Ethical and Spiritual Decision Making Argument 2022

Running head: ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN HEALTH CARE
Ethical and spiritual decision making in health care
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ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL DECISION MAKING IN IN HEALTH CARE 2
Christian perspective of the nature of spirituality and ethics in contrast to the perspective
of postmodern relativism within health care
All Christians make use of Bible as their source of reference whenever an illness or calamity
strike their members. According to Fitchett et al, (2019), one of the beliefs of Christians is that
God control everything including their lives. Christianity understand that in every eventuality of
their lives God is always in control. For example, when a Christian is sick, one of the things they
do is to pray to God since they understand that the responsibility of healing an individual from
sickness belongs to God. There are Christians that understand all healings is from God and there
is no need to seek medication even if the situation is running out of hand. However, when
Christians seek health care services, it sometimes become challenging for a nurse to fully
exercise his or her knowledge in assessment and treatment of the patient. In such situations,
nurses are forced to narrow down their beliefs when attending to a Christian patient. The reason
is that the patient might not be trusting postmodern healing services. In health care sector, there
are also nurses who are Christians. Jeanne Wirpsa et al, (2019) stated that the religion affiliation
have both direct and indirect impact in the healing process of a patient. Consequently, when it
comes to postmodern relativism, the only thing that stand is personal purpose. There is no truth
that exist among people. People invent facts instead of discovering the truth. An instance, which
shows there is no clear stand is when discussing the right and the wrong actions. The idea of
murder can be defined as wrong or action depending on the person. Therefore, in postmodern
relativism they do not value life of individuals. However, they consider the live of organisms as
more pre precious than that of human. It means that healthcare services might not succeed in
postmodern relativism.
What scientism is and description of two main arguments against it.

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Scientism refers to the idea that one can only use science to illustrate something. Scientism
requires its supporters to worship, belief and do as they are directed by the science rituals. One of
the activities in scientists is the identification of variables and observables. However, in religion
members mainly apply traditions that have come from one generation to another. For example, in
religion there is life after death while in scientism they do not consider life after death. Scientist
mainly make use of experiments and methods to prove ideas and create knowledge that guide
them.
One of the arguments in scientism is that God control everything. Despite experiments and
methods that scientists use to approve various issues, Taylor, (2019) stated that God remains a
supernatural being and the scientists should consult God before doing the experiments. No
scientist can test the authority of God through scientific methods. The other argument is about
life after death. The proposal can be confirmed through faith. However, there are different kinds
of beliefs and they consider reincarnation process differently. In Christianity, VanderWeele et al,
(2017) stated that there is life after death and that can only be proven through spirituality. In the
modern days, many scientists are turning to be Christians as they have tried to prove God powers
to no avail. It therefore means that when an individual belongs to a certain religion, it does not
limit his or her reasoning. One can continue inventing and innovating things.
Part two
Ultimate reality
Ultimate reality refers to the act of accepting God as the creator and the supernatural being. From
the biblical readings, Potvin et al, (2020) stated that God is the one who created the universe for
six days and rested on the seventh day. However, He created human beings in His own image

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and likeness. It meant that human beings are having power and responsibility over other
creatures. They were to multiply and fill the universe. When one has admitted the belief, then the
individual can experience the miracles and the divine interventions that takes place across the
universe. All the things that were created by God should support each other. For example, God
created trees, water and mountains. Each of these creatures supplement each other in one way or
the other.
Nature of the universe
There is direct relationship between ultimate reality and the universe. According to Kassim &
Alias, (2016), hen God created the universe in six days, He gave the powers to human being to
take care of the other creatures. The authority was to be passed from one generation to another.
God’s existence is evident through many things that takes place in the universe. For example
gospel, miracles and the divine interventions. However, as the time went by, people started
coming up with beliefs that were not there before. Some people have chosen to disobey God and
His existence. Through science, many people have proved some things and through the
knowledge they claim that God do not exits. However, it the nature of the universe. Science have
influence the beliefs and practices of many people in the universe.
Human being
Human beings are the most superior beings on the earth. However, human beings have evolved
with time. Like the other creatures on the earth, human beings have become creative and
innovative. It the power they were given by God during creation. Their brain enable them to
reflect upon their activities and come up with new ways of doing things. God gave human beings
intelligence that was higher than other creatures. Schneider-Harpprecht, (2017) said that the

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purpose of this power was to enable human beings top take care of other creatures. However,
human being have disappointed God in multiple ways. One of these ways is coming up with
chemicals and tools that injure other creatures. The behavior began in the Garden of Eden when
human beings ate the forbidden fruit.
Knowledge
Knowledge is the ability to acquire information from an authenticated source the storing it in
ones brain for later application according to Timmins et al, (2018). The way an individual
respond and tackle activities determine the level of knowledge that he or she have accumulated.
On my personal view, the knowledge should be trustworthy and beneficial to the rest of the
world. However, there is knowledge that mainly do harm to other people. For example, if an
individual acquires the skill of using firearm and then uses it to terrorize people. It is knowledge
but it has been applied in the wrong way. One can acquire knowledge through education,
observation or experience. However, it is important to apply the knowledge in a way that benefit
the world and other creatures.
My basis of ethics
Ethics refers to the moral standards that guides an individual when making decision. At personal
level my basis of decision making is guided by what my parents taught me while I was young. It
has limited my ability to decide on what is right and what is wrong. For example I was taught
that taking drugs such as alcohol is unethical. I hid to these teachings. I am able to report those
who are drinking and drinking. My basis of ethics have also come from what I was taught in
school. For example, I was taught the consequences of a society that people takes bribes.

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Corruption is against development and is bad. Lastly, I base my teaching from the word of God.
There are a lot of biblical teachings that goes against bribes and terrorism.
Purpose of my existence
My purpose of existence is to identify the reasons why my creator created me. After finding out
the purpose, I am supposed to work on how to accomplish my purpose in life. I know that the
accomplishment of my purpose will help other creatures live and improve on their lives.

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References
Fitchett, G., Damen, A., Holmes, C., Kestenbaum, A., & Nolan, S. (2019). Spiritual Care: The
Role of Health Care Chaplaincy. In Spirituality, Religiousness and Health (pp. 183-206).
Springer, Cham.
Jeanne Wirpsa, M., Emily Johnson, R., Bieler, J., Boyken, L., Pugliese, K., Rosencrans, E., &
Murphy, P. (2019). Interprofessional models for shared decision making: The role of the
health care chaplain. Journal of health care chaplaincy, 25(1), 20-44.
Kassim, P. N. J., & Alias, F. (2016). Religious, ethical and legal considerations in end-of-life
issues: fundamental requisites for medical decision making. Journal of religion and
health, 55(1), 119-134.
Potvin, N., Flynn, C., & Storm, J. (2020). Ethical Decision-Making at Intersections of
Spirituality and Music Therapy in End-of-Life Care. Music Therapy Perspectives.
Schneider-Harpprecht, C. (2017). Spiritual Care and its Impact on Pastoral Care. Journal of
religion and health, 78, 11-13.
Taylor, E. J. (2019). Health Outcomes of Religious and Spiritual Belief, Behavior, and
Belonging: Implications for Healthcare Professionals. In Spirituality in Healthcare:
Perspectives for Innovative Practice (pp. 67-82). Springer, Cham.
Timmins, F., Caldeira, S., Murphy, M., Pujol, N., Sheaf, G., Weathers, E., ... & Flanagan, B.
(2018). The role of the healthcare chaplain: A literature review. Journal of health care
chaplaincy, 24(3), 87-106.

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VanderWeele, T. J., Balboni, T. A., & Koh, H. K. (2017). Health and spirituality. Jama, 318(6),
519-520.