beneficence

1. The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial.
2. A charitable act or gift.

[Latin beneficentia, from beneficus, beneficent-, benefic. See benefic.]

noun

1. Kindly, charitable interest in others: altruism, benevolence, benignancy, benignity, charitableness, charity, goodwill, grace, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindness, philanthropy. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude, kind/cruel.
2. Something given to a charity or cause: alms, benefaction, charity, contribution, donation, gift, handout, offering, subscription. See give/take/reciprocity.
3. A charitable deed: benefaction, benevolence, benignity, favor, kindliness, kindness, oblation, office (often used in plural), philanthropy. See give/take/reciprocity, kind/cruel.

In public health, the governing ethical theory is utilitarianism, meaning "doing the greatest good for the largest number of people." Beneficence is strongly tied to the utilitarian theory of ethics. It is one of four principles considered in medicine and public health under the principle-based approach to ethical analysis. The other three principles are: respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, and distributive justice. Beneficence is the professional duty to do or produce good. By "good" is meant the performance of acts of kindness and charity. "Doing good" is considered virtuous conduct. Ultimately, beneficence is the duty to do more good than harm through public health actions because, in practice, no action in public health will have exclusively beneficial effects. For example, if a public health agency becomes aware of a person infected with a bacterium that could be spread through the air, then, there is, on the one hand, a duty to respect the person's right to confidentiality and freedom of movement. But, on the other hand, there is a greater duty to prevent the spread of the bacterium to other people. Thus, more good would be achieved by protecting the public health, which can be accomplished only by breaching the duty to maintain the infected person's confidentiality and freedom of movement. Such breaches would occur only to reduce the risk associated with permitting the infectious person to put others at risk of infection (e.g., through quarantine or confinement, with a consequent loss of privacy in terms of the diagnosis). The ethical dilemma for decision makers in public health lies in weighing the pros and cons between at least two conflicting options: protecting the individual's rights or protecting the public health. Such breaches of an individual's rights are rare in public health and are undertaken only with maximum discretion.

(SEE ALSO: Autonomy; Ethics of Public Health; Nonmaleficence; Paternalism)

Bibliography

Beauchamp T. L., and Childress, J. F. (1994). Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 4th edition. New York: Oxford University Press.

— COLIN L. SOSKOLNE

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: doing good; feeling beneficent
  Antonym: maleficence (meaning #1)

Meaning #2: the quality of being kind or helpful or generous
  Antonym: maleficence (meaning #2)

This article is about the Ball State University statue. For other uses, see Beneficence (disambiguation).

Ball State University campus
Beneficence
Use	Statue
Style	Memorial
Erected	1937
Location	Old Quad
	40°11′54″N 85°24′37″W / 40.19827271°N 85.41027832°W / 40.19827271; -85.41027832Coordinates: 40°11′54″N 85°24′37″W / 40.19827271°N 85.41027832°W / 40.19827271; -85.41027832
Architect	Daniel Chester French (Statue) Richard Henry Dana (Landscape)
Medium	Bronze
Website	Beneficence

Beneficence is a bronze statue on the campus of Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana. It is referred to as "Benny" by the students.

Contents 1 History 2 Lore 3 See also 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External links

History

In 1930, a small group of men decided to establish a permanent symbol of Muncie and Ball State University's gratitude for the Ball family's extensive generosity.

This group commissioned renowned sculptor Daniel Chester French, who sculpted the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., and named it Beneficence which he felt aptly described the feelings of the community and the actions of the Ball brothers. Finally erected in the midst of the Great Depression, Beneficence has become a chief icon of the University, and it symbolizes the selflessness of the Ball family in their affection for the community.

Beneficence's hand stretches out to welcome new students to campus. The treasure box she holds in her other arm represents the treasure education can offer. Her wings represent the flight into the world that take place when students graduate. The five pillars behind the statue represent the Ball Brothers, for whom the university is named.

Beneficence has a sister statue located in the Boston Gardens Park in Boston, Massachusetts, which holds a dish instead of a box.

Lore

Students on campus have been said to believe that if you sit at Beneficence's steps and kiss your true love, Benny's wings will flap, only if the eyes of the students are closed. Another myth is that the 5 urns above the pillars hold the Ball Brother's ashes, which is proven incorrect because they are buried in Beech Grove Cemetery.^[1]

See also

• Beneficence (disambiguation)

Gallery

References

1. ^ Myths and Legends Haunt BSU. (Ball State University Daily News Website), Retrieved June 1, 2009.

External links

• Ball State University Libraries Digital Media Repository: Campus Photograph Collection Historic photographs of Ball State campus including Beneficence sculpture
• Benny's Story: A History of Beneficence, Ball State University Archives and Special Collections Exhibit on the history of the Beneficence sculpture

v • d • e BALL STATE UNIVERSITY Academics College of Architecture and Planning • Miller College of Business • Teachers College • Burris Laboratory School • Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities Campus Bracken House • Bracken Library • Christy Woods • Emens Auditorium • LaFollette Complex • Shafer Tower • University Observatory • Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank Culture Beneficence • Frog Baby Fountain • Ball State Daily News • WCRD • WIPB • The Pride of Mid-America Marching Band • Museum of Art • History Athletics Ball State Cardinals • Ball State Men's Basketball • Ball State Football • MAC • Irving Gymnasium • Scheumann Stadium • John E. Worthen Arena • Charlie Cardinal People Notable Alumni • Ball Brothers • Angela Ahrendts • Bridget Bobel • Angelin Chang • Jim Davis • Joyce DeWitt • Doug Jones • David Letterman • Kent C. Nelson • John Schnatter Presidents Parsons • Hines • Burris • Pittenger • Wagoner • Emens • Pruis • Burkhardt • Anderson • Bell • Worthen • Brownell • Gora

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