Abstract

The use of empirical data in ethics is on the rise. At the same time, its role in “discovering the good” is much debated. Many scholars—especially those rooted in a modernist, liberal philosophical thinking and influenced by the natural sciences discourse—claim that ethicists should detach from their own considered moral judgments. Others are in favor of disclosing one’s own moral presuppositions in advance. Both positions can be difficult for Christian and other religious ethicists. Detachment could make ethical reflection meaningless and disclosure could alienate the ethicist from their interlocutors. In this article, we propose a four-step framework for the meaningful synthesis of empirical knowledge and ethical reflection. As a case, we use materials from our recently published collection of lived experiences of relatives of patients who received euthanasia.

Keywords: Ethics, Empirical Knowledge, Euthanasia, Theological Ethics, Detachment