Neoliberalism, Power Relations, Ethics, and Global Health

doi:10.1017/9781108692137.018

Chapter 17 - Neoliberalism, Power Relations, Ethics, and Global Health

from Section 3 - Analyzing Some Reasons for Poor Health and Responsibilities to Address Them

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 February 2021

Solomon Benatar ,

Ross Upshur and

Stephen Gill

Edited by

Solomon Benatar and

Gillian Brock

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Solomon Benatar: Affiliation:
Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Cape Town
Gillian Brock: Affiliation:
Professor of Philosophy, University of Auckland

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Summary

Spectacular progress, both intellectual and material, has been achieved through the Enlightenment notion of the centrality of the individual and the supremacy of science and technology in advancing health and healthcare practices. The modern Western belief system and its frames for global thinking that have now become powerful worldwide are succinctly characterized by an individualistic, self-determining, and rights-bearing concept of being; an epistemological framework that centers on abstract thinking, objectivity in observation, logical reasoning processes, verifiable knowledge, and a positivist version of the scientific method; and moral and political values of autonomy supportive of individual rights. Scientific and technological progress and diverse socioeconomic systems contributed to fostering great “accelerations” in the scale of production, consumption, communication, and transportation that in particular since 1945 have improved the duration and quality of life for many people.

Type: Chapter
Information: Global Health
Ethical Challenges
, pp. 230 - 241

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108692137.018[Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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