Beginning Bioethics: A Text with Integrated Readings gives students an introduction to the language of
philosophical ethics before leading them through six major issues in bioethics. The bioethics section not only
includes Ridley's clear explanations of all sides of a given issue, but also his analysis of a major, previously
published article on that issue. It was written to accompany Cases in Bioethics, out in a new edition this
year.
· Gives students familiarity with talking about ethics in general before tackling specific issues in bioethics.
· Balanced discussion of six major issues in bioethics.
· Models good philosophical discussion for students with analysis of the arguments contained in major, previously
published articles.
· Provides philosophical counterpart to cases discussed by medial practitioners in Crigger, Cases in
Bioethics, Third Edition.
Table of Contents
Preface
PART ONE: THE BASICS OF ETHICAL ARGUMENT
Introduction
1. Motivations
Avoiding Bloodshed
Resisting Relativisim
Sidestepping Religion
Clarifying Your Position
Persuasion and Public Policy
Recap: Reasons for Arguing about Ethics
2. Materials: Theories in Ethics
What Is Ethical Theory?
Deontology
Deontology and Consistency
Deontology and Special Obligations
Deontology and Supererogation
Deontology and Rational Justification
Deontology and Conflicting Duties and Obligations
Deontology and Indifference to Consequences
Selected Bibliography
Act Utilitarianism
Act Utilitarianism and Benevolence
Act Utilitarianism and Rationality
Act Utilitarianism and Situational Decision-Making
Act Utilitarianism and Predicting the Future
Act Utilitarianism and Incommensurability
Act Utilitarianism and Special Obligations
Act Utilitarianism and Supererogation
Act Utilitarianism and Inconsistency
Act Utilitarianism and Injustice
Selected Bibliography
Rule Utilitarianism
Some Strengths of Rule Utilitarianism
Some Weaknesses of Rule Utilitarianism
Selected Bibliography
Rights
Rights and Deontology
Rights and Act Utilitarianism
Rights and Rule Utilitarianism
Selected Bibliography
Ethical Theories in Combination
Recap: Pluses and Minuses
3. More Materials: Principles in Ethics
What Is an Ethical Principle?
Beneficence
Respect for Autonomy
Conflicts of Principle
Paternalism
Libertarianism
Justice
Recap: Principles in Outline
Selected Bibliography
4. Methods
Rational Argument
The Role of Intuition
The Use of Examples
Argument by Analogy
Slippery-Slope Arguments
The Joys of Compromise
Devil's Advocacy
Recap: On Being Persuasive
PART TWO: THE BASIC ISSUES OF BIOETHICS
5. Professional Responsibility and the Rights of Patients
Telling the Truth
Knowledge and Autonomy
Dishonesty
Paternalism and Beneficence; Lipkin's Argument, "On Lying to Patients"
Responding to Lipkin
Placebos
Recap: Full Disclosure
Informed Consent
The Importance of Informed Consent
Informing the Patient
The Patient's Consent
Patients Who Cannot Consent
Recap: Getting the Go-ahead
Confidentiality
Modern Complexities: Siegler's Argument, "Confidentiality in Medicine"
Responding to Siegler
Gossip
Harm to Others
Recap: Keeping Secrets
6. Reproductive Rights and Abortion
Reproductive Rights
Naturalness
Significant Relationships
Recap: The Ethics of New Technologies
Abortion
The Sanctity of Life
The Status of the Fetus
Personhood
Potential Personhood
Opposing Abortion: Marquis's Argument, "Why Abortion is Immoral"
Responding to Marquis
The Interests of the Woman
Defending Abortion: Thompson's Argument, "
A Defense of Abortion"
Responding to Thompson
Rape
Failed Contraception
Recap: The Abortion Debate
7. Death and Dying
What Is Death?
The Official Definition: The Argument of the President's Commission
Responding to the Commission
The Traditional Conception
Recap: Defining Death
Euthanasia
Suicide
Voluntary Euthanasia and Suicide
Nonvoluntary Euthanasia and Murder
Killing and Letting Die: Rachels's Argument,
"Active and Passive Euthanasia"
Responding to Rachels
The Doctrine of Double Effect
Living Wills
Recap: Mercy Killing
8. Research with Living Subjects
Drug Trials
Selecting Human Research Subjects
Harm
Unethical Experiments: Ridley's Argument, "Ill-Gotten Gains"
Responding to Ridley
Animal Research: Regan's Argument, "The Case Against Animal Research"Responding to Regan
Recap: Sacrifices
9. Mental Incompetence
The Nature of Mental Incompetence
Incompetent at What?
A Conspiracy Theory: Szasz's Argument,
"The Myth of Mental Illness"
Responding to Szasz
Incompetence and Autonomy
Recap: On Counting as Competent
Decisions About Treatment
Treating People Against Their Will: Chodoff's
Argument, "The Case for Involuntary
Hospitalization of the Mentally Ill"
Responding to Chodoff
Paternalism and Beneficence
Involuntary Sterilization
Recap: Helping the Helpless
10. Allocation and Health Care Policy
Allocating Scarce Resources
Health and Wealth
Rights
Justice
Utilitarian Justice
Libertarian Justice
Egalitarian Justice
Care According to Need: Nielsen's Argument, "Autonomy, Equality, and a Just Health Care System"
Responding to Nielsen
Recap: Fair Shares
Organ Procurement and Transplantation
The Donor
The Recipient
Organs for Sale
Organ Farming
You Stole My Heart Away
Gene Therapy and Genetic Engineering
Choosing People
Avoiding People: Purdy's Argument, "Genetic Diseases: Can Having Children be Immoral?"
Responding to Purdy
Curing People: Somatic-Cell Therapy
Changing People: Germ-Line Therapy
Recap: A Better World?
