As a debater, theologian Paul Ramsey would be a formidable
opponent. He speaks for a position (essentially anti-abortion but
pro-birth control) eloquently - but almost ex cathedra. The
assurance of the dedicated "Christian ethicist" who values all
human life as sacred is emphatic, at times disquieting, at times
irritating. What he writes about is of major importance: do women
have a "right" to abortion, even late in pregnancy? Are the
"rights" of the individual and assurances of "privacy" always to
take precedence over the rights of a spouse, of the fetus? Is there
ever any justification for "benign neglect" of infants born with
severe defects? Are "living wills" acceptable? For the most part
Ramsey finds present laws and trends deplorable. We have, he says,
foundered on concepts of "ordinary/extraordinary"; we have adopted
a stance of radical individualism ignoring the covenants of
marriage and family. We hamper doctors by dictating what should be
standard medical practice: never to prolong dying needlessly;
always to intervene if medical indications are that the patient
will benefit. We are willynilly headed toward voluntary or even
involuntary euthanasia. These ideas provide some notion of the
book's compass. Each chapter turns on specific issues, legislation,
or trials: the Supreme Court's Bicentennial abortion decision, the
Edelin case (the Massachusetts doctor accused of reckless
manslaughter of a fetus), the Quinlan case, and so on. Ramsey
examines the reasoning embodied in the decisions with a
ruthlessness often verging on contempt for the lawyers judges, or
fellow "ethicists" (execrable word) involved. What one misses in
this dour indictment of Western mores and morals is a sense of
humility and compassion. Nowhere does Ramsey indicate that parents
of a defective child, for example, are scathingly treated by the
professional community and public alike; that it is essential that
people be educated in birth control, in caring rather than hoping
for cures, in understanding death and mourning. One would have
liked to have Ramsey point the way toward better actions rather
than pronounce only fearful jeremiads. (Kirkus Reviews)
The tremendous changes in society's attitudes toward abortion,
euthanasia, the right to die, and other related life-and-death
issues are reflected in recent court decisions and in new
legislation. This important book by one of America's leading
writers in the field of medical ethics analyzes these legal issues
at the ethical level, showing how our laws and practices affect and
reflect the morality of our times. Ramsey is concerned with
medicine, ethics, law, and with medical and public policy. He
examines relevant laws and court decisions that make policy, but
not without a healthy measure of moral argument and critical
assessment. Among the recent legal issues that he analyzes in
detail are the decision of the Supreme Court of New Jersey in the
Quinlan case; the rights of defective newborn infants; the Edelin
negligent manslaughter case; the "conscience clauses" in our
federal code and in state statutes; the Supreme Court's landmark
decision on abortion in Planned Parenthood v. Danforth; and
California's Natural Death Act. Ramsey studies the reasoning behind
the court's decision or the law and holds up these legal processes
as mirrors in which we can see reflected the state of moral
questions as they are perceived by contemporary society. A
perceptive and well-informed social critic, he provides an ethical
assessment of the discourse going on concerning issues of medical
practice and public policy. "What [Ramsey] has to say must be of
compelling interest to everyone concerned with the moral problems
of medicine, life and death and not merely to those who share his
faith. This is . . . probably the single most important text in the
area of medical ethics written in modern times. . . . It is a book
that cannot itself be summarized; it has to be read."-Alasdair
MacIntyre, The New Republic "Ramsey's arguments . . . reflect great
moral passion as well as his usual rigorous analysis."-James F.
Childress, Religious Studies Review "Ramsey forces one to think
deeply and systematically about issues that cannot be reduced to
maxims or formulas. His work serves both as a challenge and as an
inspiration."-New England Journal of Medicine "A monumental feat.
Ramsey is neither a physician nor a lawyer, but I venture to say
that he has much to offer members of each profession - and a great
deal to offer the average reader. His analysis of the legal issues
at the 'edges of life' and his critical assessment of the relevant
court decisions are brimful, probing and provocative. A meaty book,
beautifully written."-Yale Kamisar Ethics at the Edges of Life was
selected as an outstanding book for 1979 in the Scholarly Books
category of the National Religious Book Awards.
General
Imprint: |
Yale University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
1978 |
First published: |
1978 |
Authors: |
Paul Ramsey
|
Dimensions: |
235 x 156 x 24mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
370 |
Edition: |
New Ed |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-300-02141-7 |
Categories: |
Books >
Medicine >
General issues >
Medical ethics
|
LSN: |
0-300-02141-0 |
Barcode: |
9780300021417 |
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