Philosophical Underpinnings of Law and Ethical Principles - Essay Example

It is vital that students pursuing medicine and health-related careers should be exposed to issues relating to legal and ethical principles; their philosophical foundations and their significances if such students are expected to observe ethics and law regulating health practice. The article was chosen with an aim of enlightening the students about legal decisions and how law and ethics apply in the health arena (Bayer & Beauchamp, 2007)

The philosophical arguments especially those that support maximization of benefit for the happiness of a large mass have seen legal and ethical principles constructed based on this viewpoint. According to Gifford (2008), the utilitarian philosophical standpoint is the foundation of most laws and policies as well ethical codes that have sought to eliminate the perception of ‘I’ to replace it with ‘we’. In a healthy environment, healthcare workers should deliver high-quality and professional services aimed at enhancing the well-being of society. This (both legally and ethically) stops them from exploiting or abusing those they serve in any way. For example, it is prohibited for pharmacists to give out a wrong drug to a patient just because they want to make some money selfishly out of it (Preston, 2014).

Conclusion

The discussion and exploration have been important as it serves as an eye-opener in understanding issues relating to law and ethics in practice. It was undoubtedly worth choosing this article.