Life and Death Philosophical Essays in Biomedical Ethics [Paperback]

Dan Brock explores the moral issues raised by new ideals of shared decision making between physicians and patients.This book develops an ethical framework for decisions about life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia, and examines how these life and death decisions are transformed in health policy when the focus shifts from what is best for one patient as opposed to what is just for all patients.This book develops an ethical framework for decisions about life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia, and examines how these life and death decisions are transformed in health policy when the focus shifts from what is best for one patient as opposed to what is just for all patients.How should modern medicine's dramatic new powers to sustain life be employed? How should limited resources be used to extend and improve the quality of life? In this collection, Dan Brock, a distinguished philosopher and bioethicist and co-author of Deciding for Others (Cambridge, 1989), explores the moral issues raised by new ideals of shared decision making between physicians and patients. The book develops an ethical framework for decisions about life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia, and examines how these life and death decisions are transformed in health policy when the focus shifts from what is best for a patient to what is just for all patients. Professor Brock combines acute philosophical analysis with a deep understanding of the realities of clinical health policy. This is a volume for philosophers concerned with medical ethics, health policy professionals, physicians interested in bioethics, and undergraduate courses in biomedical ethics.Part I. Physicians and Patients Making Treatment Decisions: 1. Informed consent; 2. The ideal of shared decision making between physicians and patients; 3. When competent patients make irrational choices (co-authored by Steven A. Wartman); Part II. Life-and-Death Decisions in the Clinic: 4. Moral rights and permissible killing; 5. Taking hlSl