Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Birth, Suffering, and Death

Catholic Perspectives at the Edges of Life

  • Book
  • © 1992

Overview

Editors:
  1. Kevin Wm. Wildes

    1. Department of Philosophy and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, USA

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Francesc Abel

    1. Institut Borja de Bioetica, Barcelona, Spain

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

  3. John C. Harvey

    1. Centre for Clinical Bioethics, Georgetown University, USA

    View editor publications

    You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

Part of the book series: Philosophy and Medicine (PHME, volume 41)

Part of the book sub series: Catholic Studies in Bioethics (CSBE)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Finitude, Religion, and Medicine: The Search for Meaning in the Post-Modern World

    1. Finitude, Religion, and Medicine: The Search for Meaning in the Post-Modern World

      • Kevin Wm. Wildes
      Pages 1-7

  3. Medical Background and Ethical Issues

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Edges of Life: The Consequences of Prenatal Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment

      • Robert C. Cefalo
      Pages 11-31

    3. The Frail Elderly Person and Those Suffering From Dementia

      • John C. Harvey
      Pages 33-44

    4. The HIV Infection

      • Edwin Cassem
      Pages 45-65

    5. Artificial Feeding and Hydration in Advanced Illness

      • Porter Storey
      Pages 67-75

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 209-236
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

For centuries the Roman Catholic Church has been concerned with the moral implications of medical practice. Indeed, until two decades ago, Catholic moral theologians were the major source of moral guidance, scholarly reflection and teaching on a variety of medical-moral topics, particularly those bearing on human life. Many, not only those within the Catholic communion, turned to the Church for guidance as each new possibility for altering the conditions of human life posed new challenges to long held moral values. Two decades ago, the center of gravity of ethical reflection shifted sharply from theologians and Christian philosophers to more secular thinkers. A confluence of forces was responsible for this metamorphosi- an exponential rate of increase in medical technologies, expanded education of the public, the growth of participatory democracy, the entry of courts and legislation into what had previously been private matters, the trend of morality towards pluralism and individual freedom and the depreciation of church and religious doctrines generally. Most significant was the entry of professional philosophers into the debate, for the first time. It is a curious paradox that, until the mid-sixties, professional philosophers largely ignored medical ethics. Today they are the most influential shapers of public and professional opinion.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Philosophy and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, USA

    Kevin Wm. Wildes

  • Institut Borja de Bioetica, Barcelona, Spain

    Francesc Abel

  • Centre for Clinical Bioethics, Georgetown University, USA

    John C. Harvey

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation