E.g., if “first, do no harm to your patient” were “first, do no harm to your patient unless it looks like a good idea” then Eliezer’s generalization would look less plausible; but changing it to “first, do no violence to your patient” or “first, commit no sins against your patient” would count as little or no counter-evidence
It absolutely counts as counter-evidence to me. Words have meanings. “Harm” is not the same as “violence”. Neither is it the same as a “sin”. The first meaning says, “Do not do anything to harm your patient, regardless of intent. If you do something well intentioned, but with bad results, you are still morally at fault.” The second means, “Do not take intentional action to harm your patient.” The third means, “Do your best to act in your patient’s best interest, but you will not be held morally at fault if bad results occur.” Those all all different, and the latter two are way looser in my opinion than, “Do no harm.”
It absolutely counts as counter-evidence to me. Words have meanings. “Harm” is not the same as “violence”. Neither is it the same as a “sin”. The first meaning says, “Do not do anything to harm your patient, regardless of intent. If you do something well intentioned, but with bad results, you are still morally at fault.” The second means, “Do not take intentional action to harm your patient.” The third means, “Do your best to act in your patient’s best interest, but you will not be held morally at fault if bad results occur.” Those all all different, and the latter two are way looser in my opinion than, “Do no harm.”