Kant and the experimental vaccine test on human beings

Authors

  • Maria de Lourdes Borges Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, S. C., Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/1677-2954.2023.e98450

Keywords:

Palavras-chave: vacina, Kant, experiência, virtude, testes de desafio humano

Abstract

In this article I will analyze Kantian position on vaccination of smallpox and discuss the moral issues regarding the testing of vaccines in human beings. The vaccination of smallpox at the time of Kant was a new way to fight the disease that killed thousands of people in Europe. Since its safety was not definitive proved, one can consider it an experimental vaccine. Kant asks himself if one should take the vaccine or not.  Kant does not give a definite answer to the question but refers to it in the Metaphysical of Morals (MS, AA 6:424) From Kant´s example I will try to formulate the moral questions involved in testing experimental vaccines in human beings. I will try to answer the questions: When an experimental vaccine should be tested in human beings? And the last- but not least-question: is it moral to pay people to be submitted to vaccine research? I will try to give an answer to these questions from a Kant moral point of view.

Author Biography

Maria de Lourdes Borges, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, S. C., Brasil

Possui graduação em Física pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1984) , especialização em DEA Philosophie pela Université Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne) (1991) , mestrado em Filosofia pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1990) , doutorado em Filosofia pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1996) , pós-doutorado pela University of Pennsylvania (2000) e pós-doutorado pela Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin (2007) e pela Columbia University |(2014). Atualmente é Professora Titular da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina e Secretária de Cultura e Arte da UFSC da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Tem experiência na área de Filosofia,com ênfase em Ética, estudos kantianos e filosofia feminista.

References

DUTRA, D. 2020, 2021, Os anos da peste. LOGEION: Filosofia da informação. Rio de Janeiro, v. 9, 2023, p. 105-121.

EULER, W. The art to keep healthy and to prolong human life. Is Kant’s regimen a doctrine of duties to oneself? In: Kant zwischen West und Ost. Zum Gedenken an Kants 200. Todestag und 280. Geburtstag. Hrsg. Von Prof. Dr. Wladimir Bryuschinkin. Bd.2. Kaliningrad, 2005, pp. 228-227

GRIMWADE, O, et al. Payment in challenge studies: ethics, attitudes, and new payments. Med Ethics, 2020, 46: 815-826

KANT, I. Briefe. Kants gesammelte Schriften. (Königlich Preussische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co., 1900-)

KANT, I. Metaphysik der Sitten. Kants gesammelte Schriften. Band 6 (Königlich Preussische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co., 1900- )

UNNA, Y. Kant’s Answers to the Casuistical Questions Concerning Self-disembodiment. Kant-Studien, v. 94, n.4, 2003, p. 454–473.

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Published

2024-03-11

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 3 (2023): Dossiê: Bioética, Justiça Distributiva e Pandemias

Section

Dossiê Bioética, Justiça Distributiva e Pandemias

License

Licença Creative Commons
This obra is licensed under a  Creative Commons Atribuição-NãoComercial-SemDerivações 4.0 Internacional