Bioethics asks fundamental questions. "Who lives? Who dies? Who decides?" These questions are relevant
to us all. Too often, the general public's sole encounter with these weighty questions is through sound bites fed
to us by the media--where complex, difficult matters are typically presented in superficial and inaccurate terms.
Here, renowned bioethicist Albert R. Jonsen equips readers with the tools and background to navigate the fascinating
and complex landscape of bioethics.
Bioethics Beyond the Headlines is a primer. You will not find convoluted philosophical arguments in this volume.
Rather, you will find an engaging sampling of the key questions in bioethics, including euthanasia, assisted reproduction,
cloning and stem cells, neuroscience, access to healthcare, and even research on animals and questions of environmental
ethics--areas typically overlooked in general introductions to bioethics. But a "primer" is not merely
a first book--it should also "prime" the interest of the reader, to prepare the mind for a more expansive
venture into these issues. Bioethics Beyond the Headlines intends to do just that.
Table of Contents
Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides? An Essay on Ethics and Bioethics
Clinical Bioethics
Defining Death
Foregoing Life Support: The Quality of Life
Autonomy of the Patient
Euthanasia
Organ Transplantation
Assisted Reproduction
Abortion
Scientific Bioethics
Research with Humans
Genetics
Neuroscience
Cloning and Stem Cells Research
The Wider World of Bioethics
Bioethics and the Health Care System
Cultural Bioethics
Animal Ethics
Environmental Ethics
Conclusion
Appendix A: Precis of Moral Philosophy
Appendix B: Precis of History of Medical Ethics
Appendix C: The Frankenstein Analogy
Glossary
Index
