Principle of Stewardship and Accountability PDF

BIOETHICS PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP MODULE 3B AND ACCOUNT...

BIOETHICS PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP MODULE 3B AND ACCOUNTABILITY Fr. Danilo C. Tiong Trans Group: 8A, 1E 3 ○ We cannot act like animals since we are not animals. OUTLINE ○ We cannot act like elements, such as stones, since we I. Meaning of Stewardship and Accountability are not elements. A. Prudent Stewardship We are human beings with intellect and will. B. Accountability As Twin of Stewardship ○ We can know and choose, which is why we are II. Dangers and Risks responsible. III. Prerogatives ○ We can choose freely, that is why our responsibility is A. Absolute Prerogative exercised in freedom. B. Prerogative “For Use” C. Delegated Prerogative B. ACCOUNTABILITY AS TWIN OF STEWARDSHIP D. Prerogative in Human Life The other side of stewardship is accountability. IV. Summary ○ Example #1: I am responsible for my actions and must study. I cannot blame my professor, my ballpen (for REFERENCES: writing wrong answers), or the weather (for being rainy or Rev. Fr. Danilo C. Tiong, STL — PPT & Recorded too hot) for my failures. I am accountable to my parents Lecture and must accept the consequences. I need to accept and admit the consequences of the actions that I have NUMBER OF PAGES: 02 committed and that I am accountable on how it would affect others. LEARNING OBJECTIVES ○ Example #2: As a medical student I must study medicine 1. To explain the meaning of the principle of stewardship and undergo the proper training under residency and and accountability. internship. What I learn and do under this role, is my own 2. To analyze man’s responsibility responsibility, as I am accountable to my patients. If 3. To detect dangers and risks my patient suffers due to my own error from ignorance or 4. To distinguish different kinds of prerogatives irresponsibility, then I am responsible and held 5. To determine the moral obligations in prerogatives accountable for that suffering. 6. To co-relate this principle with human dignity 7. To apply the principle in given cases/situations II. DANGERS AND RISK 8. To judge the violation and non-violation of the principle Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 8:05-12:59 in a given case Life is not without dangers or risks, even when under our stewardship (of others or of the self). I. MEANING OF STEWARDSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY Stewardship, Bioethics1_9STEWARDSHIP AND “Earthly life lies constantly exposed to many dangers. But ACCOUNTABILITY 2:06 human life is altogether impossible with a free risk of bodily In the principle of stewardship and accountability, the moral loss. Excessive concern about bodily risks is not acceptable.” demand is responsibility. Values and ideas should be considered when confronted with ○ This responsibility has two facets: dangers and risks; a question of prudence (the inclination to Stewardship - Responsibility for pronounce the right judgment on the proper human behavior. Accountability - Responsibility to See: Intellectual Virtues, under Virtues; Module 3A) Whatever we do has an impact on other people. As future doctors, we must accept that our patients have their Man is accountable in the way he uses his own values and ideas. We must respect and recognize their autonomy/freedom and in the way respects and maintains his freedom and responsibility, and adapt our medical knowledge own (and that of others’) dignity because man is not an and practice with respect to their decisions. island, and he lives together with other people, as people Expected benefit must be proportionate to the risk. influence other people. Stewardship is how man exercises his autonomy and Doctors must apply the principle of proportionality: benefit freedom. must outweigh the risk. We must employ the question in practice: is it beneficial or very risky? The greater the love with which man risks his life, and the Stewardship and Accountability are twin principles because one higher the service rendered for the common good or for a affects the other. particular fellowman, the purer is the witness to faith, hope, and love. These make the risk more justifiable. A. PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP Prudent stewardship means seeing that the powers EXAMPLES OF DANGER AND RISK entrusted to people are gifts and that the true meaning of these powers is to be found in respecting the dignity of EXAMPLE #1: A MAN SAVING THE LIFE OF A DROWNING everyone and everything. PATIENT ○ Stewardship is both a power and a gift. Therefore, it Because of this person’s love and concern for the should be exercised prudently, and prudence is a virtue. drowning patient, he does not even know who this drowning When we talk of stewardship, we are talking about the person is but because he is concerned and loves this person freedom of man that is used responsibly. and does not want anything wrong to happen to the patient. Man must use his freedom responsibly, not abusively, in He does not want this person to drown or die. He goes and conformity with the ends which are set forth by the inclination saves this drowning victim, risking his life. of his own nature as a rational being. Module 3B Principle of Stewardship and Accountability 1  The greater the service rendered for the drowning patient, ○ That’s why there’s stewardship–we manage our life, but the purer the witness’ faith and open love. we do not own our life. We are the “manager” of our life ○ He is a hero since the risk that he took was justified. but we are not the owner of our life. So, what we have, at But we cannot take risks if we are unable to take the most, when it comes to human life, is a “prerogative for consequences of the risk. use”. We will use our life for our good and in order to ○ Because if we risk and cannot be responsible for the fruits achieve the good things in life and the good things in your or consequences of the risks, we are still responsible. life you are after. Absolute prerogative in human life is an exclusively divine EXAMPLE #2: I CANNOT EXPOSE MYSELF TO A VIRUS prerogative. WITHOUT PROTECTING MYSELF JUST BECAUSE I AM ○ It only belongs to God—He is the owner, author, and STRONG. THIS IS BECAUSE I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR origin of life. It is only He who can take life from us. MYSELF. ○ So this and the other three prerogatives and exercising This risk is not justifiable because there are medical them would be exercising our stewardship and protocols that we have to follow. If we do not follow the accountability. Just remember what is demanded of us rules, we are the ones who are responsible if something goes from this principle is our responsibility–to exercise it wrong. This is not heroism and is not acceptable in the properly. society. IV. SUMMARY III. PREROGATIVES The human person is responsible for himself because his Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 13:04-17:17 action/s always have an impact or influence on others. (Format: Lecture Topic, Video Title Timestamp) That’s why he is responsible to others. Common among us in life Prudent stewardship therefore means respecting the These are choices with which we encounter ourselves dignity of everyone. There are three kinds: ○ This is a flow coming from the dignity of the human ○ Absolute Prerogative person. ○ Prerogative for Use In life, we are always confronted with prerogatives. We ought ○ Delegated Prerogative to know our absolute prerogatives, our “for use” Exercising these prerogatives equates to exercising our prerogatives, and our delegated prerogatives. stewardship and accountability. ○ Exercising our responsibility properly, we may be able to Remember, what is demanded from this principle is our respond properly and ethically. responsibility to exercise it properly. A. ABSOLUTE PREROGATIVE Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 13:07-14:00 (Format: Lecture Topic, Video Title Timestamp) Essentially subordinated to one’s final end and become an object to one’s lawful right ○ Anything I own, I have absolute prerogative over them I can lend, destroy, sell, and do anything as I have an absolute prerogative over these because I own them by virtue of right to own. Dr. Frias’ Lecture: We do not own the life of others and thus, should abide by following the guidelines of stewardship and accountability. B. PREROGATIVE FOR USE Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 14:03-15:12 That restricted power which a man has, whereby he has some right to use the thing, but with certain restrictions, which are imposed by the higher rights of others. ○ If a person borrows a car from their friend and they agree to it, the person may use the car (the right given to them) but they can not sell nor destroy it because it is not theirs. They now have the responsibility to care for it and to return it in good condition. C. DELEGATED PREROGATIVE Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 15:15-15:58. The authority or power given by the patient to his doctor by virtue of the patient’s right and obligation as an individual to preserve his health and bodily integrity. ○ Whatever is discussed between a patient and a doctor, if the patient agrees, you may proceed and do what is necessary. D. PREROGATIVE IN HUMAN LIFE Principle of Stewardship and Accountability, 15:59-17:15 Man has, at most, only a “prerogative for use” over human life. Module 3B Principle of Stewardship and Accountability 2