Death and Dying

Over a decade ago the field of bioethics was established in response to the increased control over the design of living organisms afforded by both medical genetics and biotechnology. Since its introduction, bioethics has become established as an academic discipline with journals and professional societies, is covered regularly in the media, and affects people everyday around the globe. In response to the increasing need for information about medical genetics and biotechnology as well as the ethical issues these fields raise, Sheed & Ward proudly presents the Readings in Bioethics Series. Edited by Thomas A. Shannon, the series provides anthologies of critical essays and reflections by leading ethicists in four pivotal areas: reproductive technologies, genetic technologies, death and dying, and health care policy. The goal of this series is twofold: first, to provide a set of readers on thematic topics for introductory or survey courses in bioethics or for courses with a particular theme or time limitation. Second, each of the readers in this series is designed to help students focus more thoroughly and effectively on specific topics that flesh out the ethical issues at the core of bioethics. The series is also highly accessible to general readers interested in bioethics. This volume collects critical essays by leading scholars on the definition of death, consciousness, quality of life, tube feeding, pallative care, physician-assisted suicide and the debate on euthanasia. Included in this volume are works by Paul B. Bascom, David DeGrazia, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Kathleen Foley, Herbert Hendin, Michael Panicola, Stephen G. Post, Thomas A. Shannon, Charles F. von Gunten, Susan W. Tolle.

Once again, Shannon has packed a comprehensive course on bioethics into a concise and accessible reader. The ten essays in this anthology on the contemporary state of death and dying cover the religious, legal, moral, and historical bases with the speed and sure-footedness of a seasoned pro, and bring the tough questions about terminal care and assisted suicide into sharp focus., Shannon's book provides us with an excellent comprehensive view of the issues of death and dying starting with the biological perspectives of death to palliative care and physician-assisted suicide. The various articles give bioethicists and students of bioethics both a solid foundation for further critical study in this important ethical area and practical guidance on how to approach these issues in a sensitive and judicious manner., This book should be of interest to all of us who face death for ourselves and our loved ones, but especially to current or future medical, counseling, and pastoral professionals., Overall, this reader will be useful to those interested in certain issues surrounding end-of-life care as it pulls together some excellent recent articles that are not available in any other edited volumes on this topic., In this compact collection of well-written essays are all the issues—biological, medical, interpersonal, historical, legal, ethical, and religious—pertinent to thoughtful reflection on death and dying. Not only is this fine volume comprehensive, it is also interdisciplinary in scope. Readers are drawn into enlightening conversation with medical ethicists, clinicians, and health care administrators.

Thomas A. Shannon is professor of religion and social ethics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is the author of many articles and books in Catholic Social Thought, bioethics, and genetics. He is co-author with Thomas Massaro of Catholic Perspectives on Peace and War, with James Walter of The New Genetic Medicine, and is the editor of the series Readings in Bioethics for Sheed & Ward.