Synopses & Reviews
Eugenic laws mandating prevented unfit individuals from having children. These laws were grounded in Darwin 's theory of evolution and were eventually legitimized by the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. eugenic legal template was used by Nazi Germany to implement their own eugenic sterilization program, and through extension medical experiments, practices of euthanasia, and eventually the Final Solution. Dramatic evidence of four similarly legitimized medical experiments in the U.S. following World War II eventually resulted in a thoroughgoing bioethics movement, grounded in principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice.
Synopsis
Medical advances prolong life. They also sometimes prolong suffering. Should we protect life or alleviate suffering? This dilemma formed the foundation for a powerful right-to-die movement and a counterbalancing concern over an emerging culture of death. What are the qualities of a life worth living? Where are the boundaries of tolerable suffering? This book is based on a hugely popular undergraduate course taught at the University of Texas, and is ideal for those interested in the social construction of social worth, social problems, and social movements.