Bioethics: The Basics The Basics

Bioethics: The Basics is an introduction to the foundational principles, theories and issues in the study of medical and biological ethics. Readers are introduced to bioethics from the ground up before being invited to consider some of the most controversial but important questions facing us today. Topics addressed include: the range of moral theories underpinning bioethics arguments for the rights and wrongs of abortion, euthanasia and animal research health care ethics including the nature of the practitioner-patient relationship public policy ethics and the implications of global and public health ‘3 parents’, enhancement, incidental findings and nudge approaches in health care. This thoroughly revised second edition provides a concise, readable and authoritative introduction for anyone interested in the study of bioethics.

CONTENTS Preface Abbreviations 1 What is bioethics? What is bioethics? History What about the law? Methods Applications How to use this book Resources and further reading 2 Moral theories Introduction Counting the consequences Doing one’s duty Being a good person – virtue ethics Brotherhood and sisterhood – communitarianism Live free or die – libertarianism A balancing act – the four principles Resources and further reading Exercise 3 Perspectives Introduction Gendered agendas – feminist approaches To care or not to care? Culture and religion Conclusion Resources and further reading Exercises 4 Clinical ethics Introduction The clinical relationship – a conspiracy against the laity? Life before birth Transplantation and regenerative medicine Mental health The end of life After death Conclusions Resources and further reading Exercises 5 Research Introduction Research ethics Research integrity Research and the future Conclusion Resources and further reading Exercises 6 Justice Introduction Public health ethics Fair access and the paradox of health care Global inequity in health Global survival Resources and further reading Exercises Appendix Glossary References Index

Alastair V. Campbell, FRSE, is Emeritus Director of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore, founding editor of the Journal of Medical Ethics, formerly President of the International Association of Bioethics, and an H. K. Beecher Awardee of the Hastings Center, NY.