Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Towards a Sociology of Bioethics

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Medical Sociology in Africa

  • 1591 Accesses

Abstract

Sociology of bioethics is still an emerging area in sociological studies. The essence of this chapter is to further promote the understanding of bioethics and stress the relevance of sociology to the bioethical agenda. The critical areas of bioethics are explored to provide (sociological) understanding of the core issues in bioethics and how sociology could contribute to the social dimensions of the bioethical agenda. Sociology of bioethics deals with the application of sociological insights, perspectives, and methods to the understanding of the moral dimensions of the life sciences and health care. The chapter proceeds with the history and notions of bioethics with reference to the works of Fritz Jahr (1895–1953) and Van Rensselaer Potter (1911–2001), which are landmarks in the development of the discipline. The chapter then presents the varieties of bioethics including theoretical bioethics, clinical bioethics/health care ethics, research ethics, biotech bioethics, public health bioethics, policy and regulatory bioethics, and cultural bioethics. For further understanding, the discussion continues with some core areas of moral perplexities in health care, principlism in bioethics (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice), and casuistry as a method of ethical case deliberation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amzat, J., & Grandi, G. (2011). Gender context of personalism in bioethics. Developing World Bioethics, 11(3), 136–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumann, A., Claudot, F., Audibert, G., Mertes, P., & Puybasset, L. (2011).The ethical and legal aspects of palliative sedation in severely brain-injured patients: A French perspective. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 6, 4. http://www.peh-med.com/content/6/1/4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp, T. M. (2001). Principlism and its alleged competitors. In J. Harris (Ed.), Oxford reading in philosophy: Bioethics (pp. 479–493). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp, T. M. (2003). Ethical theories and bioethics. In T. M. Beauchamp & L. Walters (Eds.), Contemporary issues in bioethics (6th ed.). New York: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp, T. M., & Childress, J. F. (2001). Principles of biomedical ethics (5th ed.) Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, D. (2004). Bioethics. In S. G. Post (Ed.), Encyclopedia of bioethics (278–287) 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callahan, D., & Jennings, B. (2002). Ethics and public health: Forging a strong relationship. American Journal of Public Health, 92, 169–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chattopadhyay, S., & De Vries, R. (2008). Bioethical concerns are global, bioethics is Western. Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics, 18(4), 106–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, A., & Garrard, E. (2006). In defence of moral imperialism: Four equal and universal prima facie principles. Journal of Medical Ethics, 32(4), 200–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devolder, K. (2005). Creating and sacrificing embryos for stem cells. Journal of Medical Ethics, 31, 366–370. doi:10.1136/jme.2004.008599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geissler, P. W., & Molyneux, C. (Eds.). (2011). Evidence, ethos and experiment: The anthropology and history of medical research in Africa. New York: Berghahn Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillon, R. (1994). Medical ethics: Four principles plus attention to scope. British Medical Journal, 309, 184–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn, L. M. (2003). Biotechnology at the margins of personhood: An evolving legal paradigm. Journal of Evolution and Technology, 13, 35–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordijn, B. (2005). Nanoethics: From utopian dreams and apocalyptic nightmares towards a more balanced view. Science and Engineering Ethics, 11(4), 521–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahr, F. (1927). Bioethics: A panorama of the human being’s ethical relations with animals and plants. Kosmos Nr. 24 Translated by José Roberto Goldim/2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janssens, L. (1990). Personalism in moral theology. In C. E. Curran (Ed.), Moral theology: challenges for the future (pp. 94–107). New York: Paulist.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janssens, L. (1999). Particular goods and personalist morals. Ethical Perspectives, 6(1), 55–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jegede, A. S. (2009). Understanding informed consent for participation in international health research. Developing World Bioethics, 9(2), 81–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonsen, A. R. (2004). Casuistry. In S. G. Post (Ed.), Encyclopedia of bioethics (374–380) 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonsen, A. R., & Toulmin, S. E. (1988). The abuse of casuistry: A history of moral reasoning. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaler, A. (1998). A threat to the nation and a threat to the men: The banning of Depo-Provera in Zimbabwe, 1981. Journal of Southern African Studies, 24(2), 347–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kass, N. E. (2001). An ethics framework for public health. Am J Public Health, 91(11), 1776–1782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latimer, E. J. (1998). Ethical care at the end of life. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 158(13), 1741–1747.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, P., & Allhoff, F. (2008). Untangling the debate the ethics of human enhancement. Nanoethics, 2, 251–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lurie, P., & Wolfe, S. M. (1997). Unethical trials of interventions to reduce perinatal transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus in developing countries. New England Journal of Medicine, 337, 883–885.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maltoni, M., Scarpi, E., Rosati, M., Derni, S., Fabbri, L., Martini, F., Amadori, D., & Nanni, O. (2012). Palliative sedation in end-of-life care and survival: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 30(12), 1378–1383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLean, M. R. (2012). A framework for thinking ethically about human biotechnology. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/submitted/mclean/biotechframework.html. Accessed 16 Nov 2012.

  • Muzur, A., & Rinčić, I. (2011). Fritz Jahr (1895–1953)—the man who invented bioethics. Synthesis Philos, 51(1), 133–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • NCB (Nuffield Council on Bioethics). (1996). Animal-to-human transplants: The ethics of xenotransplantation. London: Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter, V. R., & Potter, L. (1995) Global bioethics: Converting sustainable development to global survival. Medicine & Global Survival, 2(3), 185–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter, V. R. (1970). Bioethics: The science of survival. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 14, 127–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter, V. R. (1971). Bioethics: Bridge to the future. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter, V. R. (1988). Global bioethics: Building on the Leopold Legacy. East Lansing: MSU Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Purdy, L. M. (2006). Surrogate mothering: Exploitation or empowerment? In H. Kushe & P. Singer (Eds.), Bioethics: An anthology (pp. 90–99, 2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehmann-Sutter, C., Düwell, M., & Mieth, D. (2006). Introduction. In C. Rehmann-Sutter, M. Düwell, & D. Mieth (Eds.), Bioethics in cultural contexts: reflections on methods and finitude (pp. 1–10). The Netherlands: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Reich, W. T. (1995). Introduction. In W. T. Reich (Ed.), Encyclopedia of bioethics (p. 3: 2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan Reference.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rendtorff, J. D. (2002). Basic ethical principles in European bioethics and biolaw: Autonomy, dignity, integrity and vulnerability– towards a foundation of bioethics and biolaw. Med Health Care Philos, 5(3), 235–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ricoeur, P. (1999). Approaching the human person. Ethical Perspectives, 1, 45–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, J. S., & Baylis, F. (2003). Crossing species boundaries. American Journal of Bioethics, 3(3), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinkamp, N., & Gordijn, B. (2003). Ethical case deliberation on the ward: Comparison of four methods. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 6, 235–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ten Have H. A. (2012). Potter’s notion of bioethics. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 22(1), 59–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, L. (2009). Bioethics and social studies of medicine: Overlapping concerns. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 18, 36–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veatch, R. M. (2012). The basics of bioethics (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Washington, H. A. (2006). Medical apartheid: The dark history of medical experimentation on Black Americans from colonial times to the present. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Jimoh Amzat

  2. AG3 Epidemiology & Intern Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Oliver Razum

Authors
  1. Jimoh Amzat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Oliver Razum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jimoh Amzat .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Amzat, J., Razum, O. (2014). Towards a Sociology of Bioethics. In: Medical Sociology in Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03986-2_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation