I think the norm only applies to patients who are in serious danger. If the patient is conscious and can basically look after themselves, it doesn’t apply. Also, it doesn’t necessarily apply if help is not coming / the rescuer is in danger themselves if they stay. (This aspect might be more controversial. But situations like that are pretty rare in civilization anyway.)
But in the situation where (1) more help is likely to arrive, (2) the patient is unconscious, or otherwise in serious danger if left alone, and (3) the rescuer is not in serious danger from staying, I think the norm applies.
(It’s definitely a bit Copenhagen Ethics, but I think there’s an embedded assumption that rescuers are unlikely to refrain from helping someone out of concern that the person will become their problem. This is especially true of licensed medical professionals, for whom the norm most applies, and I think may even be a condition of their license, or a legal duty, in some cases.)
I think Copenhagen Ethics is the correct perspective to apply in this situation because if you’re helping someone other people look at the patient and think “this patient has already been helped”. By providing assistance and then abandoning a patient you can do more harm than good by preventing others from helping.
I am vaguely aware of this norm but don’t really understand it. It seems like it should depend on what sort of help your giving them.
I think the norm only applies to patients who are in serious danger. If the patient is conscious and can basically look after themselves, it doesn’t apply. Also, it doesn’t necessarily apply if help is not coming / the rescuer is in danger themselves if they stay. (This aspect might be more controversial. But situations like that are pretty rare in civilization anyway.)
But in the situation where (1) more help is likely to arrive, (2) the patient is unconscious, or otherwise in serious danger if left alone, and (3) the rescuer is not in serious danger from staying, I think the norm applies.
(It’s definitely a bit Copenhagen Ethics, but I think there’s an embedded assumption that rescuers are unlikely to refrain from helping someone out of concern that the person will become their problem. This is especially true of licensed medical professionals, for whom the norm most applies, and I think may even be a condition of their license, or a legal duty, in some cases.)
I did leave out some important qualifiers.
I think Copenhagen Ethics is the correct perspective to apply in this situation because if you’re helping someone other people look at the patient and think “this patient has already been helped”. By providing assistance and then abandoning a patient you can do more harm than good by preventing others from helping.