This timely anthology helps students examine the normative and conceptual issues raised by recent innovations in human reproduction, including in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, and surrogate motherhood. Broad-based and interdisciplinary, it gathers together essays of remarkable depth and philosophical sophistication by legal scholars, health care professionals, scientists, and theologians as well as philosophers, paying particular attention to women's perspectives and to issues that concern women. Organized around issues rather than techniques and featuring unusually clear introductions to current ethical and legal debates, the text sets the conceptual framework for addressing issues of prudence, morality, and public policy while providing the broadest possible context for the readings and teasing out the connections among them.
Designed for a wide range of courses and for students at many levels, the anthology provides both a firm grounding in the basics--the biology of human reproduction, the specific procedures involved in various reproductive techniques, and the psychology of infertility--and a broad range of readings that provide the depth for more advanced thinking. Other unique features are a section on professional responsibilities that will appeal to more scientifically oriented students, a detailed study of the Baby M case that raises profound questions about the legal treatment of reproduction, and an annotated reading list that guides students past today's welter of popular ephemera to many important but lesser-known sources.
Industry Reviews
"Superb! Thoughtful and up-to-date."--Doug Kenward, Moody Bible Institute
"Very well done and well balanced on the readings."--Scott Rae, Talbot Seminary
"Excellent introduction to a set of ethical problems which will only increase in time."--Manuel Davenport, Texas A&M University
"Clear and straightforward. Written simply enough for first year students to understand, yet doesn't short-change the complexity of the issues."--Nancy L. Pruitt, Colgate University
"An excellent collection of papers on a tremendously important subject. The quality of the selections is very high, the structure of the text effective, and the introductions clear and helpful."--Carl Wellman, Washington University
"Excellent cross-section of the relevant issues in this area of health care ethics."--R. de Good, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
"Very good collection, covers a wide range of viewpoints, up-to-date. Also well designed and printed."--Carol Tauer, College of Saint Catherine
"A strong selection of materials."--David E. Schrader, Washington and Jefferson College
"A very worthwhile volume...I shall encourage its use by students."--Anne E. Patrick, Carleton College
"Excellent choice of articles to make up this anthology. I especially appreciate the religious contributions since they do represent a conditional of this topic."--Albert J. Smith, Wheaton College
"Very valuable....Interdisciplinary without losing its interest to philosophical courses. The introduction does a superb job."--Robert B. McGinn, Associate Chair, Values, Technology, Science, & Society Program, Stanford University
"A fine collection, well thought through, and one that will be a useful and welcome addition to the available material."--Joseph Pitt, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
"Provides a good overview of several of the issues and provides a way of raising the ethical and social issues."--Thomas Shannon, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
"Superb collection....The definitive collection of major responsible texts....Thoughtful, well balanced."--Robert L. Nielsen, D'Youville College
"A single volume that presents wisely differing aspects of and positions on a host of RT issues....Lawmakers, lawyers or anyone concerned with reproductive technologies should find this work highly useful." --Risk: Health, Safety & Environment
"Well-conceived, well-annotated, and well-produced, this volume serves as a nice introduction to the philosophical, legal, and ethical issues of reproductive technology. This collection could be effectively used in both undergraduate and graduate classrooms."--Religious Studies Review
