This book is the first broad history of the growing field of bioethics. Covering the period 1947-1987, it examines the origin and evolution of the debates over human experimentation, genetic engineering, organ transplantation, termination of life-sustaining treatment, and new reproductive technologies. It assesses the contributions of philosophy, theology, law and the social sciences to the expanding discourse of bioethics. Written by one of the field's founders, it is based on extensive archival research into resources that are difficult to obtain and on interviews with many leading figures....

"The book will lead to a reinterpretation of the history of western morals. . . . It's an excellent book."--Baruch A. Brody, Baylor College of Medicine

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....

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....

We are finally beginning to see that casuistry, once so despised, points a way out of the great dilemmas in moral reasoning we face today. To read this superb book is to emerge from a cloud of unknowing."-John W. O'Malley, S.J., Distinguished Professor of Church History, Weston Jesuit School of Theology "The current debate about casuistic method and the relation of case reasoning to ethical theory can benefit from a closer study of the history. . . . The Context of Casuistry contributes importantly to this discovery."-from the foreword by Albert R. Jonsen, coauthor of The Abuse of Casuistry...

This book brings together in a single volume the core bioethics legislative documents, court briefs, and reports by professional organizations, public bodies, and governments around the world.

A physician says, "I have an ethical obligation never to cause the death of a patient," another responds, "My ethical obligation is to relieve pain even if the patient dies." The current argument over the role of physicians in assisting patients to die constantly refers to the ethical duties of the profession. References to the Hippocratic Oath are often heard. Many modern problems, from assisted suicide to accessible health care, raise questions about the traditional ethics of medicine and the medical profession. However, few know what the traditional ethics are and how they came into being....