Who lives, who dies, who decides?: abortion, neonatal care, assisted dying, and capital punishment

Description

"This second edition of Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Decides? has been updated to consider the rising stakes for issues of life and death. Abortion, assisted dying, and capital punishment are among the most contentious issues in many societies and demand debate. Whose rights are protected? How do these rights and protections change over time and who makes those decisions? Based on the author's award-winning and hugely popular undergraduate course at the University of Texas and highly recommended by Choice Magazine, this book explores the fundamentally sociological processes which underlie the quest for morality and justice in human societies. The Author's goal is not to advocate any particular moral "high ground" but to shed light on the social movements and social processes which are at the root of these seemingly personal moral questions and to develop readers to develop their own opinions"--;A single question -- An exclusionary movement is born -- Legal reform to eliminate defectives -- Redrawing the boundaries of protected life -- Crystallizing events and ethical principles -- A bolt from the blue : abortion is legalized -- Man's law or God's will -- Inches from life -- Should the baby live? -- Limits to tolerable suffering -- Alleviating suffering and protecting life -- God, duty, and life worth living -- Assisted dying -- Removing the protective boundaries of life -- A campaign to stop the executions -- The pendulum swings, the debate continues -- Lessons learned. A single question -- An exclusionary movement is born -- Legal reform to eliminate defectives -- Redrawing the boundaries of protected life -- Crystallizing events and ethical principles -- A bolt from the blue : abortion is legalized -- Man's law or God's will -- Inches from life -- Should the baby live? -- Limits to tolerable suffering -- Alleviating suffering and protecting life -- God, duty, and life worth living -- Assisted dying -- Removing the protective boundaries of life -- A campaign to stop the executions -- The pendulum swings, the debate continues -- Lessons learned.