Debating Bioethics

This book studies the critical issues that dominate contemporary discourse on biomedical ethics. It brings together various debates highlighting the historical, philosophical, scientific and technological perspectives involved in modern medicine in different societies, with a focus on contemporary medicine in India. The volume provides a comprehensive look into the origin and evolution of bioethics with an examination of how complex bioethical issues are negotiated in different contexts. The author traces the transition from traditional to modern bioethics and examines important bioethical frameworks to deal with moral dilemmas and challenges. He also contemplates the future of bioethics with an emphasis on regulation in practice to prevent repression and exploitation in medicine.

A comprehensive study of contemporary approaches to bioethics, the book will be indispensable for students, professionals and researchers in public health, ethics, biomedical ethics, medicine, philosophy, sociology, public policy and anthropology.

Sreekumar Nellickappilly is Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, India. He works in the areas of hermeneutics, phenomenology and bioethics. He completed his PhD in philosophy from the Central University of Hyderabad after obtaining an MPhil from the same institution. Prior to his appointment in IIT Madras in 2003, he worked as a lecturer in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Rajasthan. A recipient of the Fulbright-Nehru Professional Excellence Fellowship (2017–2018), he has published articles in several peer-reviewed journals and has supervised students for PhD in different areas. He has coordinated national and international research projects and is a member of several academic boards and advisory committees. Besides IIT Madras, Nellickappilly has also taught in other institutes, such as NIT Calicut; IIT Palakkad; Syracuse University, USA; National Rail & Transportation Institute, Baroda; and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics University, Bengaluru, as visiting faculty.