Final answer:
The four main ethical principles discussed by Emanuel are beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. These principles guide healthcare decision-making. The distinction between active and passive euthanasia, Mary Anne Warren's concept of personhood, and the principle of clinical equipoise are related concepts in medical ethics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question appears to be addressing ethical principles in healthcare, specifically referencing Ezekiel Emanuel, a notable bioethicist. Emanuel and his co-authors are known for discussing four main ethical principles that guide healthcare relationships, which are beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. These principles serve as the basis for ethical decision-making in healthcare settings.
Mary Anne Warren's five characteristics essential to the concept of personhood include consciousness, reasoning, self-motivated activity, the capacity to communicate, and the presence of self-concepts. Understanding these characteristics is significant in ethical discussions surrounding issues such as abortion and euthanasia.
Speaking of euthanasia, the distinction between active and passive euthanasia lies in the action taken to cause death; active involves taking specific steps to cause death, whereas passive involves not doing something that would prolong life. In the context of the United States, opinions on the morality of euthanasia vary, but there is significant debate and division on the topic.
Additionally, the principle of clinical equipoise refers to the ethical requirement in clinical research that there must be genuine uncertainty within the expert medical community regarding the comparative therapeutic merits of each arm of a clinical trial.
Problems in applying these ethical principles can arise from situations where contradictory obligations emerge, leading to ethical dilemmas that require careful consideration and often, the assistance of ethicists or ethics committees to resolve.