Over the course of its first seven editions, Principles of Biomedical Ethics has proved to be, globally, the most widely used, authored work in biomedical ethics. It is unique in being a book in bioethics used in numerous disciplines for purposes of instruction in bioethics. Its framework of moral principles is authoritative for many professional associations and biomedical institutions-for instruction in both clinical ethics and research ethics. It has been widely used in several disciplines for purposes of teaching in the (...) classroom, during conferences, etc. (shrink)

In 1970 Van Rensselaer Potter was the first to use the term "bioethics" in a publication to advocate the development of a new discipline to address the basic problems of human flourishing. This article analyzes Potter's notion of bioethics in order to understand its origins, sources, and substance. In early publications, Potter conceptualized bioethics as a bridge: between present and future, nature and culture, science and values, and finally between humankind and nature. In later publications, disappointed by a predominant focus (...) on individual and medical issues, and with a wish to underscore the need for a broader perspective, Potter introduced the new term "global bioethics," meant to transcend ethics specialties and integrate them into a new interdisciplinary endeavor to address global problems. A growing interest in global bioethics today means that Potter's original insights are more timely than ever. (shrink)

Book reviewed in this article: Principles of Biomedical Ethics. By Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress.

Mi propósito en este trabajo es ofrecer un panorama de la hermenéutica analógica. Comienzo con un breve recorrido histórico de la hermenéutica y de la noción de analogía. Reúno después ambos conceptos y explico cómo la hermenéutica analógica puede evitar las fallas tanto del univocismo como del equivocismo en la interpretación. The purpose of this work is to give a general sketch of an analogical hermeneutics. I start with a brief historical survey of hermeneutics and of the notion of analogy. (...) I then put together both terms and explain how an analogical hermeneutics can avoid the faults of both univocism and equivocism in interpretation. (shrink)