Bioethics and the Russia-Ukraine war

Bioethics is the “Bridge for the future”.  According to its founder—The Dutch oncologist Van Rensselaer Potter—1970, It is a new discipline that combines biological knowledge with the study of human values. It derives from Bios—which is Greek for Life and ethos—meaning nature, disposition and habit.

Bioethics is therefore —the ethics of life. Potter pointed out that the entire ecosystem  was put at risk by the split between two areas of knowledge: scientific knowledge and humanistic knowledge. The practice of making a neat distinction between ethical values which are broadly part of the humanistic culture and biological facts, was in Potter’s view at the root of an indiscriminate scientific and technological process that was endangering humanity and the very survival of life on earth. This was precisely the reason why he called bioethics the “science of survival.” The instinct for survival was inadequate. So, a new science had become necessary hence bioethics—a new philosophy that sought to integrate biology, ecology, medicine and human values.

One of the reasons for the founding of Bioethics were the cruelties of world War II—including the attrocities committed by the Nazi regime in Germany and surrounding countries. Before the end of the Second World War, two nuclear bombs were thrown onto Nagasaki-Hiroshima-Japan and people there and in the surrounding countries are still facing their effects up todate. The possibilities of repeating the same mistakes during the current Russia-Ukraine/Russia-America War are very high. It is said that Russia has over five thousand (5000) nuclear bombs—a little more that the number possessed by the United States of America! If thrown onto a city, radiations and heat from such bombs can destroy over three hundred thousand (300,000) people. It is further said that there are 25-30 US funded bio-labs in Ukraine. 

According to the US government, these bio-labs are conducting research on dangerous pathogens. If these facilities are compromised through the bombing that is going on in Ukraine to release these deadly pathogens, millions of people will be affected. Like Covid, these pathogens know no borders. They will quickly spread all throughout Europe, the US and the entire world causing untold suffering and death. In order to protect humanity, these labs need to be shut down immediately and the pathogens that they hold need to be destroyed. There is a need, therefore, to immediately implement a cease-fire for all military actions in Russia and Ukraine for the good of humanity. These and other labs are similar to the lab in Wuhan-China where Covid-19 may have originated from. So many people from both sides are being killed everyday, not to talk of the millions fleeing to other countries as refugees and the question that comes to our minds is: Is killing in such circumstances morally justified?  

In other words, can there be a just war? The traditional theory of the Just war consists of two sets of principles: jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Jus ad bellum governs the justness of the resort to war. That is; ‘when is it right to fight?’. Jus in bello, on the other hand, governs the moral conduct of War—how should War be waged? In both cases and in all circumstances however, the ordinary moral duty not to kill holds.

According to Bioethics, human life is sacred from its conception to natural death. Its destruction is to be reserved only for its creator. Moreso, persons possess a right to life as a matter of justice. Consequently, we all possess a corresponding duty to respect other peoples’ claim to this right. To kill is therefore a breach of that moral duty. That is why killing, even in wartime, can never be morally justified—hence war exists as a moral tragedy.

Authored by Fr. Dr. Ronald Kigozi, Professor of Philosophy and Bioethics, St. Mbaaga’s Seminary Ggaba.