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What if there were a pill for love? Or an anti-love drug, designed
to help us break up? This controversial and timely new book argues
that recent medical advances have brought chemical control of our
romantic lives well within our grasp. Substances affecting love and
relationships, whether prescribed by doctors or even illicitly
administered, are not some far-off speculation - indeed our most
intimate connections are already being influenced by pills we take
for other purposes, such as antidepressants. Treatments involving
certain psychoactive substances, including MDMA-the active
ingredient in Ecstasy-might soon exist to encourage feelings of
love and help ordinary couples work through relationship
difficulties. Others may ease a breakup or soothe feelings of
rejection. Such substances could have transformative implications
for how we think about and experience love. This brilliant
intervention into the debate builds a case for conducting further
research into "love drugs" and "anti-love drugs" and explores their
ethical implications for individuals and society. Rich in anecdotal
evidence and case-studies, the book offers a highly readable
insight into a cutting-edge field of medical research that could
have profound effects on us all. Will relationships be the same in
the future? Will we still marry? It may be up to you to decide
whether you want a chemical romance. -- .
Is there a pill for love? What about an "anti-love drug", to help
us get over an ex? This book argues that certain psychoactive
substances, including MDMA—the active ingredient in Ecstasy—may
help ordinary couples work through relationship difficulties and
strengthen their connection. Others may help sever an emotional
connection during a breakup. These substances already exist, and
they have transformative implications for how we think about love.
This book builds a case for conducting research into "love drugs"
and "anti-love drugs" and explores their ethical implications for
individuals and society. Scandalously, Western medicine tends to
ignore the interpersonal effects of drug-based interventions. Why
are we still in the dark about the effects of these drugs on
romantic partnerships? And how can we overhaul scientific research
norms to take relationships more fully into account? Ethicists
Brian D. Earp and Julian Savulescu say that the time to think
through such questions is now. Biochemical interventions into love
and relationships are not some far-off speculation. Our most
intimate connections are already being influenced by drugs we
ingest for other purposes. Controlled studies are underway to see
whether artificial brain chemicals can enhance couples therapy. And
conservative religious groups are experimenting with certain
medications to quash romantic desires—and even the urge to
masturbate—among children and vulnerable sexual minorities.
Simply put, the horse has bolted. Where it runs is up to us. Love
Drugs arms us with the latest scientific knowledge and a set of
ethical tools that we can use to decide if these sorts of
medications should be a part of our society. Or whether a chemical
romance will be right for us.
What should happen when doctors and parents disagree about what
would be best for a child? When should courts become involved?
Should life support be stopped against parents' wishes? The case of
Charlie Gard, reached global attention in 2017. It led to
widespread debate about the ethics of disagreements between doctors
and parents, about the place of the law in such disputes, and about
the variation in approach between different parts of the world. In
this book, medical ethicists Dominic Wilkinson and Julian Savulescu
critically examine the ethical questions at the heart of disputes
about medical treatment for children. They use the Gard case as a
springboard to a wider discussion about the rights of parents, the
harms of treatment, and the vital issue of limited resources. They
discuss other prominent UK and international cases of disagreement
and conflict. From opposite sides of the debate Wilkinson and
Savulescu provocatively outline the strongest arguments in favour
of and against treatment. They analyse some of the distinctive and
challenging features of treatment disputes in the 21st century and
argue that disagreement about controversial ethical questions is
both inevitable and desirable. They outline a series of lessons
from the Gard case and propose a radical new 'dissensus' framework
for future cases of disagreement. This new book critically examines
the core ethical questions at the heart of disputes about medical
treatment for children. The contents review prominent cases of
disagreement from the UK and internationally and analyse some of
the distinctive and challenging features around treatment disputes
in the 21st century. The book proposes a radical new framework for
future cases of disagreement around the care of gravely ill people.
This short textbook of ethics and law is aimed at doctors in
training and in practice. Medical ethics and law are now firmly
embedded in the curricula of medical schools. The ability to make
clinical decisions on the basis of critical reasoning is a skill
that is rightly presumed as necessary in today's doctors. Medical
decisions involve not only scientific understanding but also
ethical values and legal analysis. The belief that it is ethically
right to act in one way rather than another should be based on good
reasons: it is not enough to follow what doctors have always done,
nor what experienced doctors now do. The third edition has been
revised and updated to reflect changes in the core curriculum for
students, developments in the law as well as advances in medicine
and technology. It includes a new 'extensions' section, providing
an outline of important developing areas in medical ethics. The
first part of the book covers the foundations of ethics and law in
the context of medicine. The second part covers specific core
topics that are essential for health professionals to understand.
The third section of the book includes new chapters on cutting edge
topics that will be crucial for the doctors and health
professionals of tomorrow. This new edition includes a new third
section that provides an extension to the core curriculum focused
on four key emerging topics in medical ethics - neuroethics,
genethics, information ethics and public health ethics. The
chapters on Consent, Capacity and Mental Health Law have been
extensively revised to reflect changes in legislation. Chapters on
confidentiality and information ethics contain new sections
relating to information technology, sharing information and
breaching confidentiality. Each chapter contains case examples
drawn from personal experience or from the media. This edition also
includes cartoons to highlight cutting edge and topical issues.
