Against Bioethics

Basic Bioethics

by Jonathan Baron

Argues that applied bioethics should embrace utilitarian decision analysis, thus avoiding recommendations expected to do more harm than good.

Genres: Philosophy

249 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Jonathan Baron is professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He studies intuitions and judgment biases that impede maximization of utility (good) by democratic government. These include parochialism, the act-omission distinction, moralistic values, and the isolation effect. Relevant rubrics are Behavioral Public Finance, Behavioral Public Economics, and Behavioral Law and Economics. He is also interested in experimentation and data analysis.

Reviews

[gaby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to give baron the benefit of the doubt and say that my impoverished understanding of economics stunted my appreciation for this work. That may be so. But I do not have an impoverished understanding of either theoretical or applied bioethics. And my knowledge and his ideas rarely crossed. I was frustrated by his overly academic attitude towards situations that arise in the world outside of the ivory tower -- decisions made at the bedside or operating room, or at a higher level, decisions that yield admittedly incoherent public policy on healthcare and biomedical research. As a lawyer who practices applied bioethics, I was frustrated by his dismissal (or, worse, incorrect restatements) of the federal and state laws and regulations governing the topics he discusses. Perhaps this book would be a better match for an economist interested in these issues -- I'd be interested to know how the book was received in that circle.