Hacker News Reader

Ironically, doctors have stopped taking the Hippocratic oath...because vowing to not kill people is so outdated now...

No, it's because large parts of the hippocratic oath are outdated and involve refusal to teach medicine to those not in the fraternity, and refusing abortions. In the UK, this has been replaced by Duties of a Doctor, which is much more progressive.

Also, the duty to teach your own teacher's son is a bit outdated.

I suspect the controversial part of the oath is the following: 'Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion.'

Like I said, not killing people is so behind the times :D

Of course, perhaps there is a bit of concern people may have when the person holding their life in their hands no longer takes an oath to preserve it, but what did the ancients know?

Not doing harm became an empty phrase? Chemotherapy etc do a bit of harm but for a greater good.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com