Emmanuel Agius
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Agius is a Maltese minor philosopher mostly specialised and interested in ethics
.
, Malta
, in 1954. He studied at the University of Malta
from where he acquired a Bachelor
’s degree and a Licentiate
in Theology
(1979). Subsequently, he studied in Belgium
at the University of Leuven from where he acquired a Master’s degree in philosophy
and a Doctorate degree in Theology
(1986). Afterwards, he studied Bioethics
first as a Research Fellow of Alexander-von-Humboldt Stiftung at the University of Tübingen in Germany
, then as a Fulbright Scholar at the National Reference Library of Bioethics at Georgetown University
in Washington D.C. (U.S.A.), and finally, having been awarded a Theodore M. Hesburgh Scholarship, at the University of Notre Dame
, Indiana
, (also in the U.S.A.). He began teaching Moral Theology
at the University of Malta
. Later he taught bioethics
, moral philosophy, moral theology
, and professional ethics
at under-graduate and graduate levels. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Theology in 2007.
Agius was former member of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Bioethics (CDBI). He has been Member of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) since 2005. He is also Member of the National Consultative Bioethics Committee (Ministry of Health), of the Research Ethics Committee (Faculty of Medicine), and of the Health Ethics Committee on Clinical Trials (Ministry of Health); Ethical evaluator for the European Commission
in FP6; participates in projects of OSCE/ODIHR and UNESCO
; Coordinator of the Future Generations Programme at the Foundation for International Studies of the University of Malta
; Coordinator of the Euro-Mediterranean Programme on Intercultural Dialogue, Human Rights and Future Generations, also at the Foundation for International Studies, a programme supported by UNESCO
; Member of editorial boards of international journals on bioethics, moral philosophy and theology; and Member of the Scientific Committee of the Centro di Ateneo di Bioetica at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan
, Italy
.
Articles
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
.
Life
Agius was born at MqabbaMqabba
Mqabba is a town in the south of Malta. Situated at the heart of a soft limestone area, the surrounding of the village is barren and stripped with quarries. Mqabba is renowned for the construction industry, and holds more than a quarter of the quarries in Malta...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, in 1954. He studied at the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
from where he acquired a Bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
’s degree and a Licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
(1979). Subsequently, he studied in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
at the University of Leuven from where he acquired a Master’s degree in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and a Doctorate degree in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
(1986). Afterwards, he studied Bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
first as a Research Fellow of Alexander-von-Humboldt Stiftung at the University of Tübingen in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, then as a Fulbright Scholar at the National Reference Library of Bioethics at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington D.C. (U.S.A.), and finally, having been awarded a Theodore M. Hesburgh Scholarship, at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, (also in the U.S.A.). He began teaching Moral Theology
Moral theology
Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...
at the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
. Later he taught bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, moral philosophy, moral theology
Moral theology
Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...
, and professional ethics
Professional ethics
Professional ethics encompass the personal and corporate standards of behaviour expected of professionals.- Professional ethics :Professional people and those working in acknowledged professions exercise specialist knowledge and skill...
at under-graduate and graduate levels. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Theology in 2007.
Agius was former member of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Bioethics (CDBI). He has been Member of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) since 2005. He is also Member of the National Consultative Bioethics Committee (Ministry of Health), of the Research Ethics Committee (Faculty of Medicine), and of the Health Ethics Committee on Clinical Trials (Ministry of Health); Ethical evaluator for the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
in FP6; participates in projects of OSCE/ODIHR and UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
; Coordinator of the Future Generations Programme at the Foundation for International Studies of the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
; Coordinator of the Euro-Mediterranean Programme on Intercultural Dialogue, Human Rights and Future Generations, also at the Foundation for International Studies, a programme supported by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
; Member of editorial boards of international journals on bioethics, moral philosophy and theology; and Member of the Scientific Committee of the Centro di Ateneo di Bioetica at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Works
Books- 1984 – A Social Ethical Theory based on Process Philosophy.
- 1986 - The Rights of Future Generations: In Search of an Intergenerational Ethical Theory.
- 1990 - Our Responsibilities Towards Future Generations (co-edited with Salvino BusuttilSalvino BusuttilSalvino Busuttil is a Maltese economist, and minor philosopher. In philosophy he mostly specialised in economics and international relations.-Life:...
, Peter Serracino InglottPeter Serracino InglottPeter Serracino Inglott is Emeritus Professor of philosophy at and former rector of the University of Malta...
and Tony Macelli). - 1991 - The Social Consciousness of the Church in Malta: 1891-1921.
- 1991 - Mit-Tnissil sal-Mewt tal-Bniedem: L-aħħar Zviluppi fil-Bioetika (From Conception to the Death of Man: The most recent developments in bioethics).
- 1994 - What future for Future Generations (co-edited with Salvino BusuttilSalvino BusuttilSalvino Busuttil is a Maltese economist, and minor philosopher. In philosophy he mostly specialised in economics and international relations.-Life:...
). - 1994 - Problems in Applied Ethics.
- 1998 - Caring for Future Generations: Jewish, Christian, Islamic Perspectives.
- 1998 - Future Generations and International Law (co-edited with Salvino BusuttilSalvino BusuttilSalvino Busuttil is a Maltese economist, and minor philosopher. In philosophy he mostly specialised in economics and international relations.-Life:...
). - 1998 - Germ-line Intervention and Our Responsibilities to Future Generations (co-edited with Salvino BusuttilSalvino BusuttilSalvino Busuttil is a Maltese economist, and minor philosopher. In philosophy he mostly specialised in economics and international relations.-Life:...
).
Articles
- 1988 – ‘From Individual Rights to Collective Rights to the Rights of Mankind’, in Melita Theologica.
- 1989 – ‘Caring for the Elderly and Malta's National Health Scheme’, in Hastings Centre Report.
- 1989 – ‘Towards a Relational Theory of Intergenerational Ethics’, in Bijdragen.
- 1989 – ‘Theology and Bioethics’, in The dove in the owl's nest.
- 1989 – ‘Germ-line Cells: Our Responsibilities to Future Generations’, in Ethics in the Natural Sciences (Concilium), ed. by D. Mieth & J. Pohier.
- 1990 – ‘From individual to collective rights to the rights of mankind’, in Our Responsibilities towards Future Generations, ed. by Emmanuel Agius et al.
- 1990 – ‘Towards a relational theory of intergenerational ethics’, in Our Responsibilities towards Future Generations, ed. by Emmanuel Agius et al.
- 1990 – ‘Germ-line cells’ in Our Responsibilities towards Future Generations, ed. by Emmanuel Agius et al.
- 1991 – ‘Infertility and Artificial Reproduction’, in Weddings and Homes.
- 1991 – ‘The Concept of the Common Heritage of Mankind in the Catholic Social Tradition’, in Melita Theologica.
- 1992 – ‘Ethical Issues of Routine Universal Screening’, in Proceedings of the U.G.M.D. Seminar on Screening for Blood Transmissible Disease.
- 1993 – ‘Our Responsibilities towards Future Generations: Malta's Contribution’, in Quaderni di Bioetica e Cultura.
- 1994 – ‘Patenting life’, in What Future for Future Generations?, ed. by E. Agius and S. Busuttil.
- 1994 – ‘Meaning and sanctity of aging’, in The Sanctity of Life.
- 1994 – ‘Autoerotismo’ (Auto-Erotism), in Dizionario di Bioetica, ed. by (S. Leone and S. Provitera.
- 1994 – ‘The Ethical Challenges of AIDS’, in Proceedings of the National Conference on AIDS.
- 1994 – ‘Generazioni Future’ (Future Generations), in Dizionario di Bioetica, ed. by S. Leone and S. Privitera.
- 1994 – ‘The 'Quality of Life' of Future Generations: What Kind of Responsibility Do we Have?’, in Why Future Generations Now?.
- 1994 – ‘La qualià della vità delle generazioni future: quale tipo di responsibiltà abbiamo?’ (The quality of life of future generations: what kind of responsibilities do we have?), in Il Contesto Culturale dell'Etica della Vita, ed. by S. Leone and S. Privitera.
- 1994 – ‘Meaning and Sanctity of Aging: New Trends in Public Policy’, in Quaderni di Bioetica e Cultura.
- 1994 – ‘Meaning and Sanctity of Aging: New Trends in Public Policy’, in Bioetica e Cultura.
- 1995 – ‘AIDS: sfida etico-sociale e prodlemi educative’, in AIDS. Problemi sanitari, sociali e morali, ed. by Salvatore Leone.
- 1995 – ‘Genes as the common heritage of mankind: Ethical Issues in patenting life’, in Bioetica, ed. by Carlo Romano and Goffrendo Grassani.
- 1996 – ‘Qualità della vita nel Mediterraneo: Prospettiva cattolica’ (Quality of life in the Mediterranean: a Catholic perspective), in Bioetica mediterraneeo e nordeuropa, ed. by S. Privitera.
- 1997 – ‘The Rights of Future Generations’, Interfaces, ed. by (J. Friggieri.
- 1998 – ‘Obligations of Justice towards Future Generations: A Revolution in Social and Legal Thought’, in Future Generations and International Law, ed. by E. Agius and S. Busuttil.
- 1998 – ‘Patenting life’, in What Future for Future Generations?, ed. by E. Agius and S. Busuttil.
