82 Kelly Bannister
The Ethical Guidance comprises nine interrelated principles that are intended to
be considered simultaneously to nurture “ethical understandings and capacities to share knowledge in a good way” (Ethics Circle, 2021, p. 9), meaning in
respectful ways that uphold the integrity of all knowledge systems involved and
with “full awareness of interconnectedness between the spiritual and physical
realms” (Flicker et al., 2015). The nine guiding principles “address a pressing
need for contemporary ethical guidance that considers the intercultural, interspecies and intergenerational aspects of reconciling diverse ways of knowing,
being and doing” (Ethics Circle, 2021, p. 9).
The principles are intentionally written as verbs rather than nouns, to
emphasize the ongoing action-oriented nature of ethical relations and relational
accountability. The principles include:
• Respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of All Our
Relations;
• Caring about well-being;
• Embracing humility and precaution;
• Honoring Indigenous languages;
• Nurturing mutual trust and respect;
• Reciprocating positively with generosity;
• Upholding the Integrity of Indigenous knowledge systems;
• Consenting meaningfully;
• Co-protecting Indigenous knowledge.
The first named principle “Respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of All Our Relations” (Ethics Circle, 2021, pp. 13–15) clearly establishes
the relational context for all the principles by extending “inherent dignity” (a
principle and right enshrined in ethics and law) beyond humankind to embrace
all living beings in a way that honors and respects kinship understandings that
all things in the universe are related and interconnected in the web of life, and
all forms of life, including Mother Earth, exist with an inherent right of being. It
means acting in ways that equally value all humans and accepting responsibilities
to coexist respectfully with one another and All Our Relations.
The other eight principles are similarly founded in Indigenous principles, v alues
and teachings, and bridged with Western ethical traditions, including the principle of consent, which is articulated as “Consenting meaningfully” ( Ethics Circle,
2021, p. 27). This principle draws upon and elaborates elements of FPIC within
a broader and deeper relational context. It was partially inspired by the O ffice of
the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s Guidelines For O btaining Meaning ful Consent (2018), and draws on the key elements of consent (noted previously) that are
described in the CIHR Guidelines (Canadian Institutes for Health (CIHR), 2007)
and TCPS2 (Canadian Institutes for Health (CIHR) et al., 2018), as well as “educated prior informed consent” described in the I nternational Society of E thnobiology’s
Code of Ethics (International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE), 2006).
The Ethical Guidance comprises nine interrelated principles that are intended to
be considered simultaneously to nurture “ethical understandings and capacities to share knowledge in a good way” (Ethics Circle, 2021, p. 9), meaning in
respectful ways that uphold the integrity of all knowledge systems involved and
with “full awareness of interconnectedness between the spiritual and physical
realms” (Flicker et al., 2015). The nine guiding principles “address a pressing
need for contemporary ethical guidance that considers the intercultural, interspecies and intergenerational aspects of reconciling diverse ways of knowing,
being and doing” (Ethics Circle, 2021, p. 9).
The principles are intentionally written as verbs rather than nouns, to
emphasize the ongoing action-oriented nature of ethical relations and relational
accountability. The principles include:
• Respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of All Our
Relations;
• Caring about well-being;
• Embracing humility and precaution;
• Honoring Indigenous languages;
• Nurturing mutual trust and respect;
• Reciprocating positively with generosity;
• Upholding the Integrity of Indigenous knowledge systems;
• Consenting meaningfully;
• Co-protecting Indigenous knowledge.
The first named principle “Respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of All Our Relations” (Ethics Circle, 2021, pp. 13–15) clearly establishes
the relational context for all the principles by extending “inherent dignity” (a
principle and right enshrined in ethics and law) beyond humankind to embrace
all living beings in a way that honors and respects kinship understandings that
all things in the universe are related and interconnected in the web of life, and
all forms of life, including Mother Earth, exist with an inherent right of being. It
means acting in ways that equally value all humans and accepting responsibilities
to coexist respectfully with one another and All Our Relations.
The other eight principles are similarly founded in Indigenous principles, v alues
and teachings, and bridged with Western ethical traditions, including the principle of consent, which is articulated as “Consenting meaningfully” ( Ethics Circle,
2021, p. 27). This principle draws upon and elaborates elements of FPIC within
a broader and deeper relational context. It was partially inspired by the O ffice of
the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s Guidelines For O btaining Meaning ful Consent (2018), and draws on the key elements of consent (noted previously) that are
described in the CIHR Guidelines (Canadian Institutes for Health (CIHR), 2007)
and TCPS2 (Canadian Institutes for Health (CIHR) et al., 2018), as well as “educated prior informed consent” described in the I nternational Society of E thnobiology’s
Code of Ethics (International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE), 2006).