segundo, a sua própria individualidade como um ser humano com racionalidade e a liberdade. A maioria dos indivíduos não está bem informada. Eles procuram formas mais fáceis ou menos embaraçosas para o tratamento e soluções. Como resultado, cabe-lhes escolher, “pela busca de um profissional capacitado", ou uma busca em sites, misticismos e popularismo. Assim, este estudo por meio de uma pesquisa em bases de dados indexadoras como Pubmed, Google e Google Scholar mostra publicações e dados de pesquisa sobre Disfunção Eréctil de 1930 até os dias atuais.

La libre disposition de soi doit-elle accueillir des limites imposées par le Droit ? Une première approche, instinctive,est de répondre par la négative car le Droit n’aurait pas vocation à s’ingérer dans les rapports intimes que l’on entretient avec soi et qui ne concernent en conséquence pas la société. Il faut pourtant se rendre à l’évidence : le Droit est légitime à intervenir dans la libre disposition de soi car l’intimité est poreuse, et laisse passer entre ses mailles la présence d’autrui, ce qui autorise les pouvoirs publics à intervenir ponctuellement dans ce domaine a priori dédié à la vie privée. C’est à l’aune de l’ordre public que le législateur ou les juges déterminent si la libre disposition de soi peut s’épanouir sans danger pour autrui ou pour l’intérêt général. Cet ordre public, dans ses composantes classiques de direction et de protection, paraît néanmoins actuellement à la peine pour contenir les volontés individuelles qui s’expriment avec force conviction. Tant le juge que le législateur se sont en conséquence tournés vers un autre instrument juridique de nature à encadrer la libre disposition de soi. De facture plus récente, la dignité de la personne humaine vient soit protéger la libre disposition d’individus en situation de faiblesse ; soit au contraire limiter la libre disposition de soi, protégeant la personne contre son gré. La deuxième acception de la dignité est celle qui prédomine entre les mains du législateur et des juges, laissant la libre disposition de soi à la merci d’un instrument peu nuancé.Il faut donc rechercher un instrument juridique qui permette d’assurer la cohésion sociale sans pour autant éteindre les aspirations individuelles. C’est un équilibre particulièrement délicat à trouver en ce que ces deux objectifs sont le plus souvent diamétralement opposés. La recherche doit s’orienter vers l’ordre public car celui-ci est un concept éminemment évolutif. C’est un ordre public qui doit être de direction, eu égard aux faits qu’il accompagne, avec toute la fermeté requise, les individus dans la découverte des options qui leur sont les plus favorables et qu’il n’a pas vocation à protéger à tout prix la libre disposition de soi. Son adaptabilité aux circonstances de l’espèce est rendue possible grâce à l’application du principe de proportionnalité in concreto. Ce nouvel ordre public ne serait enfin qu’une coquille vide, sans l’objectif du Bien commun, qui permet de discriminer entre les usages licites et illicites de la libre disposition de soi. Encadrée par l’ordre public de direction de la personne, cette dernière peut s’exprimer sans verser dans des extrêmes dommageables à l’individu ou à la société. / Must free self-determination accept limits imposed by law? A first approach, instinctive, is to answer in the negative because the Law would not have vocation to interfere in the intimate relations that one maintains with oneself and which consequently does not concern the society. However, we must face the obvious: the law is legitimate to intervene in the free disposition of oneself because the intimacy is porous, and leaves between the meshes the presence of others, which authorizes the public authorities to intervene punctually in this area a priori dedicated to privacy. It is on the basis of public order that the legislator or judges determine whether free self-determination can flourish without danger for others or for the general interest. This public order, in its classical components ofleadership and protection, nevertheless appears to be struggling to contain the individual wishes that express themselves with conviction. Both the judge and the legislator have accordingly turned to another legal instrument ofa nature to regulate the free disposition of oneself. More recent, the dignity of the human person comes to protect thefree disposition of individuals in situation of weakness; or on the contrary, to limit the free disposition of oneself,protecting the person against his will. The second meaning of dignity is the one that predominates in the hands of thelegislator and the judges, leaving the free disposition of oneself at the mercy of a little nuanced instrument. We musttherefore look for a legal instrument that will ensure social cohesion without extinguishing individual aspirations. Itis a particularly delicate balance to find in that these two objectives are most often diametrically opposed. Research must be oriented towards public order because it is an eminently evolving concept. It is a public order that must beof direction, given the facts that it accompanies, with all the firmness required, individuals in the discovery of the options that are most favorable to them and that it is not intended to to protect at all costs the free disposition ofoneself. Its adaptability to the circumstances of the case is made possible by the application of the principle of proportionality in concreto. This new public order would finally be nothing but an empty shell, without the objectiveof the common good, which makes it possible to discriminate between the licit and unlawful uses of free self determination.Framed by the public order of direction of the person, the latter can express himself without endangering the individual or the society.