The Sanctity of Human Life

by Novak, David

• ISBN13: 9781589011762
• ISBN10: 1589011767
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-10-01
• Publisher: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY PRESS

Summary

Heated debates are not unusual when confronting tough medical issues where it seems that moral and religious perspectives often erupt in conflict with philosophical or political positions. In The Sanctity of Human Life, Jewish theologian David Novak acknowledges that it is impossible not to take into account the theological view of human life, but the challenge is how to present the religious perspective to nonreligious people. In doing so, he shows that the two positions--the theological and the philosophical--aren't as far apart as they may seem. Novak digs deep into Jewish scripture and tradition to find guidance for assessing three contemporary controversies in medicine and public policy: the use of embryos to derive stem cells for research, socialized medicine, and physician-assisted suicide. Beginning with thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Nietsche, and drawing on great Jewish figures in history--Maimonides, Rashi--Novak speaks brilliantly to these modern moral dilemmas.

Table of Contents

Preface
On the use of embryonic stem cells	p. 1
Normative questions and normative contexts	p. 1
Philosophy, politics, and theology and their interrelations	p. 15
The status of the embryo in current Jewish discussion	p. 27
Natural law in Judaism	p. 31
Three rabbinic texts pertaining to abortion	p. 35
The embryo before and after the fortieth day of gestation	p. 50
Law and scientific evidence	p. 58
The beginning of human life	p. 66
Permission or obligation?	p. 69
Political realities	p. 71
Notes	p. 73
A Jewish argument for socialized medicine	p. 91
Universal health care : Canada and the United States	p. 91
Moral and theological problems with the practice medicine	p. 92
Medicine as a sacred profession	p. 98
Medicine as a calling	p. 101
Nonsectarian medicine	p. 104
Notes	p. 107
Physician-assisted suicide	p. 111
Theology, philosophy, and politics	p. 111
Who is guilty in physician-assisted suicide?	p. 112
The physician kills the patient	p. 117
The physician orders the patient killed	p. 118
The physician orders the patient to commit suicide	p. 122
The physician prepares the patient for suicide	p. 127
Suicide as a reflexive act	p. 130
Suicide as personal responsibility	p. 136
Public philosophy in a secular society	p. 141
Suicide : public and private	p. 144
Society's claims on the individual person	p. 149
Struggling against the politics of death	p. 158
Notes	p. 160
Bibliography	p. 173
Index	p. 181
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