Some utilitarian readings present in bioethics emphasize the importance of satisfying people’s preferences as a significant criterion of justice. One of its recurring applications in the healthcare sector is through measuring the satisfaction of healthcare service users. However, little has been discussed in the healthcare and bioethics field regarding objections that this criterion has faced from the philosophy of law and political philosophy. One of these, known as the problem of adaptive responses, asserts that individuals, whether consciously or not, adjust their satisfaction based on what they can attain. Therefore, a cautious view of this criterion is recommended, especially when measuring the satisfaction of individuals facing deprivations. Greater caution should be exercised when it is applied to services that guarantee fundamental rights, such as the right to health. This arti...

The present investigations study the John Stuart Mill thinking and his position towards paternalism justification, taking into account the harm principle elaborated in his book “On Liberty”. Two are the objectives of this paper. In first place, the anti - paternalist tesis sustained by this autor will be analyzed to identify deficiencies and limitations. In second place, it is sought to determine to what extent they actually opposed such interventions, to verify the accuracy of that somewhat extended belief that sees Mill a strong opponent of paternalism. It is concluded that the defects of Mill’s theses are explained in good account due to an excess of optimism in the capacities of human beings for self-regulation, a strong skepticism about the capacity of the State to achieve effective paternalistic measures, granting From an excessively strong and unrealistic weight to ...

Some utilitarian readings present in bioethics emphasize the importance of satisfying people’s preferences as a significant criterion of justice. One of its recurring applications in the healthcare sector is through measuring the satisfaction of healthcare service users. However, little has been discussed in the healthcare and bioethics field regarding objections that this criterion has faced from the philosophy of law and political philosophy. One of these, known as the problem of adaptive responses, asserts that individuals, whether consciously or not, adjust their satisfaction based on what they can attain. Therefore, a cautious view of this criterion is recommended, especially when measuring the satisfaction of individuals facing deprivations. Greater caution should be exercised when it is applied to services that guarantee fundamental rights, such as the right to health. This...

La presente investigación estudia el pensamiento de John Stuart Mill y su posición alrededor de la justificación del paternalismo, tomando en consideración el principio de daño elaborado en su obra “Sobre la libertad”. Dos son los objetivos de este trabajo. En primer lugar, se analizarán las tesis anti-paternalistas sostenidas por este autor para identificar sus deficiencias y limitaciones. En segundo lugar, se busca determinar hasta qué punto dichas tesis realmente se opusieron a dichas intervenciones, para verificar la exactitud de aquella creencia algo extendida que considera a Mill como un fuerte opositor del paternalismo. Se concluye que los defectos de las tesis de Mill se explican en buena cuenta debido a un exceso de optimismo en las capacidades de los seres humanos para la auto-regulación, un fuerte escepticismo sobre la capacidad del Estado para lograr me...

The present investigations study the John Stuart Mill thinking and his position towards paternalism justification, taking into account the harm principle elaborated in his book “On Liberty”. Two are the objectives of this paper. In first place, the anti - paternalist tesis sustained by this autor will be analyzed to identify deficiencies and limitations. In second place, it is sought to determine to what extent they actually opposed such interventions, to verify the accuracy of that somewhat extended belief that sees Mill a strong opponent of paternalism. It is concluded that the defects of Mill’s theses are explained in good account due to an excess of optimism in the capacities of human beings for self-regulation, a strong skepticism about the capacity of the State to achieve effective paternalistic measures, granting From an excessively strong and unrealistic weight to ...

Some utilitarian readings present in bioethics emphasize the importance of satisfying people’s preferences as a significant criterion of justice. One of its recurring applications in the healthcare sector is through measuring the satisfaction of healthcare service users. However, little has been discussed in the healthcare and bioethics field regarding objections that this criterion has faced from the philosophy of law and political philosophy. One of these, known as the problem of adaptive responses, asserts that individuals, whether consciously or not, adjust their satisfaction based on what they can attain. Therefore, a cautious view of this criterion is recommended, especially when measuring the satisfaction of individuals facing deprivations. Greater caution should be exercised when it is applied to services that guarantee fundamental rights, such as the right to health. This...