Theory of Bioethics

David DeGrazia is Elton Professor of Philosophy at George Washington University. In addition to several books, including Taking Animals Seriously (Cambridge University Press, 1996), Human Identity and Bioethics (Cambridge University Press, 2005) and Creation Ethics (2012), he has written numerous book chapters and journal articles on applied ethics, moral philosophy, and the philosophy of mind and cognitive sciences. Joseph Millum is a bioethicist at the US National Institutes of Health. He is author of The Moral Foundations of Parenthood (2018) and co-editor of Global Health Priority-setting (2020). His research, which has appeared in journals including The BMJ and Ethics, focuses on consent, international research ethics, priority-setting for health care and research, and parenting.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Methodology; 3. Outline of the Dual Value Theory; 4. Nonmaleficence and Negative Constraints; 5. Autonomy; 6. Distributive Justice and Beneficence; 7. Moral Status; 8. Well-Being; 9. Personal Identity Theory; 10. Creating Human Beings; Concluding Thoughts.

'DeGrazia and Millum are distinguished philosophers who, in this superb book, develop and defend a pluralistic ethical theory that is respectful of common sense moral beliefs without being subservient to them. They test and refine the theory by exploring its implications for a variety of controversial issues and, in the process, substantially advance our understanding of numerous bioethical problems. They are never dogmatic. Their lucidly written book instead provides much-needed guidance for careful moral reflection on issues of the greatest importance.' Jeff McMahan, White's Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford