Medicine as societal practice, empirical research and ethical reflexion: Suggestion for a sociologically informed concept of Medical Ethics

Definition of the problem T he central focus of Empirical Ethics is the study of the social and cultural aspects inherent in medical practice. Arguments T his approach distinguishes between the scientific-cognitive aspects and the cultural-normative aspects of medicine, which would conventionally be investigated separately by the social sciences. When however medicine is conceived of as social practice, the sharp distinction between scientific medicine, culturally normative aspects and ethical reflection becomes less distinct. Conclusion We suggest combining ethical reflection and empirical research in multiple stages. In this case, social scientific analyses would provide an initial framework for understanding medical practices and a foundation for further ethical investigations, which would then allow for a sociological critique.