• Trent University

• PHIL 2390H

PHIL 2390
 Exegetical Essay 619 words
 
2
In “A Relational Approach to Autonomy in Health Care”, Susan Sherwin states that there
is cynicism within the concept of traditional autonomy utilized in health care. Perhaps the
strongest argument that Sherwin gives is that her substitute version of autonomy called
‘relational’ is a better option. In this paper, an argument will be made to describe why the
relational approach to autonomy is better option than the traditional approach to autonomy.
In “A Relational Approach to Autonomy in Health Care”, Susan Sherwin critiques
individualistic understandings of patient autonomy. According to Sherwin, suffering is inscribed
in the people who have endured it rather than in the social structures that may be accountable for
the problem (Sherwin 39). In other words, the position sends most of the research funds and
expertise toward techniques that can be utilized to change the person, but it frequently disregards
important components at the root of the issue. For example, doctors tend to react to infertility by
dismissing the issue, advising the woman to go home and relax, or giving her hormonal and
surgical treatment instead of advocating that research and public health efforts be directed
towards averting pelvic inflammatory disease, which is the root cause of numerous cases of
infertility (Sherwin 39). Sherwin argues that traditional autonomy focuses its doctor’s awareness
on the desires of patients and is consequently, adept in the distinctive orientation of medicine
(Sherwin 39). The structure of the argument follows: