Ethical and cognitive challenges in the COVID-19 emergency

Chiara Lucifora, Gustavo Cevolani

Abstract


Abstract: The global emergency caused by the spread of COVID-19 raises critical challenges for individuals and communities on many different levels. In particular, politicians, scientists, physicians, and other professionals may face new ethical dilemmas and cognitive constraints as they make critical decisions in extraordinary circumstances. Philosophers and cognitive scientists have long analyzed and discussed such issues. An example is the debate on moral decision making in imaginary scenarios, such as the famous “Trolley Problem”. Similarly, dramatic and consequential decisions are realized daily in the current crisis. Focusing on Italy, we discuss the clinical ethical guidelines proposed by the Italian Society of Anesthesiology, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI), highlighting some crucial ethical and cognitive concerns surrounding emergency decision making in the current situation.

Keywords: Moral Dilemmas; Cognition; Rationality; Bias; Clinical Decision Making; COVID-19

 

Problemi etici e cognitivi nell’emergenza COVID-19

Riassunto: L’emergenza globale causata dal COVID-19 solleva problemi cruciali, sia per gli individui sia per le comunità, a molti livelli diversi. In particolare, politici, scienziati, medici e altri professionisti si trovano ad affrontare dilemmi etici e limitazioni cognitive legate a decisioni critiche in circostanze straordinarie. Sia i filosofi sia gli scienziati cognitivi hanno a lungo analizzato e discusso questi problemi. Un esempio è il dibattito sul ragionamento e le decisioni morali in scenari immaginari, come il famoso “problema del carrello”. Nella crisi attuale, dilemmi drammatici di questo tipo sono all’ordine del giorno. Concentrandoci sull’Italia, discutiamo le linee guida proposte dalla Società Italiana di Anestesiologia, Analgesia, Rianimazione e Terapia Intensiva (SIAARTI), evidenziando alcuni aspetti critici, sia etici sia cognitivi, del processo decisionale in una situazione di emergenza come quella attuale.

Parole chiave: Dilemmi morali; Cognizione; Razionalità; Bias; Decisioni cliniche; COVID-19


Parole chiave


COVID-19 emergency, ethical guidelines, moral reasoning, clinical decision-making, cognitive bias, Trolley dilemma

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4453/rifp.2020.0022

Copyright (c) 2020 Chiara Lucifora, Gustavo Cevolani

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