En contra del supuesto derecho a la objeción de conciencia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5347/62/2025/746Keywords:
conscientious objection, freedom of conscience, medical ethics, laicism, conscienceAbstract
Against an alleged right to conscientious objection
Contemporary debates on a possible right to conscientious objection presuppose that such a right follows from freedom of conscience, which is the freedom to affirm, and to live according to, ethical, philosophical or religious convictions. The right to conscientious objection would be a general right to be exempt from complying with institutional obligations when the latter are contrary to one’s own convictions of conscience. The main thesis I defend is that the alleged right to conscientious objection cannot be derived from the constitutional protection of freedom of conscience. This alleged right goes beyond the latter in demanding the removal of institutional obstacles to the individual aim of living by one’s own convictions of conscience. After explaining why the constitutional protection of freedom of conscience does not require such a removal, I conclude that instead of a general right to conscientious objection, there can be only requests for exemption from complying with legal requirements from considerations of conscience. I explain that such requests can only be granted when exemptions do not affect he rights of third parties, do not frustrate purposes of public interest that demand strict compliance with the law, and do not entail discriminatory actions forbidden by law.
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