COVID-19 Ventilator Crisis: Comparative Ethical Analysis of Jewish and Secular Approaches to Scarce Resource Allocation
Description
Senior honors thesis. Open Access.
Abstract
This paper will explore the different perspectives of Jewish and Secular ethics
regarding triage decisions, specifically comparing and contrasting the two perspectives as it
is relevant to the COVID-19 ventilator shortage. Firstly, I will present an overview of the
four foundational principles that underpin secular triage ethics and how they are incorporated
into existing hospital and institution-based resource allocation guidelines. I will then
comprehensively examine the Jewish perspective of triage, which is based on a wide array of
sources from the Talmud, Rishonim, early Acharonim and contemporary poskim. An
understanding of two halakhic principles, pikuach nefesh and ain dochen nefesh mipnei
nefesh, is necessary to appreciate the delicate balance between the individual and community
that the Talmud and poskim try to make when considering triage dilemmas. This paper will
highlight the various streams of thought within the halakhic literature, many of which closely
parallel the aforementioned secular principles. Although each system is grounded in a
different set of core values, the practical solution to ventilator allocation dilemmas is quite
similar according to Jewish and secular principles
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12202/5645Citation
Frolich, Bailey Abigail. COVID-19 Ventilator Crisis: Comparative Ethical Analysis of Jewish and Secular Approaches to Scarce Resource Allocation Presented to the S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Completion of the Program. NY: Stern College for Women. Yeshiva Universitym March 22, 2020. Mentor: Rabbi Saul J. Berman, Jewish Studies.
*This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise.
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