Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Medical ethics is an area that has particular interest for the general public as well as for the medical practitioner, and issues concerning medical ethics seem to be constantly in the headlines. This short and accessible introduction provides an invaluable tool with which to think about the ethical values that lie at the heart of medicine.Tony Hope deals with thorny moral issues, including euthanasia and the morality of killing. He also explores political questions, such as how we can make sure health care resources are distributed fairly. Each chapter in the book considers a different issue, for example, genetics, modern reproductive technologies, resource allocation, mental health, and medical research. Each section also discusses controversial questions such as: Who should have access to reproductive technology? Is it right to fund expensive drug treatment for individuals? Should treatment for mental illness be imposed on patients without their consent? Considering a wide range of questions of medical ethics, this Very Short Introduction will help to explain some of the confusing issues facing the field of medicine today.About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
Paperback: 170 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1st edition (December 2, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0192802828
ISBN-13: 978-0192802828
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.6 x 4.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #219,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #103 in Books > Textbooks > Medicine & Health Sciences > Administration & Policy > Ethics #168 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Medical Ethics #944 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Ethics & Morality
I actually used this book as a textbook for a bioethics course. The book seems to cover most of the relevant issues regarding medical ethics but my issue with the book is that the language is just so hard to understand. For an intro book, I think the author should have "dumbed it down" a little considering the intended audience. Instead, his writing is very wordy instead of being straight and to the point and it reads like a boring textbook. I had to read each chapter two or three times to figure out what he was trying to say. It should be noted that Tony Hope is English so he is writing from a British perspective and you will see a lot of British references like the NHS.I don't understand why some authors decide to write in a complicated fashion when they can certainly use fewer words to make the same point.I had to give the book three stars because it's a pain to read. Maybe this is how British people write but I found it to be too wordy.For the price, I don't think it's a bad deal but I'm sure you could find a better medical ethics book.Borrow it first.
I really like this collection in general. This is not the best of the very short intros I've read but it's not the worst either. If you are looking for a quick overview of the major issues in (bio)medical ethics this is a good place to start.The books is slanted more towards the practice than purely theoretical philosophy; however, the theory is absolutely discussed. The book has a good 'tools for thinking' chapter that covers a lot of the theoretical ground.Topics covered include but aren't limited to: euthanasia, statistics, the unborn, psychiatric concerns, genetic concerns, medical research ethics.
I am considering using this in a class in medical ethics, so ordered a copy. It's a very good overview, well written, entertaining yet informative. The topics are timely as well. I'll definitely be considering this.
This was a helpful overview of the dilemmas of medical ethics. The sections are brief however give you a solid foundation for further learning. The pictures are interesting and informative.
Perhaps the best 100-page Introduction to Medical Ethics out there. I used this text for a medical ethics discussion section of an Introduction to Ethics course. Ideal for a course where there was a lot of other reading (of primary texts, i.e., Aristotle, Kant, Mill, etc.) The author is clear and concise, and while this isn't by any means a survey book, it provides a nice overview of a number of issues in medical ethics.
While I am all for inquiry regarding the ethical components of anything related to healing and health I was slightly dissatisfied with this VSI. Although I found the topics selected appropriate, the author's conclusions and treatments of them are not as final as she/he presented them. Several of the analogies or extensions suggested for the author's conclusions and premises did not satisfy all, or even most, of the possible ways for tackling the topics discussed. With the short nature of this work it is no surprise that a nuanced discussion is not practical but the way the author concludes each chapter might deter a reader from thinking things out further. Overall though, I think that any endeavor that prompts questions regarding ethics is worth a few moments of everyone's time and for those that do not fully endorse the author's conclusions they have at least been prompted to consider thought provoking topics.
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