Life, Love and Children A Practical Introduction to Bioscience Ethics and Bioethics

Discussion of bioscience ethics requires understanding of the science that underpins biological systems impinging on our lives. Unencumbered by the formal structure of ethics, bioethics presents a forum for discussion of practical matters of individual and collective concern. This comprehensive text is a guide to the essentials of bioscience ethics and an interface between applied science and applied bioethics.

Early chapters embrace topics affecting human reproduction – substance abuse and parenthood, aging gametes and congenital malformations, child abuse and its biological consequences.

Intermediate chapters deal with end-of-life care and euthanasia, human fertility, assisted reproductive technologies, genetic engineering, and cloning.

Remaining chapters challenge human-dominated ecosystems. Population growth, economic activity, and warfare – with its environmental consequences – are reviewed. A background section describes the evolution of ethical consciousness, explores the future, and proposes that the reworking of ethical boundaries can enhance mature decision-making in harmony with changing technology.

1 Historical Perspective.- The Hunter-Gatherers Homo sapiens.- On the Evolution of Ethics.- Bioethics.- Bioscience Ethics.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 2 Inappropriate Lifestyle and Congenital Disability in Children: Basic Principles of Growth, Toxicology, Teratogenesis and Mutagenesis.- Patterns of Human Growth.- The Embryonic/Fetal Periods and Embryo Staging.- The Placenta as the Maternal-Fetal Interface.- Abnormal Prenatal Growth Patterns.- Toxicology: Basic Principles.- Teratogenesis, Mutagenesis, and Carcinogenesis.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 3 Substance Abuse and Parenthood: Biological Mechansims — Ethical Responsibilities.- Behavioral Variables — Biological Consequences.- Behavioral Variables — Bioethical Challenges.- 4 Ovulatory Method of Birth Control: Aging Gametes and Congenital Malformations in Childern.- The Laws of Inheritance.- Human Fecundity.- Female Libido: Procreational versus Recreational Sex.- Principles of Reproductive Aging.- Aging Gametes and Ovulatory Method of Birth Control.- The Gametopathy Hypothesis and Congenital Anomalies.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 5 Understanding Child Abuse and Its Biological Consequences.- Unwanted Birth and Crime.- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or the Physical Signature of Unresolved Trauma.- The Biology of Behaviour and Cognition.- Stress and Psychosocial Short Stature.- Future Prospects?.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 6 The State of Wellbeing: on Health and Ill-health.- Basic Principles of Wellbeing or in Control of our Destiny.- 7 The State of Wellbeing: On the End of Life Care and Euthanasia.- Criteria for Re-Defining the Beginning and End of a Life.- Euthanasia, an Evolving Concept.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics forDiscussion.- 8 Procreative Technology: Achievements and Desired Goals.- Fertility Control — the Evolutionary Perspective.- Infertility — the Price of Excess Fecundity.- Assisted Reproduction: Social Considerations.- Assisted Reproduction: Technological Considerations.- Artificial Insemination.- In vitro Fertilization and Related Technologies.- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection and Cytoplasmic Transfer Technologies.- Maturing Human Eggs in the laboratory.- Surrogacy.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 9 The Recombinant DNA Technologies.- Genetic Engineering and Related Technologies — Biological Perspective.- The Human Genome and the Human Genome Diversity Projects.- 10 Cloning Technology.- What is a Clone?.- Reproductive Cloning: Basic Principles.- Embryonic Stem Cell or Therapeutic Cloning.- Reproductive cloning: Ethical Considerations.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 11 Human Dominated Ecosystems: Re-Evaluating Environmental Priorities.- Population Growth and Economic Activity — Are we Overstraining our Limits?.- Understanding Living Cycles and Anticipating Environmental Policies Rather than Relying on Remedial Measures.- 12 Human Dominated Ecosystems: Reclaiming the Future by Taking Due Account of Following Generations.- Self-Destructive Behavior and the Environment.- 13 Human Dominated Ecosystems: Warefare Fitness Enhancement or Losing Strategy.- The Institution of War.- The Tragedy of Conflict.- Biological Warfare.- Virtual Warfare.- The Legacy of War on Future Generations.- Principle of Bioscience Ethics for Discussion.- 14 Human Dominated Ecosystems: Reworking Bioethical Frontiers.- Global Responsibility — a Transboundary Dètente to Developmental Needs and Environmental Preservation.- Stewardship of Mother Earth — inDefense of the Global Commons.- Selected Bibliography.