The Opportunities and Challenges of Bioethics Research in the Era of Big Data

Abstract

In the big data era, data has become a core element in biomedicine, with extensive applications across fields such as biogenomics, clinical medicine, and biobanks. These shifts bring new opportunities and severe challenges for Bioethics research. The opportunities are manifested in expanding the scope of bioethics from a focus on “individual good” to the “public good,” fostering a transition from purely qualitative or quantitative approaches to interdisciplinary integration, and enhancing bioethical governance from “Monhism” to “pluralism.” However, challenges also arise, such as the potential misalignment between data analysis and real bioethical issues, the risk of bioethics succumbing to dataism, and a lack of awareness and expertise regarding big data within the field. This dual situation highlights the trends and dilemmas facing bioethics research in the era of big data, which warrant the attention of contemporary bioethics scholars.

Keywords

era of big data / bioethics research / dual situation

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2024 Higher Education Press