Bioscience Ethics
Cambridge University Press, 5/28/2009
EAN 9780521745277, ISBN10: 0521745276
Paperback, 332 pages, 24.7 x 17.4 x 1.5 cm
Language: English
Bioscience ethics facilitates free and accurate information transfer from applied science to applied bioethics. Its major elements are: increased understanding of biological systems, responsible use of technology, and attuning ethnocentric debates to new scientific insights. Pioneered by Irina Pollard in 1994, bioscience ethics has become an internationally recognized discipline, interfacing science and bioethics within professional perspectives such as medical, legal, bio-engineering, and economics. Written for students and professionals alike, the fundamental feature of this book is its breadth, important because bioscience ethics interweaves many diverse subjects in the process of gathering specialist scientific knowledge for bioethical review. It contains chapters which embrace topics affecting human reproduction, end-of-life care and euthanasia, challenge human-dominated ecosystems, and review population growth, economic activity and warfare. A background section describes the evolution of ethical consciousness, explores the future, and proposes that the reworking of ethical boundaries can enhance mature decision-making in harmony with changing technology.
1. Human origins, natural selection and the evolution of ethics
2. Sex determination, brain sex and sexual behaviour
3. Inappropriate lifestyle and congenital disability in children
basic principles of growth, toxicology, teratogenesis and mutagenesis
4. Substance abuse and parenthood
biological mechanisms - bioethical responsibilities
5. Fertility awareness
the ovulatory method of birth control, aging gametes and congenital malformation in children
6. Understanding child abuse and its biological consequences
7. The state of wellbeing
basic principles, coping strategies and individual mastery
8. The state of wellbeing
on the end of life care and euthanasia
9. Current reproductive technologies
achievements and desired goals
10. The recombinant DNA technologies
11. Stem cells, nuclear transfer and cloning technology
12. Human dominated ecosystems
re-evaluating environmental priorities
13. Human dominated ecosystems
reclaiming the future for following generations
14. Human dominated ecosystems
warfare = fitness enhancement or losing strategy?
15. Human dominated ecosystems
reworking bioethical frontiers.