Principles of biomedical ethics / Tom L. Beauchamp, James F. Childress.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Beauchamp, Tom L., author.

Childress, James F., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Medical ethics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Edition:

Fifth edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, New York : Oxford University Press, 2001.

Summary:

This edition represents a thorough-going revision of what has become a classic text in biomedical ethics. Major structural changes mark the revision. The authors have added a new concluding chapter on methods that, along with its companion chapter on moral theory, emphasizes convergence across theories, coherence in moral justification, and the common morality. They have simplified the opening chapter on moral norms which introduces the framework of prima facie moral principles and ways to specify and balance them. Together with the shift of advanced material on theory to the back of the book, this heavily revised introductory chapter will make it easier for the wide range of students entering bioethics courses to use this text. Another important change is the increased emphasis on character and moral agency, drawing the distinction between agents and actions. The sections on truth telling, disclosure of bad news, privacy, conflicts of interest, and research on human subjects have also been thoroughly reworked. The four core chapters on principles (respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice) and the chapter on professional-patient relationships retain their familiar structure, but the authors have completely updated their content to reflect developments in philosophical analysis as well as in research, medicine, and health care. Throughout, they have used a number of actual cases to illuminate and to test their theory, method, and framework of principles.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

PART I

1. Moral Norms

Ethics and Morality

Moral Dilemmas

A Framework of Moral Principles

The Prima Facie Nature of Moral Norms

Specifying Principles and Rules

Balancing Principles and Rules

Conclusion

2. Moral Character

Moral Virtues

Virtues in Professional Roles

Five Focal Virtues

The Relationship of Moral Virtues and Moral Principles

Moral Ideals

Moral Excellence

PART II

3. Respect for Autonomy

The Nature of Autonomy

The Capacity for Autonomous Choice

The Meaning and Justification of Informed Consent

Disclosure

Understanding

Voluntariness

A Framework of Standards for Surrogate Decision-Making

4. Nonmaleficence

The Concept of Nonmaleficence

Distinctions and Rules Governing Nontreatment

Optional Treatments and Obligatory Treatments

Killing and Letting Die

The Justification of Intentionally Arranged Deaths

Protecting Incompetent Patients

5. Beneficence

The Concept of Beneficence

Obligatory and Ideal Beneficence

Paternalism: Conflicts Between Beneficence and Autonomy

Balancing Benefits, Costs, and Risks

The Value and Quality of Life

6. Justice

The Concept of Justice

Theories of Justice

Fair Opportunity

The Right to a Decent Minimum of Health Care

The Allocation of Health Care Resources

Rationing and Setting Priorities

Rationing Scarce Treatments to Patients

7. Professional-Patient Relationships

Veracity

Privacy

Confidentiality

Fidelity

The Dual Roles of Physician and Investigator

PART III

8. Moral Theories

Criteria for Theory Construction

Utilitarianism: Consequence-Based Theory

Kantianism: Obligation-Based Theory

Liberal Individualism: Rights-Based Theory.

Communitarianism: Community-Based Theory

Ethics of Care: Relationship-Based Accounts

Convergence Across Theories

9. Method and Moral Justification

Justification in Ethics

Top-Down Models: Theory and Application

Bottom-Up Models: Cases and Inductive Generalization

An Integrated Model: Coherence Theory

Common-Morality Theory

Appendix: Cases in Biomedical Ethics

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780199799039

0199799032

OCLC:

814480554