Biomedical Ethics

by Walter Glannon

Today, advances in medicine and biotechnology occur at a rapid pace and have a profound impact on our lives. Mechanical devices can sustain an injured person's life indefinitely. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the body and brain can reveal disorders before symptoms appear. Genetic testing of embryos can predict whether people will have diseases earlier or later in life. It may even become possible to clone human beings. These and other developments raise difficult ethical questions.
Biomedical Ethics is an engaging philosophical introduction to the most important ethical positions and arguments in six areas of the patient-doctor relationship, medical research on humans, reproductive rights and technologies, genetics, medical decisions at the end of life, and the allocation of scarce medical resources. Concisely capturing the historical, contemporary, and future-oriented aspects of the field, author Walter Glannon discusses both perennial issues in medicine, such as doctors' duties to patients, and recent and emerging issues in scientific innovation, including gene therapy and cloning. Ideal for undergraduate courses in contemporary moral problems, introduction to ethics, and introduction to bioethics, Biomedical Ethics is accessible to students who have little or no background in ethical theory, medicine, or biotechnology.

Genres: Philosophy

176 pages, Paperback

First published June 29, 2004

Reviews

[Kristel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to the world of biomedical ethics. It made me see the possible positions of these ethical issues. The only issues with this book are that the author repeats himself in certain parts, and you could tell that he has a bias on some of these ethical issues. Other than that, I recommend this book and to look further into biomedical ethics.

[Jimmy Kang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glannon provides thorough and well-balanced views on some of the key biomedical ethical issues most pertinent today. The book was comprehensive enough to be used for my Philosophy of Health Care class at the University of Alberta. However, although Glannon touches on most of the necessary points for various issues, the arguments he utilizes are not the strongest ones existing for various philosophical branches.

[Sarah Schuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview for beginning consideration of the topic