Bioethics - Principles, Issues, and Cases

Vaughn's Bioethics helps instructors introduce students to the moral, scientific, legal, and clinical aspects of complex biomedical issues by providing clearer chapter introductions, better readings, higher-quality cases, and more abundant pedagogy than any other textbook on the market.

List of contents

• Contents


• Preface


• Part 1. Principles and Theories


• Chapter 1 Moral Reasoning in Bioethics


• I. Ethics and Bioethics


• II. Ethics and the Moral Life


• In Depth: Morality and the Law


• III. Moral Principles in Bioethics


• Autonomy


• Nonmaleficence


• Beneficence


• Utility


• Justice


• IV. Ethical Relativism


• In Depth: Anthropology and Moral Diversity


• V. Ethics and Religion


• VI. Moral Arguments


• Argument Fundamentals


• Patterns of Moral Arguments


• Review: Valid and Invalid Argument Forms


• In Depth: Fallacies in Moral Reasoning


• Evaluating Premises


• Assessing Whole Arguments


• VII. Obstacles to Critical Reasoning


• Denying Contrary Evidence


• Looking for Confirming Evidence


• Motivated Reasoning


• Preferring Available Evidence


• The Dunning-Kruger Effect


• VIII. Key Terms


• IX. Summary


• X. Argument Exercises


• XI. Further Reading


• XII. Notes


• Chapter 2 bioethics and moral theories


• I. The Nature of Moral Theories


• II. Influential Moral Theories


• Utilitarianism


• In Depth: Utilitarianism and the Golden Rule


• Kantian Ethics


• Natural Law Theory


• Rawls's Contract Theory


• Virtue Ethics


• In Depth: Can Virtue Be Taught?


• The Ethics of Care


• Feminist Ethics


• Casuistry


• III. Criteria for Judging Moral Theories


• Review: Evaluating Moral Theories: Criteria of Adequacy


• IV. Applying the Criteria


• Utilitarianism


• Kant's Theory


• V. Principlism: A Framework for Deciding What's Right


• Moral Common Sense


• Prima Facie Principles


• Three Rules


• How to Decide


• Resolving Cases


• VI. Key Terms


• VII. Summary


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• Readings


• "Utilitarianism," John Stuart Mill


• "The Moral Law," Immanuel Kant


• Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle


• "The Need for More Than Justice," Annette C. Baier


• "Moral Saints," Susan Wolf


• "What Makes Right Actions Right?" W.D. Ross


• Part 2. Medical Professional and Patient


• Chapter 3 paternalism and patient autonomy


• I. Shades of Autonomy and Paternalism


• II. Refusing Treatment


• In Depth: Physician Autonomy


• III. Futile Treatment


• Legal Brief: Advance Directives


• Legal Brief: Refusing Treatment for Children on Religious Grounds


• In Depth: CPR and DNR


• In Depth: Moral Conflicts in Nursing


• Classic Case File: Elizabeth Bouvia


• IV. Applying Major Theories


• V. Key Terms


• VI. Summary


• VII. Cases for Evaluation


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• Readings


• "Paternalism," Gerald Dworkin


• "The Refutation of Medical Paternalism," Alan Goldman


• "Why Doctors Should Intervene," Terrence F. Ackerman


• "Autonomy, Futility, and the Limits of Medicine," Robert L. Schwartz


• "Four Models of the Physician-Patient Relationship," Ezekiel J. Emanuel and Linda L. Emanuel


• "Confronting Death: Who Chooses, Who Controls? A Dialogue Between Dax Cowart and Robert Burt," Dax Cowart and Robert Burt


• Bouvia v. Superior Court, California Court of Appeal


• "Fundamental Elements of the Patient-Physician Relationship," AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs


• Chapter 4 truth-telling and confidentiality


• I. Paternalism and Deception


• In Depth: Do Patients Want the Truth? Do Physicians Tell It?


• II. Confidential Truths


• Legal Brief: Confidentiality and a Duty to Warn


• In Depth: Truth-Telling and Cultural Diversity


• Classic Case File: Carlos R.


• III. Applying Major Theories


• IV. Key Terms


• V. Summary


• VI. Cases for Evaluation


• VII. Further Reading


• VIII. Notes


• Readings


• "On Telling Patients the Truth," Mack Lipkin


• "Is It Ever OK to Lie to Patients?" Shelly K. Schwartz


• "Why Privacy Is Important," James Rachels


• "Confidentiality in Medicine-A Decrepit Concept," Mark Siegler


• Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, Supreme Court of California


• "Truth-Telling in the Setting of Cultural Differences and Incurable Pediatric Illness," Abby R. Rosenberg, Helene Starks, Yoram Unguru, et al.


