The Convergence of Principles of Biological Ethics in Research with an Islamic Approach

Biological ethics in its current paradigm on the basis of Tom Beauchamps and James Childress` theory is based on four principles of autonomy, justice, utility and harmlessness. One critique of this theory is lack of internal consistency and divergence of its pillars, namely the four principles. According to this critique, the theory of the four foundations of biological principles is self-contradictory. This is while bioethics, as a set of behavioral norms, may not be recommended and prevalent without ever being based on theoretical foundations. Contrary to secular ethics and current theories of normative ethics, each having focused on one existential dimension of human being as ethical value norm and lack of any attention to other dimensions and, therefore, it is not possible to defend this theory against the critique. On Islamic ethics, however, the critique may not be of any effect; since Islamic ethics regards all aspects of human being. On this basis, convergence of the principles of biological ethics in particular situations may be argued for.