Principles of Biomedical Ethics (Principles of Biomedical Ethics (Beauchamp))

"You can't tell a book by it's cover." Don't you believe it! Principles of Biomedical Ethics by Beauchamp and Childress is every bit as formidable as it's cover might suggest. That is not to say that the book is poorly written or inadequate in any way. It is just that this reviewer is a student, whose professor, at the end of the course confessed to the class the the text was indeed a demanding work requiring proportional effort on the part of the student. Granting that, it was the best of several texts he had examined.

After setting the stage, in chapter one with a discussion of approaches to ethics, the authors, in chapter two, deliniate in detail, eight classical ethical theories, which form the foundation of the study. Through liberal use of examples, the authors reveal that all theories have both weaknesses as well as strengths and that to rely on one theory to the exclusion of others is indeed a hightly questionable approach to ethical decision making.

In the subsequent six chapters, the authors continue with a wealth of case studies, elaborate on the importance of autonomy, privacy and dangers of paternalism; they discuss the elements of nonmaleficence and beneficence as essential elements in the Hippocratic oath. Distictions are made between killing and letting die. Arguments are made for and against the use of medically administered nutrition and hydration. Balancing prima facie norms to provide treatment and for truth telling are examined and the extenuating circumstances when these seemingly basic tenets may not be appropriate are discussed.

The authors have not dodged the knotty problems of availability of organs for transplantation, rationing of scarce treatments and health care resources, costs of health care or the concepts or theories of justice as they relate to health care. The appendix consists of ten case histories. There is a abundance of footnotes at the end of each chapter sufficient to satisfy the most rigorous student.

This is not a book for the casual reader. But for someone desiring an in depth treatment of current issues in health care from the standpoint of the physician, chaplain or health care administrator, I recommend this book without reservation.

Ernest G. Barr


Outstanding Text   October 17, 2001
R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States)
25 out of 25 found this review helpful

This is the most recent edition of a first rate textbook on the difficult topic of medical ethics. The authors' approach is neither to attempt to derive a set of guidelines from abstract moral theory nor to be completely empirical in the sense of simply assessing what clinicians and researchers do when dealing with moral issues. The approach of this book is to extract a series of important principles from the best aspects of practice and then to generalize these principles. The 4 basic principles set out by the authors are respect for autonomy, non-maleficience, beneficience, and justice. The book is divided into a series of well written and integrated chapters covering the basic rationale for the authors' approach, each of the principles, professional-patient relations, and concluding with a set of chapters covering basic moral theories and how the authors' approach fits in with moral theory and competing approaches.

This book has many virtues. The basic approach is strong and practical. Each principle and the exposition of each principle is embedded in real clinical moral problems. The authors make the interesting and important point that none of these principles have priority over another and that balances need to be sought between these principles. This book is simultaneously an excellent exposition of a strong approach to medical ethics and useful reference source to clarify thinking. The bibliography is excellent. Some of the chapters, notably the sections on autonomy and those on justice, are outstanding. The quality of writing is clear and the sections are distinguished by clarity of thought. The authors set themselves objective of writing a book that would combine a high level of rigor and would be useful, reaching a mixed audience of physicians, researchers, and others concerned with medical ethics. They have succeeded.


Textbook only   December 10, 2004
. (OH United States)
6 out of 14 found this review helpful

This is an excellent book on a terribly important subject area; however, I would not recommend it as anything other than a textbook. It is not poorly written; rather, it is terribly academically written. This book will be quite enlightening if you have a class and professor with whom to discuss your reading. If you have the slightest degree of dyslexia, ADHD, or migraine aura -- you will probably spend your semester rereading and rereading until your face is the color of the cover, so I suggest asking your professor for some supplemental reading that is more easily digested. It will not make reading this book easier, but it will greatly increase your understanding of the subject matter.


The bible of bioethics   April 6, 2007
J. Daou (Montreal)
Very useful for anyone interested in Bioethics. Well written and comprehensive.


Comprehensive and Friendly Primer on Medical Ethics   May 1, 2007
James H. Wells (Princeton, NJ)
Having used this volume and its previous editions for over 20 years, the latest edition provides an easier read for those not steeped in traditional, philosophical writing. While emphasizing the importance of the blended principled approach to bioethics (autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficience, justice) the authors in this latest edition invite the reader to a deeper appreciation of the widening diveristy in ethical approaches, including such approaches as the ethics of care. An important read as well as a practical tool for leaders who seek to sharpen their thinking abilities and broaden their knowledge base in the area of health care.

Dr. James Wells, NHA, D.Min
Senior Living Institute
13 Roszel Rd. C120
Princeton, NJ 08540