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“bioethics” In Ancient Anatolian Societies
N. Yasemin OĞUZ*
* Dr.Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Deontoloji AD, Öğr. Gör., ANKARA
The purpose of this article is to emphasize the roots of bioethics in Anatolia. Anatolia is a land which has hosted the most ancient civilizations in the world. Archeological researches showed that there has been human life in Anatolia since antiquity. The oldest settlements of the world were established on this land as well.
When going back into history, it is found that concepts are dimmed. Especially the language which carries the concepts to be inadequate in conveying abstract concepts. So in this article the broadest definition of bioethics that consists of the social responsibility and ethics of basic human professions, will be used.
Written history can be said to have begun with the Assyrians who were the first to establish settlements (trade colonies) in Anatolia. But as the Assyrian State established in Mesopotamia, it will not be wrong to say that the State of Hittites are the first in Anatolia’s written history. It can be understood from the available information about Assyrian trade colonies that they had a detailed commercial ethics; they had a strict control in order to prevent smuggling.
Hittites founded a state in Anatolia in 2000 B.C. which lasted 800 years. When medicine, one of the most significant subjects of bioethics, is taken into consideration, it can be seen that Hittites were well-developed from this aspect. Basic ethical value in Hittite civilization was cleanliness. "Clean" was not only a word for not being dirty which can be seen as a concrete meaning, but also it was used instead for "good, right and just".
The Galatians, who had a monotheistic religion and were completely aliens to Hittites politheism, settled in the high plateau where the Hittites had lived before. They joined with the native population of Anatolia and adopted some aspects of Hittite civilization. Social leaders in Galatian society were the Druids. They were chosen regardless of any kind of hierarchy, they lived with the people and shared their daily tasks, they were assumed to be wise people. They did not build any dogmas and they were very different from classical priests. They symbolized the conscience of the society; they established the moral values and they led the society by them. So they could be assumed as the ethicists of that age.In this article, the influence of ancient Anatolian societies on the ethical values of today will be discussed.Keywords: Bioethics, History of bioethicsTurkiye Klinikleri Tıbbi Etik 1997, 5:125-132
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