Ethics Expertise: What It Is, How to Get It, and What to Do with It

Abstract

In this chapter I argue that ethics expertise unquestionably exists. We see it, in fact, in persons all around us, including in many clinical ethicists. Having such expertise, I suggest, means that it is more likely that one will be better than the average person at analyzing and providing solutions to tough ethical problems. In defending this position, I focus mainly on the practice of ethics, arguing that expertise resides in reasoning skills and discernment, just as it exists with reasoning in decision-making contexts other than ethics. I then switch to what it means to be an expert ethics consultant – the specialized skills and character traits needed to do that work in a manner that is more likely to successfully effectuate reasoned ethical judgments from within politically complex health care institutions. Throughout, I hold to the view that expertise, like wisdom, admits of degrees – some persons have more expertise than others and even the same persons have more, or less, throughout a lifetime and on different subjects. I also stress that expertise in ethics consulting is almost certainly enhanced by a team approach, in which each member brings their relevant skills.