Critiquing many areas of medical practice and research whilst making constructive suggestions about medical education, this book extends the scope of medical ethics beyond sole concern with regulation.

R.S. Downie is Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow University and Professorial Research Fellow. He has specialised in applying philosophical techniques to practical problems. In particular, he is interested in biomedical ethics and in the use of literature and the arts as vehicles for developing medical perceptions and attitudes.

Introduction Part 1: Bioethics and the Humanities 1. Bioethics and the Medical Humanities Part 2: Medical Humanities: The Critical Function of Philosophy 2. Moral Philosophy and Bioethics 3. Logic and Epistemology 4. Political Philosophy and Bioethics 5. Medical Half Truths Part 3: Medical Humanities: The Supplementary Function of Literature and the Arts 6. Literature and the Ethical Perspective 7. Arts in Health 8. Teaching and Research Part 4: General Conclusions 9. A Humanistic Broadening of Bioethics