Stem Cells, Human Embryos and Ethics: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

ISBN-13: 9781402069888 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 255 str.

Østnor, Lars

Opis

Is it acceptable from an ethical point of view to use stem cells from human embryos for scientific research and clinical therapy? And what are the weaknesses and strengths of various opinions and positions when they are critically evaluated? These are the main problems dealt with in this book. The various chapters as a whole give a comprehensive, many-sided and balanced discussion of the subject. The book contains contributions from biological, medical, social, political, philosophical and theological perspectives. The authors have been chosen because of their professional competence, many of them being respected scholars on a top international level. They give an updated contribution from their own discipline in order to enlighten the different aspects of the common theme. The authors cover various positions and evaluations with regard to the question of the use of embryonic stem cells for research and therapy. The book is written for several audiences: a) scholars and professionals working with stem cell research or with the ethical questions arising from this field (people from biology, medicine, law, philosophy, theology etc.), b) advanced and graduate students within the same professional disciplines and c) politicians and the general public interested in the burning ethical problems which are intensively debated in many countries.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"This excellent anthology focuses on whether using stem cells from human embryos for scientific research and clinical therapy is ethical. The articles are well written and supported. Contributors represent a broad spectrum of respected scholars from various fields and nations, who illuminate different perspectives on the common theme of stem cell research. ... Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers." (R. Werner, Choice, Vol. 46 (8), April, 2009)

Spis treści

Preface by Mahendra Rao Introduction by Lars Østnor Biological and Medical Perspectives 1. The Moral Status of Human Embryos with Special Regard to Stem Cell Research and Therapy: Biological and Medical Perspectives 2. Steinar Funderud: Stem Cells: Sources and Clinical Applications 3. Ole Johan Borge: Alternative Means to Obtain Pluripotent Stem Cells 4. Håvard Ølstørn, Morten C. Moe, Mercy Varghese, Iver A. Langmoen: Neurogenesis and Potential Use of Stem Cells from Adult Human Brain 5. Joel C. Glover: Can We Use Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Brain and Spinal Cord Injury and Disease? 6. William B. Hurlbut: Stem Cells, Embryos and Ethics: Is There a Way Forward? Social and political perspectives 7. LeRoy Walters: An Intercultural Perspective on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research 8. Egbert Schroten: Human Embryo Research: The European Perspective 9. Theo A. Boer: Stem Cells, Pluralism, and Moral Empathy Philosophical perspectives 10. Dagfinn Føllesdal: The Potentiality Argument and Stem Cell Research 11. Øyvind Baune: Can the Distinction Between the Moral and the Descriptive Support a Full Moral Standing of an Embryo? 12. Anthony Kenny: The Beginning of Individual Human Life 13. Ludger Honnefelder: Embryonic Stem Cell Research – Arguments of the Ethical Debate in Germany 14. Otfried Höffe: The Question of Human Cloning in the Context of the Stem Cell Debate Theological perspectives 15. Lars Østnor: Stem Cells from Human Embryos for Research? The Theological Discussion within Christianity 16. Gunnar Heiene: Theological Arguments in the Human Stem Cell Debate: A Critical Evaluation 17. Monika Bobbert: Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cells – Ethical Aspects