Contemporary Bioethics

This book discusses the common principles of morality and ethics derived from divinely endowed intuitive reason through the creation of al-fitr' a (nature) and human intellect (al-‘aql). Biomedical topics are presented and ethical issues related to topics such as genetic testing, assisted reproduction and organ transplantation are discussed. Whereas these natural sources are God’s special gifts to human beings, God’s revelation as given to the prophets is the supernatural source of divine guidance through which human communities have been guided at all times through history. The second part of the book concentrates on the objectives of Islamic religious practice – the maqa' sid – which include: Preservation of Faith, Preservation of Life, Preservation of Mind (intellect and reason), Preservation of Progeny (al-nasl) and Preservation of Property. Lastly, the third part of the book discusses selected topical issues, including abortion, assisted reproduction devices, genetics, organ transplantation, brain death and end-of-life aspects. For each topic, the current medical evidence is followed by a detailed discussion of the ethical issues involved.

Personal autonomy is often lauded as a key value in contemporary Western bioethics, and the claim that there is an important relationship between autonomy and rationality is often treated as an uncontroversial claim in this sphere. Yet, there is also considerable disagreement about how we should cash out the relationship between rationality and autonomy. In particular, it is unclear whether a rationalist view of autonomy can be compatible with legal judgments that enshrine a patient's right to refuse medical treatment, regardless of whether ". . . the reasons for making the choice are rational, irrational, unknown or even non-existent". In this book, I bring recent philosophical work on the nature of rationality to bear on the question of how we should understand autonomy in contemporary bioethics. In doing so, I develop a new framework for thinking about the concept, one that is grounded in an understanding of the different roles that rational beliefs and rational desires have to play in personal autonomy. Furthermore, the account outlined here allows for a deeper understanding of different form of controlling influence, and the relationship between our freedom to act, and our capacity to decide autonomously. I contrast my rationalist with other prominent accounts of autonomy in bioethics, and outline the revisionary implications it has for various practical questions in bioethics in which autonomy is a salient concern, including questions about the nature of informed consent and decision-making capacity.

"The ethical issues we face in healthcare, justice, and human rights extend beyond national boundaries-they are global and cross-cultural in scope. The second edition of this interdisciplinary and international collection features new essays on gender identity, vaccines, stem cells, bioterror, and other pressing contemporary concerns"--

Offers a lucid overview of the central issues in bioethics today, including reproductive technologies, right-to-die, AIDS, eugenics, and human genetics. Presenting differing viewpoints from world-renowned scholars, this thought-provoking book provides an excellent framework for analyzing key issues.

A unique guide to the design and implementation of simulation software This book offers a concise introduction to the art of building simulation software, collecting the most important concepts and algorithms in one place. Written for both individuals new to the field of modeling and simulation as well as experienced practitioners, this guide explains the design and implementation of simulation software used in the engineering of large systems while presenting the relevant mathematical elements, concept discussions, and code development. The book approaches the topic from the perspective of Zeigler’s theory of modeling and simulation, introducing the theory’s fundamental concepts and showing how to apply them to engineering problems. Readers will learn five necessary skills for building simulations of complicated systems: Working with fundamental abstractions for simulating dynamic systems Developing basic simulation algorithms for continuous and discrete event models Combining continuous and discrete event simulations into a coherent whole Applying strategies for testing a simulation Understanding the theoretical foundations of the modeling constructs and simulation algorithms The central chapters of the book introduce, explain, and demonstrate the elements of the theory that are most important for building simulation tools. They are bracketed by applications to robotics, control and communications, and electric power systems; these comprehensive examples clearly illustrate how the concepts and algorithms are put to use. Readers will explore the design of object-oriented simulation programs, simulation using multi-core processors, and the integration of simulators into larger software systems. The focus on software makes this book particularly useful for computer science and computer engineering courses in simulation that focus on building simulators. It is indispensable reading for undergraduate and graduate students studying modeling and simulation, as well as for practicing scientists and engineers involved in the development of simulation tools.

Incorporating introductions, readings, and cases that span the breadth of the discipline, Contemporary Bioethics: A Reader with Cases captures the spirit of bioethics as a rich, exciting, and continually evolving field. It covers all the essential topics - including abortion, reproductive ethics, end-of-life care, research ethics, and allocation of resources - and also extends into cutting-edge areas like environmental sustainability, terrorism, neuroethics, immigration, genetic manipulations, and links between first- and third-world health. The book opens with a substantial introduction that explores key differences between secular and religious modes of argumentation. Each of the following chapters contains an in-depth introduction, a selection of concise readings, discussion questions, and a collection of 7-10 case studies.

This collection of essays addresses an important cross-section of issues in contemporary bioethics. It represents an essential contribution to global bioethics anchored and grounded on a continent most remarkable for its biological, cultural and linguistic diversity. It is a fitting beginning to addressing the observable absence of African voices in the rather lively global discourses of bioethics. The issues treated here include a discussion of the fundamental principles of bioethics; the place of African thought in medical research ethics, traditional medicine, and assisted conception; the moral status of embryonic stem cells; research with vulnerable human beings; and sexual and reproductive health in Africa. It explores a paradigm of how the universal and the particular may be blended, how global bioethics can remain firmly anchored and committed locally, regionally, continentally.

Contemporary bioethicists and scholars of ancient philosophy explore the import of classical ethics on such pressing bioethical concerns.