Which ethical principle is demonstrated when an adult child is legally given the right to make medical decisions for a cognitively impaired parent?

Paternalism is the ethical principle demonstrated when someone in authority overrides an individual's autonomy and makes decisions on their behalf, believing it is in their best interest. When a court legally grants an adult child the right to make medical decisions for a cognitively impaired parent, the parent's own decision-making capacity has been superseded by another person acting as a surrogate — a classic expression of paternalism. This arrangement is justified because the parent lacks the cognitive ability to make informed, autonomous choices, so another person assumes that role to protect the parent's welfare. Justice refers to fair and equal distribution of resources and treatment among individuals, which is not relevant here. Fidelity involves keeping promises and maintaining loyalty and trust in relationships — also not applicable to surrogate decision-making authority. Beneficence is the obligation to do good and act in the client's best interest; while beneficence may motivate paternalistic actions, it does not describe the structural transfer of decision-making authority itself. The defining feature of this scenario is that the parent's own autonomy is legally overridden by a designated substitute decision-maker, which is the hallmark of paternalism rather than any of the other ethical principles listed.