Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications
Language
English
Publication Date
7-1-2025
Journal
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics
DOI
10.1017/S096318012400077X
PMID
39749689
Abstract
Language is the primary technology clinical ethicists use as they offer guidance about norms. Like any other piece of technology, to use the technology well requires attention, intention, skill, and knowledge. Word choice becomes a matter of professional practice. The Brief Report offers clinical ethicists several reasons for rejecting the phrase "aggressive care." Instead, ethicists should consider replacing "aggressive care" with the adjacent concept of a "recovery-focused path." The virtues of this neologism include: the opportunity to set aside the emotion of "aggression," the phrase's accuracy when capturing the intention of the patient or their representative, and an unappreciated rhetorical force-and transparent logic-that arises when the patient's recovery is unlikely.
Keywords
Humans, Aggression, Terminology as Topic, Language, Ethicists, Clinical ethics, Effective communication, Healthcare communication, Patient-centered care, Professionalism
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Trevor M Bibler, "Against the Phrase "Aggressive Care"" (2025). Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications. 340.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/med_ethics/340