- 1998 – ‘Quale futuro per le generazioni future del mediterraneo?’ (What future do Mediterranean future generations have?), in Bioetica e Cultura.
- 1998 – ‘Patenting Life: Our Responsibilities to Present and Future Generations’, in Germ-line Intervention and Our Responsibilities to Future Generations, ed. by E. Agius.
- 1998 – ‘Informed Consent: Ethical and Philosophical Issues’, in Informed Consent: Proceedings of a Symposium for Medical and Paramedical Practitioners, ed. by M.N. Cauchi.
- 1999 – ‘Bioethics and Disability’, in Proceedings of the Conference on Bioethics and Disability, ed. by M.N. Cauchi.
- 1999 – ‘What Future for Future Generations: A Whiteheadian Perspective’, in Framing a Vision of the World: Essays in Philosophy, Science and Religion, ed. by A. Cloots and S. Sia.
- 2000 – ‘Morality and Public Policy’ in Patients' Rights, Reproductive Technology, Transplantation, ed. by M. Cauchi.
- 2000 – ‘Un Patto tra le Generazioni’ (An agreement between generations), in Etica per le Professioni.
- 2002 – ‘The Rights of the Dying Patient’, in Bioethical Issues at the Beginning and End of Life, ed. by M.N Cauchi.
- 2002 – ‘Withholding and Withdrawing Treatment: Ethics at the Bedside’, in Bioethical Issues at the Beginning and End of Life, ed. by M.N Cauchi.
- 2003 – ‘Intergenerational Justice’, in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems, ed. by Richard. R. Ernst.
- 2003 – ‘Towards a Culture of Tolerance and Peace’, in website of the International Bureau for Children’s Rights of Canada.
- 2003 – ‘Alla ricerca di un approccio europeo alla bioetica’ (Towards the search of a European approach to bioethics), in Bioetica e Cultura XII.
- 2003 – ‘In Search of a European Approach to Bioethics: The Emergence of a Common Euro-Mediterranean Bioethical Culture’, in Ethical Issues in Practice for Nurses, Midwives and Family and Family Medicine, ed. by M.N. Cauchi.
- 2003 – ‘Ethical Challenges of the Future for the Nursing Profession’, in Ethical Issues in Practice for Nurses, Midwives and Family and Family Medicine, ed. by M.N. Cauchi.
- 2003 – ‘Il-Hajja bhala Rigal minghand Alla: l-Ulied’ (Life as a gift from God: soms and daughters), in Il-Familja Nisranija fil-ħajja tal-lum.
- 2004 – ‘In Search of a European Approach to Bioethics: The Emergence of a Common Euro-Mediterranean Bioethical Culture’, in In Joyful and Serene Service of his Lord's Word, ed. by A. Abela.
- 2006 – ‘Integration Justice’ in Handbook of Intergeneration Justice, ed. by Joerg Chet Tremmel.
- 2006 – ‘Environmental Ethics: Towards Intergenerational Justice’, in Environmental Ethics and International Policy, ed. by Henk ten Have.
- 2007 – ‘La biotecnologia e la dimensione intergenerazionale della soggesttività’ (Bio-technology and the intergenerational dimension of subjectivity), in Nuove Bio-Tecnologie, Biodiritto e Transformazione Della Soggettività, ed. by Laura Palazzan.
- 2007 – ‘Disbilità, Bioetica e Diritti Umani: Una prospettiva Euro-Mediterranean’ (Disability, Bioethics, and Human Rights: a Euro-Mediterranean perspective), Proceedings of the Third International Congress: Towards a New Humanism, Ethics and Disability, ed. by M. Camozzino and P. Ruffinatto.
- 2008 – ‘Do Future Generations have Rights?’, in Maltese Perspectives on Human Rights, ed. by D.E. Zammit.
- 2008 – ‘Environmental Responsibility and Business Styles: Ethical and Theological Perspectives’, in Business Styles and Sustainable Development, ed. by L. Mariani et al..
- 2008 – ‘Precauzione tra presente e futuro’ (Precautions between present and future), in Il Principio di Precauzione. Tra Filosofia, Biodiritto e Biopolitica, ed. by Luca Marini and Laura Palazzani.
- 2008 – ‘Esperienze didattiche a confronto: l'Università di Malta’ (Dialectical experiences confronted), in L'educazione alla bioetica in Europa, ed. by Poalo Girolami.
- 2009 – ‘Bioetica e disabilità’ (Bioethics and disability), in Bioetica e Cultura.
- 2009 – ‘Human Embryo Research and Dignitas Personae: A European Perspective’, in ßio-ethos.
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.
- Mark Montebello, Malta’s Philosophy & Philosophers, PIN Publications, Malta, 2011.