Principles of Biomedical Ethics

by Tom L. Beauchamp, James F. Childress

Overview

Principles of Biomedical Ethics provides a highly original, practical, and insightful guide to morality in the health professions. Acclaimed authors Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress thoroughly develop and advocate for four principles that lie at the core of moral reasoning in health care: respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice. Drawing from contemporary research—and integrating detailed case studies and vivid real-life examples and scenarios—they demonstrate how these prima facie principles can be expanded to apply to various conflicts and dilemmas, from how to deliver bad news to whether or not to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments.

Ideal for courses in biomedical ethics, bioethics, and health care ethics, the text is enhanced by hundreds of annotated citations and a substantial introduction that clarifies key terms and concepts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190640873
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/01/2019
Edition description:	8th ed.
Pages:	512
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Tom L. Beauchamp is Professor of Philosophy and Senior Research Scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.

James F. Childress is University Professor & John Allen Hollingsworth Professor of Ethics at the University of Virginia.

Table of Contents

, PrefacePART I. MORAL FOUNDATIONS1. Moral NormsNormative and Nonnormative EthicsThe Common Morality as Universal MoralityParticular Moralities as NonuniversalMoral DilemmasA Framework of Moral PrinciplesConflicting Moral Norms2. Moral CharacterThe Concept of Moral VirtueVirtues in Professional RolesThe Central Virtue of CaringFive Focal VirtuesMoral IdealsMoral Excellence3. Moral StatusThe Problem of Moral StatusTheories of Moral StatusFrom Theories to Practical GuidelinesThe Moral Significance of Moral StatusVulnerable Populations and Vulnerable IndividualsPART II. MORAL PRINCIPLES4. Respect for AutonomyThe Concept of Autonomy and the Principle of Respect for AutonomyThe Capacity for Autonomous ChoiceThe Meaning and Justification of Informed ConsentDisclosureUnderstandingVoluntarinessSurrogate Decision Making for Nonautonomous Patients5. NonmaleficenceThe Concept and Principle of NonmaleficenceDistinctions and Rules Governing Nontreatment DecisionsOptional Treatments and Obligatory TreatmentsKilling and Letting DieIntentionally Arranged Deaths: When, If Ever, Are They Justified? Protecting Incompetent Patients from HarmWhose Risks and Whose Benefits? Problems of Underprotection and Overprotection in Research6. BeneficenceThe Concept of Beneficence and Principles of BeneficenceObligatory Beneficence and Ideal BeneficencePaternalism: Conflicts between Beneficence and Respect for AutonomyBalancing Benefits, Costs, and RisksThe Value and Quality of Life7. JusticeThe Concept of Justice and Principles of JusticeTraditional Theories of JusticeTwo Theories Closely Connected to the Value of HealthFair Opportunity and Unfair DiscriminationVulnerability, Exploitation, and Discrimination in ResearchNational Health Policy and the Right to Health CareGlobal Health Policy and the Right to HealthAllocating, Setting Priorities, and Rationing8. Professional-Patient RelationshipsVeracityPrivacyConfidentialityFidelityThe Distinction between Clinical Ethics and Research EthicsPART III. THEORY AND METHOD9. Moral TheoriesCriteria for Assessing Moral TheoriesUtilitarian TheoryKantian TheoryRights TheoryVirtue TheoryThe Convergence of Theories on Principles10. Method and Moral JustificationJustification in EthicsTop-Down Models: Theory and ApplicationBottom-Up Models: Cases and Analogical ReasoningAn Integrated Model: Reflective EquilibriumCommon-Morality Theory, Index

Editorial Reviews

"What is by far the best general book on bioethics has gotten even better. Such a combination of accessibility and rigor is rarely attained. With each successive edition, this outstanding book gets even better."--Allen Buchanan, Duke University and Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College, London

"How many books can be said to have shaped a field of study for decades, and to have helped institutionalize that field around the world? It is hard to imagine what bioethics would be like without Principles of Biomedical Ethics."--Jonathan Moreno, University of Pennsylvania

"In this excellent revision of their classic work, Beauchamp and Childress deepen their account of common morality and the four clusters of moral principles. Successfully responding to earlier criticisms, the authors provide an illuminating analysis of moral philosophy, in addition to bioethics. This book is a must-read for beginners in the field as well as for more advanced scholars."--Ruth Macklin, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

"The Bible of bioethics. Everyone working in the field should have a copy. Over twenty-five years I have come to realize that these are the four principles of practical ethics. In every analysis, I find myself drawn to using them."--Julian Savulescu, University of Oxford

"Hard to believe, but true. As each time before, this new (now, eighth) edition of the Principles provides considerable benefits over its predecessors: highest quality for newcomers to bioethics; innovative thought for experts; and new material and revision of previous material. What an intellectual achievement!"--Bettina Sch ne-Seifert, University of M nster, Germany

"Principles of Biomedical Ethics is one of the enduring and indispensable contributions to bioethics. It is always a valuable source of information and insight for those of us who are veterans in the field, and even more so for those new to the field in the classroom. Its regular updating is itself of great value, catching new issues that appear."--Daniel Callahan, Co-founder of The Hastings Center

"Over the past forty years Beauchamp and Childress's Principles of Biomedical Ethics has become synonymous with bioethics. This venerable text has only gotten better with age. Beauchamp and Childress are to be congratulated for their historic contributions and the exemplary eighth edition, which deserves a place on the shelf of every bioethicist's library."--Joseph Fins, Weill Cornell Medicine and Yale Law School

"Principles of Biomedical Ethics is a standard in the field, and for good reason. With each edition, Beauchamp and Childress focus on not only updating the examples and cases to represent the state of the discipline, but also on refining their arguments and views."--Tracie Mahaffey, Florida State University

"I would rate this book overall as excellent. It's a rare work that is both scholarly and rigorous but also useful as a teaching instrument. The authors' writing is clear and engaging."--Kayhan Parsi, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

"I looked long and hard to identify a textbook for the ethics course I teach. I think I have reviewed most of what is available. By far this textbook is the best."--Barbara D'Anna, SUNY Delhi

"The overall quality is exceptional. This classic work has many strengths, not least of which is its comprehensive introductory material on moral foundations; this introduction is one of the strongest introductions to morality of any text (in biomedical ethics and otherwise) I've used."--David Paul, Western Michigan University

From the Publisher

This is a much-needed reworking and updating of a fundamental text in biomedical ethics. The authors accomplish this task with great success. "The purpose is to provide a solid grounding for biomedical ethics. This edition goes beyond the previous editions in carrying out this task. It not only describes the field of ethics, its theories and their application to biomedical issues through the principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice, but it also actively engages the debate about the principle-based approach. "This book is an excellent introductory text. It is useful for those entering the field of biomedical ethics from other disciplines, clinical or nonclinical. Established practitioners in the field will welcome it as a valuable contribution to the debate of the principle-based approach. "The appendix of this edition presents 10 cases, some of which have led to landmark decisions. Even though the appendixes of the second and third editions presented 35 and 38 cases, respectively, this is not a drawback because the authors have incorporated additional cases into the text and because the 10 cases cover a wide range of issues in biomedical ethics. "The previous editions of this text have become classics in biomedical ethics. This edition is a serious reworking and will no doubt become a classic in its own right. Some of the shortcomings of the previous editions, such as its pedestrian literary style, gaps in the index, and the lack of a representative bibliography, have not been overcome. These shortcomings fade when compared to the contribution that this book makes to the field of biomedical ethics. I would recommend that anyone studying biomedical ethics, anyoneworking in this field, and certainly any health sciences library acquire this new edition.

Angela Schneider-O'Connell