Health Responsibility
Initial Musings on Aquinas’ Charity and Antibiotic Resistance
Abstract
The paper explores the views of St. Thomas Aquinas on the virtue of charity and the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance in the contemporary world. In my work, I will explore how the virtue of charity in Aquinas may help shed light on the formulation of possible solutions to addressing this problem. In this exploration, I argue that Aquinas’ charity forms the individual, out of love, to be responsible for one’s and others’ health, especially regarding antibiotics. To achieve this, I shall discuss the following: first, I shall deal with Aquinas’ idea of the virtue of charity and the place of the common good in it; second, I shall give a cursory background on antibiotic resistance and its consequences; third, I shall discuss how Aquinas’ idea of charity would be helpful in man’ formation on using antibiotics responsibly, bearing in mind that his use of such not only impacts him but others.
References
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