HSC 440 & PHL 440: Biomedical Ethics

This book addresses key historical, scientific, legal, and philosophical issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide in the United States as well as in other countries and cultures. Spotlights the latest medical and scientific developments in euthanasia and examines the role of technology in the ethical debates on assisted dying

Death Talk asks why, when our society has rejected euthanasia for over two thousand years, are we now considering legalizing it? Has euthanasia been promoted by deliberately confusing it with other ethically acceptable acts? What is the relation between pain relief treatments that could shorten life and euthanasia? How do journalistic values and media ethics affect the public's perception of euthanasia? What impact would the legalization of euthanasia have on concepts of human rights, human responsibilities, and human ethics? Can we imagine teaching young physicians how to put their patients to death? There are vast ethical, legal, and social differences between natural death and euthanasia.

Do terminally ill people have the right to choose when to end their lives? Since the birth of the first baby through in vitro fertilization just over thirty years ago, scientific advances in this field have been startling. Developments associated with cloning, human-animal hybrids and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis - so disturbing for many people - raise a crucial question about the moral status of the very early embryo. And, just as much as arguments about the right to interfere with the beginning of human life, the debate about the individual's right to choose when to die also provokes strong emotional responses.

This book explores similarities and differences between voluntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia and tackles the thorny issue of the so-called slippery slope. Stingl and his well-chosen contributors dismantle philosophical, legal, and social myths and expose important logical weaknesses in earlier debates. While the focus is largely on euthanasia and associated legislative and health-care issues in Canada and the United States, the question of what we owe the hopelessly ill and suffering is universal.

Decisions at the End of the create deep anxiety for those involved. But it is possible to find peace and comfort amid the hard choices. As a church elder and hospital ethics consultant, Bill Davis has talked, walked, and prayed with many people in end-of-life situations. Employing varied case studies and biblical, ethical insight, he guides you in making decisions for yourself and others, preparing advance directives, taking financial concerns into account, and navigating new realities in American hospitals.

Despite its title, this is not a morbid or depressing book, but one that it is hoped will bring encouragement and comfort to all who are experiencing life's difficulties, even to the point of wondering if they wish to continue living. Reading this book should provide strength and courage to persevere through life's adversities.

This book is a contribution to the inter-Christian debate on the question of assisted dying. The book explores the theological issues behind the current debate, and examines the principal moral arguments used by Christians in two influential ethical traditions. It considers the morality of assisted dying in the light of the biblical evidence and of Jesus' own approach to moral questions. The book also considers how this debate reflects the Christian understanding of our relationship with God and the theological value of suffering.