This Is Bioethics: An Introduction

Should editing the human genome be allowed? What are the ethical implications of social restrictions during a pandemic? Is it ethical to use animals in clinical research? Is prioritizing COVID-19 treatment increasing deaths from other causes? Bioethics is a dynamic field of inquiry that draws on interdisciplinary expertise and methodology to address normative issues in healthcare, medicine, biomedical research, biotechnology, public health, and the environment. This Is Bioethics is an ideal introductory textbook for students new to the field, exploring the fundamental questions, concepts, and issues within this rapidly evolving area of study.

Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this accessible volume helps students consider both traditional and cutting-edge questions, develop informed and defensible answers, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a diverse range of ethical positions in medicine. The authors avoid complex technical terms and jargon in favor of an easy-to-follow, informal writing style with engaging chapters designed to stimulate student interest and encourage class discussion. The book also features a deep dive into the realm of global public health ethics, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers topics like triage decision-making, the proportionality of society's response to COVID-19, whether doctors have a professional obligation to treat COVID-19 patients, and whether vaccines for this virus should be mandatory.

A timely addition to the acclaimed This Is Philosophy series, This Is Bioethics is the ideal primary textbook for undergraduate bioethics and practical ethics courses, and is a must-have reference for students in philosophy, biology, biochemistry, and medicine.

RUTH F. CHADWICK is Professor Emerita, Cardiff University, and Visiting Professor, University of Leeds, UK. She is Joint Editor-in-Chief of the journal Bioethics and has served on numerous international bodies including the Council of the Human Genome Organization. She is Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the Hastings Center, the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Learned Society of Wales.

UDO SCHÜKLENK holds the Ontario Research Chair in Bioethics in the Department of Philosophy at Queen's University at Kingston, Canada. He is a Joint Editor-in-Chief of the journal Bioethics. His academic career has included teaching and research appointments in Australia, South Africa, and the UK. He is co-editor of Bioethics: An Anthology, Fourth Edition and co-author of 50 Great Myths About Atheism.