The Relevance of Paul Ricoeur’s and Emmanuel Levinas’s Thoughts for an Ethics of Medical Care

Since the 1970s, the traditional medical ethics model has been an attempt to understand theoretical biomedical ethics and then apply it to clinical situations. Many practitioners and some philosophers considered this misguided from the start. They tried to understand which kinds of ethical responsibilities flow from a clearer understanding of medical care rather than pull one or another ready-made general theory of ethics off the shelf and apply it to the clinical reality. In the context of contemporary debates on the philosophical foundations of medical practice, this paper explores the anthropological, epistemological and ethical dimensions of clinical work. Furthermore, it endeavours to show the extent to which Paul Ricoeur’s and Emmanuel Levinas’ conceptions of ethical responsibility may help us grasp medical care’s ethical core. It is suggested that this approach could shape an appropriate ethical understanding of medical practice grounded in an ethics of care.