Abstract
It is clear from what has been said in the previous section that using autonomy conceived as pure self-determination as a rationale for surrogate decision making reveals a serious deficiency. In the current section, I intend to show that the decision-making rationale can be identified with the Golden Rule, as formulated in the Christian Bible and then referred to by St. Thomas Aquinas. The Rule provides a sound justification for acting as a proxy, as it presupposes a meaningful account of the good and of virtue and also recognizes basic inclinations of human nature, along with the need for friendship and love.
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Mazur, G. (2012). The Golden Rule and Proxy Decision Making. In: Informed Consent, Proxy Consent, and Catholic Bioethics. Philosophy and Medicine(), vol 112. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2196-8_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2196-8_7
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