Debate on the ethical foundation in bioethics

Abstract

The article deals with the question of the ethical foundation, in bioethics and synthetises the most important steps in literature. The authors identify some ways of foundations: descriptive, subjectivistic (non-cognitivism), intersubjectivistic (neoutilitarianism, neocontractualism) and objective (personalism). Through the criticai analysis of each way (with reference to some authors of the italian and Anglo-American debate) emerges the relevance of the ontological foundation which, on the appeal to human nature, justifies moral respect and protection to all human beings.