PRINCIPLE OF TOTALITY AND INTEGRITY
Principle of Totality of a Human Person
- To promote human dignity in community, every person must develop, use, care
for, and preserve all of his or her natural physical and psychic functions in such a
way that…
a.) Lower functions are never sacrificed except for the better functioning of
the whole person and even then with an effort to compensate for this
sacrifice.
b.) The basic capacities that define human personhood are never
sacrificed unless this is necessary to preserve life.
- To be a complete human being is not merely having the higher level of
functions but to have all the basic human functions in harmonious order.
- Human body functions contribute to higher functions not merely by supplying
what is needed for physiological functioning, they also supply part of the human
experience that is essential to human intelligence and freedom.
- The good of the part is essentially subordinate to the good of the whole.
- In case of danger to itself, the whole can dispose of the part for its own benefit.
- In a living physical organism such as the human organism, the parts by their
very nature exist for the sake of the whole.
Conditions for Principle of Totality
1. That the organ by its deterioration in function may cause damage to the whole
organism or at least pose a serious threat to it.
2. That there is no other way than taking the indicated action against it or
obtaining the desired good result.
3. That the damage being avoided to the whole is proportional to that which is
caused by the mutilation or incapacitation of the part.
- This principle of totality does not apply to moral organization (family, society,
and humanity), a person is still independent. He is not a subordinate to any
group. He is the subject, principle, and end of all social institutions.
- Authority cannot directly dispose the physical and personal being of a person,
removal of the undesirable or weak parts of the society.
Ethical Issues
1. Mutilation
- Destruction of member, organ/ part of the body (organic) or the
suppression of a physical function (functional) in such a way that the organism
becomes no longer basically whole.
- Is an action by which an organic function/ the use of a member of the
body is intentionally destroyed either partially or wholly.
- Types:
1. Direct – Willed in itself, as end or as means, intended and
caused intrinsically wrong. Offends human dignity. Individual does
not have the right to mutilate himself, much less does society.
2. Indirect (Therapeutic) – Licit is an act of good stewardship of the
body; necessary for the survival of the patient or to free him of
proportional sufferings/ infirmities.
2. Sterilization
- A medical or surgical intervention, which causes a patient incapacity of
generation.
1. Indirect (Therapeutic) – Inevitably required for the survival and health of
a person, sexual organs, integrating parts which must yield to the good of
the whole. Licit if:
a.) Sickness is grave, certainly diagnosed and definitive that it
offsets the evils of sterilization.
b.) It is necessary because it is the only possibly effective remedy.
c.) Exclusively curative. Intention is important.
2. Direct – Immediate effect is to render procreation impossible.
Types:
a.) Eugenics – Seeking to avoid the transmission of hereditary
defects.
b.) Hedonistic – Evade the complications and responsibilities of
procreation without giving up the sexual pleasure.
c.) Demographic – To control the birth rate.
d.) Preventive – Render pregnancy impossible which might
aggravate the sickness that already exist.
3. Organ Donation
- A person may will to dispose of his body and to destine it to ends that
are useful, morally irreproachable, and even noble among them, the desire to aid
the sick and suffering.
- Criteria:
1. There’s a serious need on the part of the recipient that cannot be
fulfilled in any other way.
2. The functional integrity of the donor with a human person will not
be impaired even though anatomical integrity may suffer.
3. The risk taken by the donor as an act of charity is proportionate
to the good resulting to the recipient.
4. The donor’s consent is free and informed.
5. The recipients for the scarce organs are selected justly.
4. Cadaver Donation
- It is forbidden to cause the death of the donor of the organ transplant.
- 3 Conditions:
1. Donor must be verbally and legitimately dead.
2. Informed consent
3. Remains must be treated with respect.