Michael Rubin reviews Michael L. Gross's Bioethics and Armed Conflict.
In 2004, the World Medical Association declared that 'medical ethics in times of armed conflict is identical to medical ethics in times of peace.' Gross, an ethicist at the University of Haifa, takes issue with this conclusion. 'Military personnel do not enjoy a right to life, personal autonomy, or a right to self-determination to any degree approaching that of ordinary patients,' he observes. While bioethics focuses on the rights of an individual, military necessity places paramount authority in the state.
Many bioethicists, insulated by peace, wallow in theory and philosophy. Living in Israel--in Haifa, at that--and facing war, Gross infuses his study with reality. As commentators and human rights activists criticize U.S. participation in Iraq and Israeli actions, Gross examines a number of bioethical quandaries that have consequences for contemporary militaries and physicians. He offers rich historical background.
No comments:
Post a Comment