Due Consideration: Controversy in the Age of Medical Miracles [Paperback]

Arthur Caplan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 047118344X | ISBN-13: 978-0471183440 | Publication Date: October 30, 1997 | Edition: 1

If scientists can successfully clone sheep, will humans be next? Today's headlines read like a science fiction novel! Due Consideration takes a poignant look at the rapidly changing field of biomedicine and the consequences it will have on our lives. Arthur Caplan, one of this nation's leading bioethicists, explores these issues and analyzes moral questions including:
* Will we retain our essential humanity if we modify our biological blueprint?
* Would it be irresponsible to procreate without a thorough genetic examination?
* Who will decide if physical traits like short stature and baldness are considered diseases?
* Can biomedicine make our lives better?
You'll also learn about the most current and controversial topics such as:
* Cloning, abortion and assisted suicide.
* Genetically engineering a human to be immune from infectious diseases.
* The ability to "design" our children from head to toe.
* Diagnosing and treating illnesses during fetal development.
* Programs to prevent the transmission of HIV.
No other book on the market today combines this analytic clarity with the latest from medical journals and media headlines. Now, you can decide for yourself what the future ought to hold in store.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Quick takes on a slew of biomedical-ethics issues in down-to-earth, sometimes downright slangy, let-the-chips-fall-where-they-may prose. Caplan (If I Were a Rich Man I Could Buy a Pancreas and Other Essays on Medical Ethics, not reviewed), a leading bioethicist and director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, has the common touch when it comes to pointing out the implications of the numerous sticky problems modern medicine has generated. He has grouped his essays into 11 categories, including abortion and birth control, genetics, technological reproduction, managed care, starting and stopping care, and assisted suicide. Many of these short pieces had their beginnings as newspaper columns, and it shows. The lead-in is often punchy: ``Abortion kills''; ``Quit blubbering''; ``America is a nation loony over individual liberty.'' The language is often flippant: Sex offenders are ``certified kooks'' and ``creeps,'' Dr. Kevorkian is a ``phony,'' a ``dangerous nut'' waging a ``euthansia jihad''; Congress is filled with ``blockheads.'' The trigger for each story is often a headline of the day, such as Mickey Mantle's speedy liver transplant, O.J. Simpson's acquittal in the face of damning DNA evidence, or presidential candidate Bob Dole's ``gonzo views'' on tobacco. All this no doubt lent these pieces immediacy at the time, but it now makes them seem a bit dated. Further, editing to combine some of these short pieces would have eliminated unnecessary repetition. While the brevity of these essays is often disconcerting, Caplan is alert to new and developing problems, swift at getting to what he sees as the heart of an issue, and emphatic in his opinions. Provocative and accessible. High-school teachers take note: Here's an approachable way to get the kids thinking. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From the Publisher

This book explores the ethical challenges posed at the cutting edge of biomedical science and health care. Art Caplan, one of the nation's leading theorists, clearly outlines the newest technologies and developments in medical research, then thoughtfully sorts through the potential ethical, legal, and social repercussions. He examines a huge number of the most current and controversial subjects--abortion, cloning, managed care, needle exchange programs to prevent the transmission of HIV, and much more. Art Caplan makes his mark as one of today's leading ethicists with this powerful exploration of the moral dilemmas humanity must face in the advancement of biomedical science and health care. After outlining the newest technologies and developments in medical research, he thoughtfully sorts through the potential ethical, legal, and social repercussions of cloning, abortion, assisted suicide, and needle exchange programs. No other book combines such probing analytical clarity.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047118344X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471183440
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent compilation of ethical dilemmas!, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Due Consideration: Controversy in the Age of Medical Miracles (Paperback)

This book contains a number of editorials and short articles written by the author for the lay audience. The scenarios are excellent starting points for discussion and thinking about the many ethical options available as a result of modern science. This is a valuable resource for all science teachers and laymen who are interested in tackling the questions being presented by today's medical technologies.