Recent developments in the biomedical fields have led to considerable moral perplexity about the rights and duties of health professionals and researchers, patients and research subjects. Since about 1970 members of a number of academic disciplines including biology, medicine, philosophy, religious studies and law have become involved in an anthology provides a systematic overview of that discussion: It present an introduction to ethical theory and a set of carefully selected readings on some of the most important contemporary issues in bioethics. The essays in this book have been choosen on the basis of their clarity of conceptual and ethical reflection, their teachability and their significance for current controversies in bioethics. Whenever possible, the essays have been arranged in a debate like format: Divergent viewpoints have been juxtaposed, so that the reader may explore the strength and weakness of alternative positions on an issue. Each chapter of readings is preceded by an editor's introduction, which sets the essays in context and surveys the major arguments on the chapter topic. At the end of each chapter we have recommended readings and have listed bibliographic resources that contain numerous additional citations.