Conscience and Republican Government

Document Type

Contribution to Book

Publication Date

2019

Publication Title

Contemporary Challenges to Conscience

Keywords

conscience, popular sovereignty, republican government, theology, philosophy

Abstract

In this chapter, the question is whether an individual can demand an exemption from a law that applies to all. This chapter describes a number of approaches to this problem that have been attempted in the American experiment at governance, and it seeks to evaluate their efficaciousness. Over the last two centuries, however, protections for freedom of conscience have become attenuated—indeed some have become corrupted—so that today, freedom of conscience in the American Republic no longer stands on as firm a ground as in the past. There is, from the lessons of American experience, no single formula of governance that can guarantee the right of conscience. But there are a number of factors that can conduce to its observance.

ISBN

9783631792124

Comments

Ed. Aleksander Stępkowski

This book is a collection of studies addressing the complex and sensitive issue of conscientious objection. It has become utmost controversial, especially in relation to professional conduct in healthcare service. Moral dilemmas of physicians, being always a part of human existence, due to the development of public health insurance, became also a political issue with legal consequences. The book provides an in-depth analysis of this complex issue from a multidisciplinary perspective, including philosophical, political, legal and medical aspects. It also presents various experiences of different medical and legal professionals in this field.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3726/b15722

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