Ethics of reciprocal recognition in the field of health

Abstract

Objective. To introduce the concept of "reciprocal recognition" as a tool for the foundation of bioethics and for the analysis of problematic/difficult cases in bioethical reflection. Hypotheses. Ethical and legal positivism has revealed to be insufficient in order to understand and find solutions to the new problems emerged in the health context. Honneth"™s bidirectional recognition -also called "mutual recognition" by Ricoeur and Cortina-, allows to build up a model of justice, which can be useful in the health sector if applied to relations between patients and staff, among health professionals or between all of them and the health administration. Conflicts in clinical practice, in the management of health or in public health can be explained by the lack of bidirectional recognition. Applied to the analysis of conflicts, the concept of recognition allows to transform troubled relations into partnerships. It is a new approach to the issue, since mutual recognition has barely been considered as a foundation of bioethics up to now.