Practical Reasoning in Bioethics

A renowned ethicist explores problem areas in biomedical ethics and shows how principles, metaphors, and analogies interact in practical reasoning.

"This is a valuable clarification, re-statement and defence of principlism as an approach to applied ethics. It is strongly recommended to many teachers of bioethics . . ." —Journal of the American Medical Association

"Childress' book deserves careful study by all concerned with the ethical aspect of contemporary biomedical challenges." —Science Books & Films

"An ideal supplement for a graduate seminar on bioethics or for upper-division undergraduates needing more information in this area." —Choice

In these revised and updated essays, renowned ethicist James F. Childress highlights the role of imagination in practical reasoning through various metaphors and analogies. His discussion of ethical problems contributes to a better understanding of the scope and strength of different moral principles, such as justice, beneficence, and respect for autonomy. At the same time, Childress demonstrates the major role of metaphorical, analogical, and symbolic reasoning in biomedical ethics, largely in conjunction with, rather than in opposition to, principled reasoning.