Life And Death: Philosophical Essays In Biomedical Ethics (cambridge Studies In Philosophy And Public Policy)

How should modern medicine's dramatic new powers to sustain life be employed? How should limited resources be used to extend and improve the quality of life? In this collection, Dan Brock, a distinguished philosopher and bioethicist and co-author of Deciding for Others (Cambridge, 1989), explores the moral issues raised by new ideals of shared decision making between physicians and patients. The book develops an ethical framework for decisions about life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia, and examines how these life and death decisions are transformed in health policy when the focus shifts from what is best for a patient to what is just for all patients. Professor Brock combines acute philosophical analysis with a deep understanding of the realities of clinical health policy. This is a volume for philosophers concerned with medical ethics, health policy professionals, physicians interested in bioethics, and undergraduate courses in biomedical ethics. This book contains no illustrations. Frontmatter......Page 1 Contents......Page 7 Sources and acknowledgments......Page 9 Introduction......Page 15 PART I - PHYSICIANS AND PATIENTS MAKING TREATMENT DECISIONS......Page 33 1 - Informed consent......Page 35 2 - The ideal of shared decision making between physicians and patients......Page 69 3 - When competent patients make irrational choices......Page 94 PART II - LIFE-AND-DEATH DECISIONS IN THE CLINIC......Page 107 4 - Moral rights and permissible killing......Page 109 5 - Taking human life......Page 137 6 - Death and dying......Page 158 7 - Forgoing life-sustaining food and water: Is it killing?......Page 198 8 - Voluntary active euthanasia......Page 216 PART III - LIFE-AND-DEATH DECISIONS IN HEALTH POLICY......Page 247 9 - The value of prolonging human life......Page 249 10 - Quality of life measures in health care and medical ethics......Page 282 11 - The problem of low benefit/high cost health care......Page 339 12 - Justice and the severely demented elderly......Page 370 13 - Justice, health care, and the elderly......Page 402 14 - Truth or consequences: The role of philosophers in policy-making......Page 422 Index......Page 431 Informed Consent -- The Ideal Of Shared Decision Making Between Physicians And Patients -- When Competent Patients Make Irrational Choices / Coauthored By Steven A. Wartman -- Moral Rights And Permissible Killing -- Taking Human Life -- Death And Dying -- Forgoing Life-sustaining Food And Water : Is It Killing? -- Voluntary Active Euthanasia -- The Value Of Prolonging Human Life -- Quality Of Life Measures In Health Care And Medical Ethics -- The Problem Of Low Benefit/high Cost Health Care -- Justice And The Severely Demented Elderly -- Justice, Health Care, And The Elderly -- Truth Or Consequences : The Role Of Philosophers In Policy-making. Dan W. Brock. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.