The Hippocratic Oath

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1. Should physicians be guided by the Hippocratic Oath? Is it applicable to modern day medical practice and society? (Discuss 2 issues in today’s society that are in conflict with the Hippocratic Oath) (10 points)

The Hippocratic Oath is a moral code for ethical conduct and practice in medicine. It was established accordingly to the ideals of Hippocrates, who belonged to the medical brotherhood of Asclepiads; he was considered the Father of Medicine because he separated the art and science of medicine from philosophy and religion. The oath was written between 470-380 BCE. One version of the Hippocratic Oath states, “I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, …show more content…

With abortion becoming legal in so many countries, it is hard for physicians to swear by an oath stating they would not perform abortions. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights 2013 Fact Sheet, about 61 countries, that is, 39% of the world’s population has made abortion legal. Therefore, doctors from these 61 countries would be breaking the promises they made when taking the oath not to perform abortions. For example, in the United States prohibition against abortion would violate U. S. laws and alienate 40% of its population. In the case of Roe vs. Wade in 1973, the United States Supreme Court rejected the Hippocratic Oath’s authority in prohibiting abortion based on the fact that the oath did not reflect ancient cultural norms but instead reflected the influence of Judeo-Christian views on …show more content…

Ma’at also embodies a goddess regulating the stars, seasons, and the actions of human and deities, who has been said to set the order of the universe from the moment of creation. The earliest surviving records indicating that Ma’at is the custom for nature and society were recorded during the Old Kingdom; the earliest substantial surviving examples were found in the Pyramid Texts of Unas (2375 BCE and 2345 BCE). These laws were written about 2000 years before the 10 Commandments. These 42 laws are one of Africa’s, as well as the world’s, oldest source of moral and spiritual instruction. The laws of Ma’at represents the ethical and moral principles that every person is expected to follow throughout their daily lives. They were expected to act with honor and truth in manners that involve family, the community, the nation, the environment, in essence Neter (No author,

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