TOLERATION OF MORAL DIVERSITY AND THE CONSCIENTIOUS REFUSAL BY PHYSICIANS TO WITHDRAW LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT

The removal of life-sustaining treatment often brings physicians into conflict with patients. Because of their moral beliefs physicians ofte n respond slowly to the request of patients or their families. People in bioethics have been quick to recommend that in cases of conflict th e physician should simply sign off the case and 'step aside''. This is not easily done psychologically or morally. Such a resolution also ma sks a number of more subtle, quite trouble some problems that conflict with the commitment to toleration and moral diversity that it is inte nded to support. These conflicts are detailed and evaluated.