Four Ethical Principles in European Bioethics and Biolaw: Autonomy, Dignity, Integrity and Vulnerability

Abstract

The main goal of this chapter is to discuss the epistemological and practical features of the basic ethical principles in European bioethics and biolaw as a result of a relevant project supported by the European Commission between 1995 and 1998. That project was based on cooperation between 22 partners coming from most EU countries. Its aim was to identify the ethical principles relating to autonomy, dignity, integrity and vulnerability as four important ideas or values for a European bioethics and biolaw. In this chapter it will be showed how the authors reach the conclusion that the basic ethical principles cannot be understood as universal, everlasting ideas or transcendental truths but they rather function as “reflective guidelines”, and important values in European culture.