Paweł Siek
Why should the dilemma exist in a pharmacist’s practice?
2024-08-26
In the 21st century, the human being is increasingly reduced to a customer with his/her place and role being defined by the economic dimension. This dimension becomes a determinant of success in life and of the desired social status, which is becoming particularly problematic in the healthcare environment. Despite the prevalence of such a perspective, the humanities show a different approach to an individual’s existence - one not defined by the size of a bank account. The ethical aspect of undertaken actions, grounded in reflection, together with reference to conscience, constitutes the core of the human person. Through millennia, human communities have shaped their own existence by reference to specific codes, which defined how their members were to live and function, and for centuries, the European culture was influenced by the rules set in the Decalogue. The modern world, however, shaped on the glorification of freedom, has not so much rejected the "divine commandments" but seeks other presuppositions. Within the sciences, it is philosophy that indicates the right way to live and act. Here, two directions are of interest, both of which see the multifaceted nature of the human person and emphasize his or her supreme value. Phenomenology and personalism are the pinnacles of 20th - century philosophical thought. Husserl, Scheler, Mounier, or Stein are examples of thinkers whose assumptions are worth presenting - also in the educational process of pharmacists.
This article presents guidelines thanks to which the work of the pharmacist can be carried out with dignity and value. Conscience, intellectual reflection on action, and an individual value system based on the Human-Person are the means to restore the work of the pharmacist to its proper status and value. The work of a pharmacist is relational work where 'being-with-others' is an undeniable principle. A fundamental problem is the issue of a 'dilemma'. This phenomenon is present in many areas of life. The conflict of values and the question of what to choose is a common phenomenon that exists in many areas. In the field of medical science, the problem can even boil down to questions of finality.
The chosen research methodology involves a selection and review of philosophical literature addressing the issue of a dilemma and the functioning of a person in relation to values. The aim of the article is to show the ethical dilemma as an essential part of the human condition. The person is an ethical entity, and the emergence of a dilemma indicates that it does not function merely as a passive bio-psychological mechanism.
Keywords: personalism, pharmacy, pharmacist, humanisty, di lemma, activity/work.
© Farm Pol, 2024, 80(4): 219–224