• Chapter 5 informed consent


• I. Autonomy and Consent


• II. Conditions of Informed Consent


• In Depth: Decision-Making Capacity


• In Depth: Two Views of Informed Consent


• Legal Brief: Important Informed Consent Cases


• III. Applying Major Theories


• Classic Case File: Jerry Canterbury


• IV. Key Terms


• V. Summary


• VI. Cases for Evaluation


• VII. Further Reading


• VIII. Notes


• Readings


• "The Concept of Informed Consent," Ruth R. Faden and Tom L. Beauchamp


• "Informed Consent-Must It Remain a Fairy Tale?" Jay Katz


• "Transparency: Informed Consent in Primary Care," Howard Brody


• Canterbury v. Spence, United States Court of Appeals


• Chapter 6 human research


• I. The Science of Clinical Trials


• In Depth: The Tuskegee Tragedy


• II. Beneficence, Science, and Placebos


• III. Science and Informed Consent


• In Depth: Women in Clinical Trials


• IV. Research on the Vulnerable


• In Depth: Why Enter a Clinical Trial?


• V. Applying Major Theories


• VI. Key Terms


• VII. Summary


• Classic Case File: The UCLA Schizophrenia Study


• VIII. Cases for Evaluation


• IX. Further Reading


• X. Notes


• Readings


• The Nuremberg Code


• Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, World Medical Association


• "The Belmont Report," The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research


• "Final Report: Human Radiation Experiments," Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments


• "Of Mice but Not Men: Problems of the Randomized Clinical Trial," Samuel Hellman and Deborah S. Hellman


• "A Response to a Purported Ethical Difficulty with Randomized Clinical Trials Involving Cancer Patients," Benjamin Freedman


• "Racism and Research: The Case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study," Allan M. Brandt


• "The Ethics of Clinical Research in the Third World," Marcia Angell


• "Ethical Issues in Clinical Trials in Developing Countries," Baruch Brody


• Part 3. Life and Death


• Chapter 7 Abortion


• I. Starting Point: The Basics


• Fact File: What the Data Say about U.S. Abortions


• II. The Legal Struggle


• In Depth: Abortions Performed Later in Pregnancy


• III. Moral Arguments


• In Depth: Does a Fetus Feel Pain?


• In Depth: Abortion Law Worldwide


• IV. Applying Major Theories


• V. Key Terms


• VI. Summary


• Classic Case File: Nancy Klein


• VII. Cases for Evaluation


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• Readings


• "A Defense of Abortion," Judith Jarvis Thomson


• "Why Abortion Is Immoral," Don Marquis


• "On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion," Mary Anne Warren


• "Abortion and the Concept of a Person," Jane English


• "Abortion," Margaret Olivia Little


• "Abortion Through a Feminist Ethics Lens," Susan Sherwin


• "Abortion and the 'Interest View'," Bonnie Steinbock with Lewis Vaughn


• "As a Rule, Rape Exceptions for Abortion Don't Work," Samuel Dickman


• Chapter 8 Reproductive Technology


• I. In Vitro Fertilization


• Fact File: Assisted Reproduction


• In Depth: "Savior Siblings"


• II. Surrogacy


• In Depth: IVF and Children's Future Children


• III. Cloning


• In Depth: Cloning Time Line


• IV. Applying Major Theories


• V. Key Terms


• In Depth: Sherri Shepherd: How Surrogacy Can Go Wrong


• VI. Summary


• Classic Case File: Baby M


• VII. Cases for Evaluation


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• Readings


• "IVF: The Simple Case," Peter Singer


• "The Presumptive Primacy of Procreative Liberty," John A. Robertson


• "Surrogate Mothering: Exploitation or Empowerment?" Laura M. Purdy


• "Is Women's Labor a Commodity?" Elizabeth S. Anderson


• "Egg Donation and Commodification," Bonnie Steinbock


• "Cloning Human Beings: An Assessment of the Ethical Issues Pro and Con," Dan W. Brock


• "Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation," Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith


• Chapter 9 genetic choices


• I. Genes and Genomes


• II. Genetic Testing


• III. Gene Therapy


• Fact File: Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk


• IV. Stem Cells


• Fact File: Recent Developments in Gene Therapy


• V. Applying Major Theories


• Classic Case File: The Kingsburys


• VI. Key Terms


• VII. Summary


• VIII. Cases for Evaluation


• IX. Further Reading


• X. Notes


• Readings


• "Genetics and Reproductive Risk: Can Having Children Be Immoral?" Laura M. Purdy


• "The Morality of Screening for Disability," Jeff McMahan


• "Genetic Dilemmas and the Child's Right to an Open Future," Dena S. Davis


• "Disowning Knowledge: Issues in Genetic Testing," Robert Wachbroit


• "The Non-Identity Problem and Genetic Harms-The Case of Wrongful Handicaps," Dan W. Brock


• "Is Gene Therapy a Form of Eugenics?" John Harris


• "Genetic Enhancement," Walter Glannon


• "Genetic Interventions and the Ethics of Enhancement of Human Beings," Julian Savulescu


• "Germ-Line Gene Therapy," LeRoy Walters and Julie Gage Palmer


• "What Does 'Respect for Embryos' Mean in the Context of Stem Cell Research?" Bonnie Steinbock


• Declaration on the Production and the Scientific and Therapeutic Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Pontifical Academy for Life


• Chapter 10 euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide


• I. Deciding Life and Death


• Legal Brief: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Major Developments


• In Depth: Assisted Suicide: What Do Doctors Think?


• II. Autonomy, Mercy, and Harm


• In Depth: Oregon's Death with Dignity Act


• In Depth: End-of-Life Decisions in the Netherlands


• III. Applying Major Theories


• In Depth: Physician-Assisted Suicide and Public Opinion


• Classic Case File: Nancy Cruzan


• IV. Key Terms


• V. Summary


• VI. Cases for Evaluation


• VII. Further Reading


• VIII. Notes


• Readings


• "Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized Decision Making," Timothy E. Quill


• "Voluntary Active Euthanasia," Dan W. Brock


• "When Self-Determination Runs Amok," Daniel Callahan


• "Active and Passive Euthanasia," James Rachels


• "Dying at the Right Time: Reflections on (Un) Assisted Suicide," John Hardwig


• "The Philosophers' Brief," Ronald Dworkin, Thomas Nagel, Robert Nozick, John Rawls, Thomas Scanlon, and Judith Jarvis Thomson


• "Legalizing Assisted Dying Is Dangerous for Disabled People," Liz Carr


• Vacco v. Quill, United States Supreme Court


• Part 4. Justice and Health Care


• Chapter 11 dividing up health care resources


• I. Health Care in Trouble


• Fact File: U.S. Health Care


• II. Theories of Justice


• In Depth: Comparing Health Care Systems: United States, Canada, and Germany


• III. A Right to Health Care


• In Depth: Public Health and Bioethics


• IV. The Ethics of Rationing


• Classic Case File: Christine deMeurers


• V. Key Terms


• VI. Summary


• VII. Cases for Evaluation


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• Readings


• "Is There a Right to Health Care and, If So, What Does It Encompass?," Norman Daniels


• "The Right to a Decent Minimum of Health Care," Allen E. Buchanan


• "Rights to Health Care, Social Justice, and Fairness in Health Care Allocations: Frustrations in the Face of Finitude," H. Tristram Engelhardt, Jr.


• "Mirror, Mirror 2017: International Comparison Reflects Flaws and Opportunities for Better U.S. Health Care," Eric C. Schneider, Dana O. Sarnak, David Squires, et al.


• "Public Health Ethics: Mapping the Terrain," James F. Childress, Ruth R. Faden, Ruth D. Gaare, et al.


• "Human Rights Approach to Public Health Policy," D. Tarantola and S. Gruskin


• Chapter 12 race, racial bias, and health care


• I. Race and Racism


• Classic Case File: Henrietta Lacks


• II. Health Disparities and Race


• III. Implicit Bias in Health Care


• In Depth: Can Implicit Biases Be Changed?


• IV. Racial Profiling in Medicine


• V. Key Terms


• VI. Summary


• VII. Cases for Evaluation


• VIII. Further Reading


• IX. Notes


• READINGS


• "Racial Profiling in Medicine," Michael Root


• "Clinicians' Racial Bias as Pathways to Iatrogenic Harms for Black People," Keisha Ray


• "Algorithms Are Making Decisions About Health Care, Which May Only Worsen Medical Racism," Crystal Grant


• Chapter 13 DISABILITY ETHICS


• I. Disability Fictions


• In Depth: What Do Clinicians Owe Disabled People?


• II. What Is Disability?


• III. Disability and Justice


• IV. Key Terms


• V. Summary


• VI. Cases for Evaluation


• VII. Further Reading


• VIII. Notes


• Readings


• "Disability: Historical Overview," Adam Cureton and David Wasserman


• "An Open Letter to Medical Students: Down Syndrome, Paradox, and Medicine," George Estreich


• "Disability and Impairment," Jessica Begon


• Appendix


• Glossary


• Index

About the author

Lewis Vaughn is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Philosophy: Here and Now, Fourth Edition (2022), Bioethics, Fourth Edition (2020), The Power of Critical Thinking, Sixth Edition (2019), and Living Philosophy, Third Edition (2021), all published by Oxford University Press.

Summary

Vaughn's Bioethics helps instructors introduce students to the moral, scientific, legal, and clinical aspects of complex biomedical issues by providing clearer chapter introductions, better readings, higher-quality cases, and more abundant pedagogy than any other textbook on the market.

Additional text

The topical coverage of [ Vaughn's, Bioethics] is balanced and nearly completed. In each chapter students are building on their knowledge and learning key concepts that relate to the health issue and the ethical concepts at play. Bioethics lays a solid foundation for students to learn what morality is, moral theory and the specific application to health and biomedicine. It is thought-provoking, well-organized, and accessible in terms of language and explanation for students." - Iulia Fratila, George Mason University

Product details

• Authors: Lewis Vaughn, Vaughn Lewis
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 17.03.2025
• EAN: 9780197794821
• ISBN: 978-0-19-779482-1
• No. of pages: 768
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > General, dictionaries; SCIENCE / Philosophy & Social Aspects, Bioethics, Bio-ethics