Abstract

"Physicians values are largely supported by a socio-cultural moral basis, also known as ""classical utilitarianism"". Technological advances and social questions to physicians show their paucity of an ethical conceptualization in medicine. A new way of approaching ethical conflicts in medicine should be constructed. Training should promote ethical reflection about these conflicts and about the actions of physicians. Ontogenetic and phylogenetic research on human nature, and the advances in moral psychology, could allow us to understand the construction of our judgment of values. An introspective emotional and rational effort to understand ""how we are"" and from there, to ""how we act"" lacks among physicians. This issue is even more complex in a political-social model which does not stimulate this type of analysis. The university space is a privileged opportunity to educate. The student must be envisioned as a human being whose professional acts should consider the needs of our society, aiming at a new ethical conceptualization in medicine."