Moral Problems in Medicine: A Practical Coursebook

by Palmer, Michael F.

• ISBN13: 9780802082572
• ISBN10: 0802082572
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-03-01
• Publisher: Univ of Toronto Pr

Summary

In his important new book, Michael Palmer, assuming no prior philosophical knowledge on the part of the reader, examines the controversial issues of euthanasia, abortion and experimentation on humans and animals, as well as the right to self-determination and the limits of confidentiality.

Each topic is lucidly introduced and then examined in more depth through extracts taken from such major ethical thinkers as James Rachels, Sissela Bok and Peter Singer.

Pertinent case studies bring the subjects to life. Exercises are provided for individual or group work, and a well organized bibliography follows at the end of each chapter for the use of those who want to research a particular area in more depth.

This excellent introduction to moral problems in medicine will interest anyone with a concern for human wellbeing, as well as provide vital theoretical tools for those who face medical dilemmas every day. As a textbook it provides the essential ethical content for the training of medical students, nurses and other health professionals.

Author Biography

MICHAEL PALMER is Academic Tutor in the School of Theology at Westminster College, Oxford, Teaching Fellow at McMaster University and Humboldt Fellow at Marburg University. He is author of Moral Problems (University of Toronto Press, 1995).

Table of Contents

Introduction
Ethics	p. 15
Egoism	p. 23
Discussion: Egoism and the Right to Life	p. 36
Utilitarianism	p. 66
Discussion: Utilitarianism and the Ethics of Experimentation	p. 81
The Ethical Theory of Immanuel Kant	p. 105
Discussion: Kant and the Ethics of Truth-Telling	p. 130
Determinism and Free Will	p. 145
Discussion: Medical Practice and the Ethics of Behaviour Control	p. 159
Appendix: Meta-Ethics	p. 179
Index	p. 187
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.