Medical ethics

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Ethical issues are inherent in medicine, encompassing the need for morally appropriate medical behavior, effective communication of diagnosis and prognosis, and carefully evaluated treatments that promise recovery. These standards of medical ethics have evolved through a rich tradition that fosters critical reflection on medicine, demonstrating the fruitful dialogue between medicine and philosophy regarding ethical questions. This dialogue includes a critical examination of the objects, aims, methods, and boundaries of the medical profession and research. Throughout history, these boundaries have required constant renegotiation, a process that continues into the 21st century. The reflection on moral questions and challenges in medical practice has been a core aspect of medicine itself. The ethical physician's stance, the pursuit of beneficial treatments, and the medical ethos are central themes in numerous writings from the Renaissance to the present. These texts represent a vibrant tradition that has contributed to the self-assurance of medicine since antiquity. During the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, physicians faced diverse challenges in a dynamic healthcare market, compelling them to assert their roles more strongly. The contributions presented here focus on self-reflective medicine, addressing the critical engagement with the profession's objectives, methods, and limits, which have always needed to