Future Bioethics: Overcoming Taboos, Myths, and Dogmas Print
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Sunday, 29 June 2008 18:21

Lindsay, Ronald A. (2008)  Future Bioethics: Overcoming Taboos, Myths, and Dogmas, Prometheus Books.

Book Description: Few areas of public policy have been fraught with as much controversy as bioethics. Each novel development in biomedical technology seems to spark rancorous disputes. Those averse to new technologies often express the concern that the new technology is "unnatural" or requires us to "play God." Slogans such as "Frankenfoods" and "sanctity of life" substitute for reasoned argument.
Future Bioethics is an ambitious book that seeks to reframe the debates surrounding current controversies in bioethics. Carefully examining and dissecting claims made by many policy makers and ethicists on topics such as assistance in dying, genetic engineering, and embryonic stem cell research, bioethicist Ronald A. Lindsay shows that all too often these claims are based on instinctive reactions, beliefs that lack factual support, and religious or ideological dogma.

After describing in detail the proper way to approach and resolve a dispute in bioethics, Lindsay proceeds to analyze several different cutting-edge issues. Through his insightful analysis, Lindsay demonstrates how to achieve pragmatic, progressive solutions to these controversies. An antidote for misguided thinking, Future Bioethics illuminates the way forward to bioethics policies appropriate for the twenty-first century.

About the Author: Ronald A. Lindsay (Alexandria, VA) holds a doctorate in bioethics and is currently director of research and legal affairs at the Center for Inquiry in Washington, DC. For many years he practiced law in Washington, DC, and was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and American University, where he taught jurisprudence and philosophy courses.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 July 2008 17:17