Life and Death Debate, The

This work is an introductory treatment of issues and options in social and bioethics which center on the end of life. The purpose of Moreland and Geisler is to offer a beginning survey of these issues to someone unfamiliar with philosophy. Thus, they have attempted to simplify and summarize various end-of-life topics without being simplistic or caricaturing different viewpoints, even though the authors' own viewpoint is made perfectly clear. A comprehensive bibliography, glossary, and subject and author index make this a valuable textbook as well as a resource for further study. The major purpose of this book is to make the reader think more clearly and deeply about the important issues discussed between its covers. Beginning the work is an essay which introduces us to the dilemma of ethical decisions. The following chapters separately discuss the situations of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, suicide, capital punishment, and war. The discussion is ended, by the insight gained in the previous chapters, with a chapter of practical and theoretical guidance for making ethical decisions. A glossary, subject index, author index, and selected bibliography for each chapter make this a valuable textbook, as well as an important beginning for novice philosophers. This important work will not only appeal to experienced philosophers, but also to students of moral philosophy, theology, and ethics.