SYNTHETIC BIOETHICS AS A SYNERGY BETWEEN NATIVE-CENTRIC AND WESTERN BIOETHICS

Abstract

Rapid technological advancements often outstrip the development of ethical frameworks to govern emerging technologies. Much approach had been suggested including the decolonization of Western bioethics for its inabilities to solve the problems of emerging technology in the health sector. The western bioethics characteristically grounded in philosophies such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, often derived from philosophical traditions like utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and virtue ethics while the Native centric bioethics is an approach to ethical decision-making that prioritizes the perspectives, values, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. It recognizes the importance of knowledge, cultural practices, and community involvement in addressing issues such as informed consent, genetic research, and healthcare disparities within Indigenous communities. Using the method of philosophical analysis, this study maintains that both western and native centric bioethics is good but lacks the capabilities to outstrip ethical framework that govern emerging technologies and that synthetic bioethics is needed to advance the health care sector. Synthetic bioethics transcends traditional and the native centric boundaries of bioethics by integrating insights from different disciplines, including philosophy, medicine, law, sociology, and anthropology. It is a medical philosophy that recognizes the inherent complexity of ethical dilemmas arising from biomedical research, clinical practice, and healthcare policies. This article concludes that synthetic bioethics acknowledges the diversity within every culture and the complexity of cultural differences in upholding the primacy of ethical health and promoting the necessary changes or progress towards shared beliefs to promote ethical health autonomy, respect, and reciprocity.