Sanctity of Life and Human Dignity [Hardcover]

`Sanctity of life' and `human dignity' are two bioethical concepts that play an important role in bioethical discussions. Despite their separate history and content, they have similar functions in these discussions. In many cases they are used to bring a difficult or controversial debate to an end. They serve as unquestionable cornerstones of morality, as rocks able to weather the storms of moral pluralism. This book provides the reader with analyses of these two concepts from different philosophical, professional and cultural points of view. Sanctity of Life and Human Dignity presents a comparative analysis of both concepts.`Sanctity of life' and `human dignity' are two bioethical concepts that play an important role in bioethical discussions. Despite their separate history and content, they have similar functions in these discussions. In many cases they are used to bring a difficult or controversial debate to an end. They serve as unquestionable cornerstones of morality, as rocks able to weather the storms of moral pluralism. This book provides the reader with analyses of these two concepts from different philosophical, professional and cultural points of view. Sanctity of Life and Human Dignity presents a comparative analysis of both concepts.Preface; K. Bayertz, H.T. Engelhardt, Jr. Introduction. Sanctity of life and human dignity; K. Bayertz. Part One: Sanctity of Life. The concept of sanctity of life and its use in contemporary bioethical discussion; J. Keenans, S.J. Sanctity of life, voluntary euthanasia and the Dutch experience: some implications for public policy; H. Kuhse. Value of life vs. sanctity of life - outlines of a bioethics that does without the concept of `Menschenw?rde'; W. Lenzen. Sanctity of life and human dignity at the bedside; S. Wear. Part Two: Human Dignity. Human dignity: philosophical origin and scientific erosion of an idea; K. Bayertz. The general notion of human dilÃ*