Bioethics

This entry on bioethics describes how it has influenced and been influenced by ethnicity, multiculturalism, and community.

Covering a wealth of topics on the ethics of health professions, animal research, population control and the environment, the set helps researchers to consider the impact of new scientific knowledge and its potential to harm or benefit present and future generations. Check out the table of contents to get started!

This entry locates bioethics within the discipline of philosophy, gives history, social context, methods, theories, themes, and much more.

This entry sketches bioethics in context of religion, issues such as stem cell research, and public policy.

This entry defines and describes bioethics as it related to the Catholic Church.

The Penn Center Guide to Bioethics--the foremost authority on both traditional and cutting-edge bioethical issues. The Penn Guide navigates uncharted ethical terrains, undoubtedly shaping both academic and public discourses on the challenging controversies generated by new technologies, theories, and medical advances. This volume represents the Penn Center's distinct, pioneering approach to bioethics, one that emphasizes empirical treatment of bioethical issues, and the integration of bioethical scholarship with practical application. The Penn Guide will be the definitive text for policy makers, health practitioners, researchers, and students. This book will also inform the general public, patients, and family members as they seek answers to the bioethical issues of the day.

From Issues & Controversies: Overviews and Pro/Con Arguments. The debate over abortion typically contains little in the way of middle ground. On one side are those who describe themselves as "pro-choice" and favor mostly unrestricted access to abortion, at least in earlier stages of pregnancy. On the other side are those who call themselves "pro-life" and see abortion as murder. Although the number of abortions has been declining in recent years—the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 186 abortions per 1,000 live births in 2014, down from 344 in 1990—the debate over the issue has not abated.

From The Conversation: An Independent Source of Analysis from Academic Researchers. You’ve probably read stories about new research using the gene editing technique CRISPR, also called CRISPR/Cas9. The scientific world is captivated by this revolutionary technology, since it is easier, cheaper and more efficient than previous strategies for modifying DNA.

From The Conversation: An Independent Source of Analysis from Academic Researchers. In some jurisdictions, the word “euthanasia” is used to refer to both assisted dying/suicide (where the patient himself or herself takes the medication) and to euthanasia (where the doctor administers the medication to the patient). So “euthanasia” can sometimes be used as a broad term to cover a range of actions.

From Issues & Controversies: Overviews and Pro/Con Arguments. Countries around the world have struggled to craft health care systems capable of meeting the medical needs of their populations. Some have adopted government-run health care systems, while others rely on privately run hospitals, insurance companies, and providers to meet health care needs. The U.S. health care system consists of a combination of publicly and privately run programs.