Methods in Bioethics

The Way We Reason Now

John Arras

An overview of major philosophical methods in bioethics
An assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, such as principlism and casuistry

Methods in Bioethics

The Way We Reason Now

John Arras

Description

This volume collects essays by the late bioethicist John D. Arras, best known for his many contributions to the methodology of bioethics. Always open-minded, Arras did not favor a single theory or view of method in bioethics, eschewing labels such as "casuist" or "pragmatist." He was conversant with the main philosophical methods that have dominated bioethics since the field's origin, including principlism, Gert's common morality, the "new casuistry", pragmatism, and others. Rather than defending any particular theory or method, though, Arras rigorously investigated those methods - and how they both expand and limit our field of vision. He sought, in the tradition of Kierkegaard, to make life "harder" for bioethics, by uncovering challenges to the field's analytical methods. His favorite mode of exploration and expression was the thoughtful essay. The essays collected here reveal him thinking through new problems and new possibilities, and they invariably yield fresh and valuable insights.

Methods in Bioethics

The Way We Reason Now

John Arras

Preface
Introduction

1. Principlism: The Borg of Bioethics
2. A Common Morality for Hedgehogs: Bernard Gert
3. Getting Down to Cases: The Revival of Casuistry in Bioethics
4. Nice Story but So What: Narrative and Justification in Ethics
5. Dewey and Rorty's Pragmatism and Bioethics
6. Freestanding Pragmatism in Bioethics and Law
7. A Method in Search of a Purpose: The Internal Morality of Medicine
8. One Method to Rule Them All? Reflective Equilibrium in Bioethics
9. Concluding Reflections: Method in Bioethics-The Very Idea

Methods in Bioethics

The Way We Reason Now

John Arras

Author Information

The late John D. Arras was Porterfield Professor of Bioethics, Professor of Philosophy, and Professor of Public Health Sciences, as well as a scholar-in-residence in the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Humanities, at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He was the author of numerous influential articles in bioethics as well as editor or co-editor of several books in the field. At the time of his death in 2015, he was a member of President Obama's Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

Methods in Bioethics

The Way We Reason Now

John Arras

Reviews and Awards

"It was a delight to read Methods in Bioethics: The Way We Reason Now. John Arras's reflections on how to do bioethics are uncommonly wise and incisive. Readers will find themselves engaged with a first-class mind, with a scholar who read so widely and perceptively, and a person with a wonderfully wry and self-deprecating sense of humor. It is vintage John Arras all the way - a very fine vintage to be sure." -- Tom Murray, Ph.D. President Emeritus, The Hastings Center

"Methods in Bioethics is a superb road map to the various ethical approaches that have contributed to the field of bioethics. The goal is not to determine which theory is correct - Arras is deeply skeptical about this possibility - but rather to understand the important, though partial, insights of each. It is the most sophisticated analysis of the history and significance of bioethics, and Arras's rapier wit and lively style make it the most engaging as well." -- Bonnie Steinbock, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, the University at Albany/State University of New York

"With distinctive wit and ruthless analytical clarity, Arras offers an incisive critique of popular approaches to methodology in bioethics. This is clear-headed, analytical philosophy at its finest and anyone interested in methods of bioethics ignores this work at their peril." -- Alex John London, Ph.D., Clara L. West Professor of Ethics and Philosophy, Director, Center for Ethics and Policy, Director, Ethics History and Public Policy Program, Carnegie Mellon University