Product DescriptionThis rich collection, popular among teachers and students alike, provides an in-depth look at major cases that have shaped the field of medical ethics. The book presents each famous (or infamous) case using extensive historical and contextual background, and then proceeds to illuminate it by careful discussion of pertinent philosophical theories and legal and ethical issues..
What Others Say
Very Helpful but also slanted
Having taught Medical Ethics on the undergraduate level, I found Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics to be helpful by giving a general acquaintance to students about the cases which have challenged and required extraordinary thought about how we establish our values about what it means to be human and what that means in the field of medical treatment.
The author's introduction to the philosophy was decidedly shallow and in many cases his bias against Christianity is very obvious. I used those opportunities to discuss these issues with my students. The over-all experience was positive. Terry Bell author of "The Love Ethic: Rediscovering Our Moral Compass."The Love Ethic
Everyone, Clinicians and Patients Alike, Should Know This Material
I have not read many medical/clinical ethics materials.
I am currently reading this as part of an undergraduate and post-bac philosophy class, however, and enjoy the material greatly.
I would recommend this read to anyone who sees doctors, is a doctor, or wants to be a doctor - which should be quite a large population
A travesty of poor research and poor editing
I've been incredibly dissapointed by Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics. Not only is the author obviously biased but the editing is remarkably sloppy. The book averages several grammatical errors per chapter, and at least one major factual error per chapter. Large sections of Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics have been lifted from other books he has written, so the reader is left to wonder why the author felt the need of a 5th edition. Perhaps most troubling is that Dr. Pence has failed to produce anything that even resembles an honest discussion of Medical Ethics. Rather he has produced a book that informs the reader of Dr. Pence's opinions and precious little else. Buyer beware! Do not buy Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics. Unless, of course, you are forced to buy it by Dr. Pence himself.
Looking for prolife information will not find it here.
I had to use this particular book for a class I was taking. I was hoping for at least a balanced presentation, but I was very disappointed with Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics. I found it to have a definite anti-life view.
I found that the author minimized the role of morality in the field of bioethics. Especially how religion contributes to moral views and how that effects bioethics.
I also found that the author tried to present Catholic Church teachings specifically without even a basic understanding of how the Church developed these views.
Biased and Inaccurate
As the professor of a Health Care Ethics class, I must admit to being very disappointed in Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics. The first chapter's definitions of classical ethical theories is dense and not helpful at all. I didn't even have the students read it. But, as a lawyer and someone finishing his PhD in philosophy, it is the abortion chapter that I found to be quite troubling. He selectively uses quotations and selectively lays out arguments in order to refute the position he doesn't agree with. Here it is the anti-abortion position. I tell my students that the true philosopher is he or she who can see the other side's complete argument and can restate it even better than they. It is only such a person who can make an informed ethical decision. This ... Read More
