Moral Imagination as Pedagogy: Rethinking Ethics Education for Responsible Biomedical Research

Abstract

Due to the rapid developments in the biomedical sciences, ethical evaluation and regulatory oversight risk falling behind. Therefore, it is essential that researchers learn to recognize and discuss the moral dimensions of biomedical research early in the research process. This calls for a reconsideration of ethics education for biomedical students. Rather than training students solely to comply with existing (ethical) regulations, ethics education should prepare them to navigate the moral uncertainty and complexity that characterize contemporary biomedical research. This dissertation proposes moral imagination as a learning mechanism. Through the use of narratives, perspective-taking, and the exploration of possible future scenarios, students learn to effectively recognize and interpret moral considerations. The empirical and design-based studies presented in this dissertation demonstrate that when ethics is integrated into the curriculum in a structural, creative, and meaningful way, students gain tools to engage with the complex and morally charged challenges that may emerge in their professional practice.