Posted on Nov 26, 2001

As the field of bioethics grows, the problem of language is creating a barrier among those who deal with complex ethical issues in medicine.

Professor of Philosophy Bob Baker, one of a small number of philosophers who study moral issues in the field of medical treatment and research, says there is no one resource for professionals, policy-makers, or the public to find concise and current definitions of terms in bioethics.

“Bioethics is interdisciplinary,” Baker says. “It's very hard for philosophers to understand the informal “shop talk” language of physicians and nurses, and I think it's even harder for physicians and nurses to grasp the nuances of language of philosophers and theologians.”

In an attempt to break down the language barrier, about three dozen leading bioethicists from all over the world came to the College in August for an international planning conference. Their goal is to establish a framework for developing The Cambridge Dictionary of Bioethics and an associated web site. Baker is co-director of the project, with Laurence McCullough, professor of medicine and medical ethics at Baylor College of Medicine.

Before the conference, those attending were given an extensive list of the language used in the bioethics literature divided into subsections, such as proper names, institutions, and legal cases. Comments were invited, with the goal being a clear and consistent universal language in bioethics that is accessible to the public as well as professionals.

The Cambridge Dictionary of Bioethics will be a 600,000-word, 750-page global dictionary published by Cambridge University Press. The scheduled publication date is 2004. Cambridge University Press has agreed to set up and maintain the Language of Bioethics web site.

The idea for the dictionary came about in 1999 while Baker and McCullough were working on The History of Medical Ethics. Their editor at Cambridge asked them if it would be useful to have a dictionary of bioethics. At first, they dismissed the idea, but once the seed was planted the two began talking with colleagues from Asia, Africa, and Europe who admitted they didn't understand American bioethics. “And when we asked people in America, they said, “We don't understand the things going on overseas,” Baker says. “It turned out there was an incredible need.”

Also, as medical technology continues to improve, Baker says, ethical problems have continued to change. In addition, individual cultures face different problems; for example, “In the West, we perceive that individuals should make important medical decisions themselves, whenever possible. Eastern cultures believe decisions should be made within a family. In Africa, it could be an entire village.”

During the conference, participants broke into groups to discuss the focus of the dictionary. Morning sessions were divided into disciplinary groups-health care professions, law, humanities, and social sciences.

In the afternoons, participants worked in regional groups-Africa, Asia, and the Middle East; Europe; and North and South America. After the conference, participants began corresponding via e-mail, an electronic classroom setting on the Internet, and conference calls.

Editorial board members were selected for their areas of expertise and familiarity with the language and literature of bioethics. Many members have edited leading journals in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the United States. Funding for the conference came from the Greenwall Foundation, Union College, and Baylor College.

Baker said the original intent of bioethics was to bridge a communication gap between patients and practitioners. “Bioethics has gotten very technical,” he says. “Old-time bioethicists like myself want to make the language accessible to people from different disciplines and the general public. This dictionary will do all of that.”

The winter 2001 issue of Union College had a feature article about Professor Bob Baker and his work in bioethics. Readers who would like a copy should contact the Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. 12308. The telephone is (518) 388-6131.