In recent years, ethicists have argued against most forms of medical paternalism. They have claimed that it is wrong for physicians to make decisions for their patients, or to impose their own values upon their patients. In this view, when physicians act paternalistically, they fail to show adequate respect for their patients’ autonomy. Do you agree? Is medical paternalism always wrong? Is it ever morally permissible for physicians to act paternalistically towards their patients? Explain and defend your answer. Be sure to consider at least one of the following articles in your answer: “Whose Body Is It Anyway?” by Atul Gawande (Canvas); “The Refutation of Medical Paternalism,” by Alan Goldman; “Autonomy, Futility, and the Limits of Medicine,” by Robert L. Schwartz; “Why Doctors Should Intervene,” by Terrence Ackerman
