Abstract
Models are conceptual constructions, with some degree of simplification, that keep a partial match with the phenomena they aim to address. The Principialist model, which is based on a matrix formed by four principles: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy and Justice, stands out in the Bioethical field. When addressing a conflict between ethical guidelines, this model makes it possible to evaluate those guidelines that are more appropriate to the specific concrete situation. Based on the logical diagram, we sought to deepen the theoretical-conceptual foundation of bioethics, considering the standard Principialist model, which is an important heuristic tool. Logical relationships underlie all thoughts, and diagrams show such relationships in integrated spatial structures, representing the topology of concepts. The logical relationships, present in the structure of the models, allow one to understand the conceptual field of principles that operate within bioethical reasoning. The diagrammatic reasoning thus allows us to observe that, in the face of problem situations, there is no incompatibility between the Principialist and Personalist concepts - on the contrary, they complement one another and have synergy.
Bioethics; Logic; Heuristics; Cognition; Linguistics