Most chapters include revision questions and an extension case to
encourage readers who are interested in a topic to explore further.
Unfit for the Future argues that the future of our species depends
on our urgently finding ways to bring about radical enhancement of
the moral aspects of our own human nature. We have rewritten our
own moral agenda by the drastic changes we have made to the
conditions of life on earth. Advances in technology enable us to
exercise an influence that extends all over the world and far into
the future. But our moral psychology lags behind and leaves us ill
equipped to deal with the challenges we now face. We need to change
human moral motivation so that we pay more heed not merely to the
global community, but to the interests of future generations. It is
unlikely that traditional methods such as moral education or social
reform alone can bring this about swiftly enough to avert looming
disaster, which would undermine the conditions for worthwhile life
on earth forever. Persson and Savulescu maintain that it is likely
that we need to explore the use of new technologies of biomedicine
to change the bases of human moral motivation. They argue that
there are in principle no philosophical or moral objections to such
moral bioenhancement. Unfit for the Future? challenges us to
rethink our attitudes to our own human nature, before it is too
late.
To what extent should we use technology to try to make better human
beings? Because of the remarkable advances in biomedical science,
we must now find an answer to this question.
Human enhancement aims to increase human capacities above normal
levels. Many forms of human enhancement are already in use. Many
students and academics take cognition enhancing drugs to get a
competitive edge. Some top athletes boost their performance with
legal and illegal substances. Many an office worker begins each day
with a dose of caffeine. This is only the beginning. As science and
technology advance further, it will become increasingly possible to
enhance basic human capacities to increase or modulate cognition,
mood, personality, and physical performance, and to control the
biological processes underlying normal aging. Some have suggested
that such advances would take us beyond the bounds of human nature.
These trends, and these dramatic prospects, raise profound ethical
questions. They have generated intense public debate and have
become a central topic of discussion within practical ethics.
Should we side with bioconservatives, and forgo the use of any
biomedical interventions aimed at enhancing human capacities?
Should we side with transhumanists and embrace the new
opportunities? Or should we perhaps plot some middle course?
Human Enhancement presents the latest moves in this crucial debate:
original contributions from many of the world's leading ethicists
and moral thinkers, representing a wide range of perspectives,
advocates and sceptics, enthusiasts and moderates. These are the
arguments that will determine how humanity develops in the near
future.
Surgery inevitably inflicts some harm on the body. At the very
least, it damages the tissue that is cut. These harms often are
clearly outweighed by the overall benefits to the patient. However,
where the benefits do not outweigh the harms or where they do not
clearly do so, surgical interventions become morally contested.
Cutting to the Core examines a number of such surgeries, including
infant male circumcision and cutting the genitals of female
children, the separation of conjoined twins, surgical sex
assignment of intersex children and the surgical re-assignment of
transsexuals, limb and face transplantation, cosmetic surgery, and
placebo surgery. When, if ever, do the benefits of these surgeries
outweigh their costs? May a surgeon perform dangerous procedures
that are not clearly to the patient's benefit, even if the patient
consents to them? May a surgeon perform any surgery on a minor
patient if there are no clear benefits to that child? These and
other related questions are the core themes of this collection of
essays.
Surgery inevitably inflicts some harm on the body. At the very
least, it damages the tissue that is cut. These harms often are
clearly outweighed by the overall benefits to the patient. However,
where the benefits do not outweigh the harms or where they do not
clearly do so, surgical interventions become morally contested.
Cutting to the Core examines a number of such surgeries, including
infant male circumcision and cutting the genitals of female
children, the separation of conjoined twins, surgical sex
assignment of intersex children and the surgical re-assignment of
transsexuals, limb and face transplantation, cosmetic surgery, and
placebo surgery. When, if ever, do the benefits of these surgeries
outweigh their costs? May a surgeon perform dangerous procedures
that are not clearly to the patient's benefit, even if the patient
consents to them? May a surgeon perform any surgery on a minor
patient if there are no clear benefits to that child? These and
other related questions are the core themes of this collection of
essays.
Unfit for the Future argues that the future of our species depends
on our urgently finding ways to bring about radical enhancement of
the moral aspects of our own human nature. We have rewritten our
own moral agenda by the drastic changes we have made to the
conditions of life on earth. Advances in technology enable us to
exercise an influence that extends all over the world and far into
the future. But our moral psychology lags behind and leaves us ill
equipped to deal with the challenges we now face. We need to change
human moral motivation so that we pay more heed not merely to the
global community, but to the interests of future generations. It is
unlikely that traditional methods such as moral education or social
reform alone can bring this about swiftly enough to avert looming
disaster, which would undermine the conditions for worthwhile life
on earth forever. Persson and Savulescu maintain that it is likely
that we need to explore the use of new technologies of biomedicine
to change the bases of human moral motivation. They argue that
there are in principle no philosophical or moral objections to such
moral bioenhancement. Unfit for the Future challenges us to rethink
our attitudes to our own human nature, before it is too late.
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