Beneficence
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Beneficence: The act of doing good; helping others. (Salus aegroti suprema lex)
With Regard to Medical Ethics, this concept involves the physician making the decisions that are best for the patient, without regard to personal gain or the interests of others. "Do good and avoid evil." Beneficence, defined in this way, is one of the four middle range principles explained by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in their "Principles of Bioethics".
Beneficence serves as the motto and logo for Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana. It is referred to as "Benny" for short by the students.
In 1930, a small group of men decided to establish a permanent symbol of Muncie and Ball State University's gratitude for the Ball family's extensive generosity.
This group commissioned renowned sculptor Daniel Chester French, who sculpted the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., and named it Beneficence which he felt aptly described the feelings of the community and the actions of the Ball brothers. Finally erected in the midst of the Great Depression, Beneficence has become a chief icon of the University, and it symbolizes the selflessness of the Ball family in their affection for the community.
[edit] External links
- The Four Principles of Bioethics (one of which is beneficence) as defined by Britannica
- Ball State University Libraries Digital Media Repository: Campus Photograph Collection Historic photographs of Ball State campus including Beneficence sculpture
- Benny's Story: A History of Beneficence, Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Exhibit on the history of the Beneficence sculpture
Definitions of beneficence:
noun: the quality of being kind or helpful or generous
noun: doing good; feeling beneficent
