This book examines the role of philosophy and philosophers in bioethics. Academics often see bioethical studies as too practical while decision makers tend to see them as too theoretical. The purpose of this collection of new essays by an international group of distinguished scholars is to explore the troubled relationship between theory and practice in the ethical assessment of medicine, health care, and new medical and genetic technologies.
The book is divided into six parts. In the first part, philosophers consider the definition of bioethics, the nature of applied ethics more generally, and the possibility of combining utilitarian and liberal strands of thinking in moral and political studies. In the second part, authors discuss the place and justification of principles in bioethics and the significance of medical and nursing experience in moral decision making. The third part addresses the complementary (or contradictory, as the case may be) principles of dignity, autonomy, precaution, and solidarity, and their use in theoretical and practical settings. In the fourth part, public health measures and experimental research are defended against traditional moral concerns. Part five scrutinizes parental responsibilities in bearing and rearing children, especially the reasons for and against human reproduction in individual cases. In part six, enhancements to human nature by various means are analyzed.
Following in the footsteps of four previous collections in the Values in Bioethics special series by the same editorial team—Scratching the Surface of Bioethics, Bioethics and Social Reality, Ethics in Biomedical Research, and Arguments and Analysis in Bioethics—this book, compiled in honor of Professor Matti Häyry’s 50th birthday, drills into the core of the discipline to show the philosophical depths that lie under the polished surface of policy-driven everyday bioethics.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Matti Häyry Preface Tuija Takala, Peter Herissone-Kelly, and Søren Holm: Introduction. Bioethics: What Lies Under the Surface? What is Bioethics and Where Should It Be Going? Sirkku K. Hellsten: Why “Definitions” Matter in Defining Bioethics? Sven Ove Hansson: Ethics Beyond Application Harry Lesser: Utilitarianism and Liberalism How To Do Bioethics? Veikko Launis: The Unbearable Lightness of Bioethical Principles Juha Räikkä: The Method of Wide Reflective Equilibrium in Bioethics Pekka Louhiala: But How Could They Know? Reflections on the Role of Philosophy and Philosophers in Medical Ethics Leila Toiviainen: Does Nursing Ethics Fit in with Philosophy and Bioethics? Dignity, Precaution, and Solidarity Simon Woods: Dignity: Yet Another Look Niall Scott: Autonomy (and a Little Bit of Dignity) in Bioethics Michael Parker and Paolo Vineis: Concepts and Definitions of the Precautionary Principle: An Ethical Analysis Vilhjálmur Árnason: Justice or Solidarity? Thinking about Nordic Prioritization in the Light of Rawls Søren Holm: Will You Still Need Me, Will You Still Feed Me, When I’m 64? An Ethical Problem for the Modern Cosmopolitan Academic Tests and Experiments Margaret P. Battin, Charles B. Smith, Larry Reimer, Jay A. Jacobson, and Leslie P. Francis: Universal Rapid Testing for Infectious Disease in Airports and Places of Public Contact: A Thought Experiment about the Ethical Challenges John Harris: Pigs and Principles: The Use of Animals in Research Rosamond Rhodes: Research Ethics: A Decent Proposal Rationality, Morality, and Reproduction Floora Ruokonen and Simo Vehmas: Parental Responsibility and the Duty to Love One’s Children Frank J. Leavitt: The Meaning of Suffering: A Critique of the Häyry Syndrome Richard Ashcroft: Is It Irrational to Have Children? Rebecca Bennett: Human Reproduction: Selfish and Irrational But Not Immoral Tom Buller: Gambling, Risks, and Reproduction: A Reply to Matti Häyry Philosophical Responses to Enhancements Lisa Bortolotti: Do We Have an Obligation to Make Smarter Babies? Heta Aleksandra Gylling: Youthful Looks—No Matter What It Costs? Timo Airaksinen: New Life Forms: Min or Max Cyborgs? About the Authors and Editors Index