Moral uncertainty: A case study of Covid-19.

Abstract

Most writing about uncertainty in healthcare has addressed empirical uncertainty - that is, resulting from insufficient or conflicting facts. To consider moral uncertainty by exploring how different theories apply to a single clinical case. In this philosophical reflection, I briefly acknowledge empirical uncertainty before introducing and exploring the topic of moral uncertainty - defined as the question of what to do when we do not know what (morally) to do-using a case study of my own mother's deterioration and death from Covid-19. I identify and apply a number of philosophical theories relevant to managing moral uncertainty, including utilitarianism, deontology, practical rationality and feminist philosophy. Different moral theories lead to different conclusions about the best course of action in situations of moral uncertainty. Detailed analysis and close reading of a single case can provide insights into how to act in morally complex situations, but learning is in the form of enriched understanding, not formulaic rules.