Closely examine the major areas of ethical theory as well as a broad range of contemporary moral debates using MacKinnon's acclaimed ETHICS: THEORY AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, Sixth Edition. Recognized for its breadth of coverage, this book provides a superbly balanced introduction that effectively integrates ethical theory with today's most relevant moral issues. Illuminating overviews and a selection of readings from both traditional and contemporary sources make even complex philosophical concepts reader friendly. Comprehensive, clear-sighted introductions to general and specific areas of (...) ethical debate cover major ethical theories, including feminist ethics and ethical relativism, before delving into issues ranging from euthanasia and sexual morality to war and professional ethics. New readings from prominent ethicists help increase this edition's coverage of contemporary dilemmas with widespread impact, including torture and the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, "partial birth" abortion, cloning, same-sex marriage, and Wikipedia and Google. The book's new CengageNOW™ online learning system builds upon the book's highly effective presentation with Personalized Study Plans that match multimedia learning tools to your specific learning style and needs. New integrated Ethics Learning Modules use flash-animated ethics simulations to help you practice what you've learned. Trust ETHICS: THEORY AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, Sixth Edition, to integrate theory and contemporary moral issues like no other text. (shrink)

The Nuremberg Code of ethical principles for experiments involving human beings has as its first requirement that “the voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.” Since the time of the trials that supplied its motivation the principles have been amplified and detail and distinctions have been added. For example, the Declaration of Helsinki, adopted by the World Medical Association in 1964, again laid down general principles related to voluntariness, balance of risk and benefit, and scientific soundness. However, it (...) also noted that the ethical issues with regard to two distinctly different types of human experiment vary. These two types are clinical research and nonclinical biomedical research. In actuality, we may distinguish three types of human biomedical experimentation. Two of these are therapeutic and nontherapeutic experimentation. The first is directed primarily to the benefit of the experimental subjects who are being treated with some new experimental therapy for their ailment. In the second an experiment is designed to increase medical knowledge and uses volunteers who are healthy or whose illness is not related to the experimental study. One key difference between the ethical requirements specified by the Declaration of Helsinki for therapeutic and nontherapeutic experimentation was that the second approach required participation only by volunteers whom we assume are able to and do give their informed consent. However, in the first approach if consent were not obtained, the physician must specify the reasons and present these before an independent committee. (shrink)

A final chapter is devoted to twentieth-century American Moral Philosophy. The book is specifically designed to be used as a text for courses in American philosophy.

William Ernest Hocking was an American philosopher as comfortable with the categories of fact and experience as with those of reason and idea; one optimistic and self-reliant as his Midwest background suggests who also both in travel and spirit was at home in India and the East. In fact, he believed that an adequate metaphysics or theory of knowledge would be one that contained, as did his own, elements of Eastern mysticism and Western realism. His conception of the self also (...) contains elements of both traditions. Because of this combination of elements and also because of the manner in which he combined them, his position deserves more consideration than it is generally accorded. In various of his writings Hocking described three different but interrelated conceptions of the self. In his own terminology, the self is a “field of fields,” a “reflective-excursive system,” and a “will to reality.” The aim of this paper, then, will be to summarize and relate these conceptions, with a view also to making visible certain realistic and mystic, certain Western and Eastern, elements in these conceptions. (shrink)

From this collection, readers will gain a clearer picture of the history of cloning in agriculture and animal science, the various biological procedures that are encompassed by the term ""cloning,"" the philosophical arguments in support of ...

From this collection, readers will gain a clearer picture of the history of cloning in agriculture and animal science, the various biological procedures that are encompassed by the term "cloning," the philosophical arguments in support of and opposed to cloning humans, and the considerations that should inform discussions about public policy matters related to cloning research and to human cloning itself.

While ancient in origin, the principle, "Do No Harm," continues to occupy a prominent place in many present-day medical ethics codes. Of all the versions of the principle two distinct varieties can be distinguished. These parallel two ethical traditions. This paper develops the contrast between the two versions, relates them to the two ongoing ethical traditions, and then uses insights from contemporary ethical theory to demonstrate the significance of one of the versions. Finally it suggests some contemporary applications for a (...) medical ethic and medical education. Keywords: Hippocratic Oath, harm, intention, agency CiteULike Connotea Del.icio.us What's this? (shrink)