The price of perfection
Subtitle: individualism and society in the era of biomedical enhancement
By: Maxwell J. Mehlman.
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Baltimore
Language: eng
Number of pages: 309
ISBN-13: 9780801892639
Subjects: Medical innovations -- Social aspects; Perfection -- Moral and ethical aspects; Social medicine; Bioethics; Biomedical Enhancement; Decision Making; Doping in Sports; Social Identification
Description: Few would question the necessity of artificial limbs for amputees. But what of surgery to lengthen the legs of children who are merely shorter than average? Hardly anyone would challenge the decision to prescribe Aricept to people with dementia. But is it acceptable to give the same medication to airline pilots seeking sharper mental focus on long-haul flights? Humans have engaged in biological self-improvement since long before recorded history, from the impotence-curing wild lotus brew of the ancient Egyptians to the herbal energy drink favored by early Olympians. Now biomedical enhancements are pushing the boundaries of possibility and acceptability. Where do we draw the line? How do we know the true ramifications of pioneering medicine? What price are we willing to pay for perfection? Mehlman outlines policy options to boost the societal benefits and minimize the risks from these technologies. In the process, he urges the public to face the ethical issues surrounding biomedical enhancement, lest our quest for perfection compromise our very humanity.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Self-satisfaction; title: Social reward; title: The hegemony of meritocracy; title: Access to enhancements and the challenge to equality; title: Lack of choice; title: Enhancements in sports; title: The lessons from sports; title: The war on enhancements; title: Promoting safety, efficacy, and informed decision-making; title: Protecting the vulnerable; title: Access and inequality; title: Abominations; title: Research on enhancement.