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An Anthology of Psychiatric Ethics

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I picked up two texts for my postgraduate course in Psychiatric Ethics: one was Bloch & Green's "Psychiatric Ethics" and the other Green & Bloch's "Anthology of Psychiatric Ethics". To this novice, the latter is the winner, and a real treasure. Rather than writing about it themselves, Green and Bloch let the original authors speak through this selection of essential readings. "Theoretical Foundations" chapter has the likes of Pellegrino, Mill and Kant lay the general ethical groundwork, augmented by articles on casuistry and ethics of care. Each subsequent chapter has at least one if not more outstanding texts which are essential reading in the field. Thus, "Diagnosis" has Boorse, Wakefield and Szasz, while original writings by Freud are in the "Social Domain". The Tarasoff case is fully quoted in "Confidentiality" while Dworkin discusses "Autonomy". I could go on describing each chapter, but in the end the point is that this one single text gives the novice reader all the groundwork required to approach the field with confidence.