Cutting to the Core

David Benatar is an associate professor and head of the philosophy department at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

• Part 1 PrefacePart 2 Introduction: The Ethics of Contested SurguriesPart 3 Part I: Male Circumcision and Female Genital CuttingChapter 4 1. Between Prophylaxis and Child Abuse: The Ethics of Neonatal Male CircumcisionChapter 5 2. The Ethics of Neonatal Male Circumcision: Helping Parents to DecideChapter 6 3. Genital Alteration of Female MinorsPart 7 Part II: Sex Assignment and Reassignment SurgeryChapter 8 4. The Ethics of Surgically Assigning Sex for Intersex InfantsChapter 9 5. Transsexualism and Gender Reassignment SurgeryPart 10 Part III: Separating Conjoined TwinsChapter 11 6. Separating Conjoined Twins: Disability, Ontology and Moral StatusChapter 12 7. Conjunction and Separation: Viable Relationships, Equitable PartingsPart 13 Part IV: Limb and Face TransplantationChapter 14 8. Ethical Issues in Limb TransplantsChapter 15 9. Changing faces: Ethics, identity and facial transplantationPart 16 Part V: Cosmetic SurgeryChapter 17 10. A Defence of Cosmetic SurgeryChapter 18 11. Beauty under the Knife: A Feminist Appraisal of Cosmetic SurgeryPart 19 Part VI: Placebo SurgeryChapter 20 12. The Emperor's New Scar: The Ethics of Placebo SurgeryChapter 21 13. Sham Surgery and Reasonable RisksPart 22 Suggestions for Further ReadingPart 23 IndexPart 24 About the Editor and Contributors

Cutting to the Core shows us how we need to think about some of the most disturbing forms of surgical intervention-interventions which are fervently desired by individuals, but which may do more harm than good. This compelling and highly accessible collection of essays establishes once and for all the importance of ethics for understanding the implications of medical practice.