Ends of Human Life

An important work in medical ethical theory… This is a volume that must be read, analyzed, and responded to by every person serious about the future of medical ethics.

• Part 1 The political conception of medical ethics: technology and medical ethics; the ethical dimension of professions; the ethical dimension of medicine; medical ethics and political philosophy; implications of the political conception; the irresolution of medical ethical questions. Part 2 The nature of liberal political philosophy: two forms of liberalism; the tenets of political liberalism. Part 3 Terminating medical care for incompetent patients: the right to refuse medical care; the insignificance of who decides; the relativity of extraordinary care; the impossibility of substituted judgments; the indeterminacy of best interests; illiberal resolutions to the problem of terminating care; the ill effects of irresolution. Part 4 The just distribution of medical resources: justice and health care policy; the inadequacy of the right to equal access; unjustified lists of basic medical services; the weakness of the liberal opportunity criterion; hypothetical choice procedures and conceptions of the good life; the last hope - democratic political procedures; the costs of not specifying basic medical services. Part 5 The liberal communitarian vision: background tenets for political philosophy; the ideal of liberal communitarianism; the conception of deliberation; the conception of a person; political rights and goods; a federated system; liberal and communitarian facets. Part 6 A liberal communitarian vision of health care: the basic structure of community health programmes; justification of CHPs; philosophical plausibility of CHPs; political practicality of CHPs; objections considered; conclusion - medical ethics for the physician.