Phenomenological Bioethics

"Drawing on the insights and methodologies of existentialism, phenomenology, and hermeneutics to deepen our understanding of health and illness, Phenomenological Bioethics is a timely and path-breaking work. With his signature clarity and accessibility, Fredrik Svenaeus illuminates the situated and experiential aspects of suffering, embodiment, empathy, and death that are all too often neglected in current bioethical debates." Kevin Aho, Professor of Philosophy, Florida Gulf Coast University "A ground-breaking development in medical bioethics, this book is the first to use phenomenology to analyse and understand contemporary bio-ethical issues, such as organ transplantation and assisted reproduction. This book announces the birth of a new field - phenomenological biomedical ethics - and is an important development for both philosophy of medicine and for phenomenology." Havi Carel, Professor of Philosophy, University of Bristol "Hitherto, few Anglo-American bioethicists have benefitted from the riches to be found in philosophical phenomenology. This can perhaps be traced to the phenomenologists inhospitable language. Fortunately, in invitingly clear language, Svenaeus now offers a wonderfully thoughtful and accessible introduction to phenomenology - and shows how it can illuminate questions of bioethics." Erik Parens, Senior Research Scholar, The Hastings Center, Garrison, NY

Fredrik Svenaeus is professor of philosophy at Sdertrn University in Stockholm, Sweden.

Preface Acknowledgements 1. Phenomenological bioethics 2. The suffering person 3. The body uncanny 4. Empathy and the hermeneutics of medicine 5. Medical technologies and the life world 6. The beginning of life 7. Surviving death References Index