Birth, Suffering, and Death: Catholic Perspectives at the Edges of Life (Philosophy and Medicine / Catholic Studies in Bioethics)

For centuries the Roman Catholic Church has been concerned with the moral implications of medical practice. Indeed, until two decades ago, Catholic moral theologians were the major source of moral guidance, scholarly reflection and teaching on a variety of medical-moral topics, particularly those bearing on human life. Many, not only those within the Catholic communion, turned to the Church for guidance as each new possibility for altering the conditions of human life posed new challenges to long held moral values. Two decades ago, the center of gravity of ethical reflection shifted sharply from theologians and Christian philosophers to more secular thinkers. A confluence of forces was responsible for this metamorphosi- an exponential rate of increase in medical technologies, expanded education of the public, the growth of participatory democracy, the entry of courts and legislation into what had previously been private matters, the trend of morality towards pluralism and individual freedom and the depreciation of church and religious doctrines generally. Most significant was the entry of professional philosophers into the debate, for the first time. It is a curious paradox that, until the mid-sixties, professional philosophers largely ignored medical ethics. Today they are the most influential shapers of public and professional opinion. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Finitude, Religion, and Medicine: The Search for Meaning in the Post-Modern World....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Edges of Life: The Consequences of Prenatal Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment....Pages 11-31 The Frail Elderly Person and Those Suffering From Dementia....Pages 33-44 The HIV Infection....Pages 45-65 Artificial Feeding and Hydration in Advanced Illness....Pages 67-75 Front Matter....Pages 77-77 Dignity, Solidarity, and the Sanctity of Human Life....Pages 79-83 Dominion or Stewardship?: Theological Reflections....Pages 85-106 Sharing Responsibility at the Edges of Life....Pages 107-126 When the Dying Person Looks Me in the Face: An Ethics of Responsibility for Dealing With the Problem of the Patient in a Persistent Vegetative State....Pages 127-143 Life as a Good and Our Obligations to Persistently Vegetative Patients....Pages 145-154 Front Matter....Pages 155-155 Pain Relief: Ethical Issues and Catholic Teaching....Pages 157-169 Why Almost Any Cost To Others To Preserve The Life Of The Irreversibly Comatose Constitutes An Extraordinary Burden....Pages 171-187 The Catholic Tradition on the Use of Nutrition and Fluids....Pages 189-208 Back Matter....Pages 209-236 The book is an effort, from within the tradition of Catholic moral theology and philosophy, to examine issues which are raised by the possibilities of medical treatment for those patients who are dying. The book looks at possible issues for newborns, the elderly, and those, at any age, with terminal disease such as AIDS. The book examines specific moral issues such as when death occurs, the extent of obligations to treat patients, and the notion of `responsibility' towards such patients. From the Foreword by Edmund D. Pellegrino: `This new Catholic Studies in Bioethics series, inaugurated with this volume, is a welcome addition to the expanding world literature in biomedical ethics. It offers a forum in which qualified scholars in the Roman Catholic tradition may present their critical reflections for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Edited as it is by a panel of international scholars, the new series promises to reach a wide audience among theologians, health professionals, and moral philosophers.'