The contributions to this collection deal with the fundamental problem of unity, which plays a decisive role in many contemporary debates (even when this role is not acknowledged). Questions like whether there can be unities that persist through time a ' e.g. persons who remain the same throughout their lives a ' are discussed from various perspectives. Is such an idea possible at all, and if so, what role do concepts like force, capacity, and disposition play in this context?

The volume examines current developments in human genome research and biomedicine. The new possibilities for insight and intervention now that human genes have been decoded confront researchers and society with ethical, legal, and sociocultural issues in human gene research. The book offers an overview of the state of research and serves as a helpful introduction to the current discussion. Detailed attention is given to the areas of genetic diagnostics, functional research with therapeutic purposes, pharmacogenetics, and the individualized medicine of the future

Moderne und leistungsfahige Technik erfordert moderne und leistungsfahige Formen der ethischen Analyse und Bewertung von Technikentwicklung und -anwendung. Dieses Buch stellt Methoden der Guterabwagung in klinischer Forschung, Differentialdiagnostik, Ethik, Theologie, Philosophie und Rechtswissenschaften vor. Die differential-ethische Guterabwagung und die Methoden ethischer Kosten-Nutzen-Risikobewertung haben uber Aie biomedizinische Forschung und humanmedizinische Versorgung hinaus grosse Bedeutung fur ein moralisches Verantwortungsbewusstsein auf allen Gebieten der modernen Technologie. Das Buch wendet sich an Kliniker und Forscher, Philosophen und Theologen, Manager, Politiker und alle, die ethische Risiken in komplexen Entscheidungssituationen abzuwagen haben.