The second half is a mini ethics course, addressing every area of christian life. Jul 01, 20 in this talk audio mp3 and video youtube, brian d. Male circumcision campaigns in africa to fight hiv are a. While lewis 1949 is generally credited as being one of the earliest works to address the ethics of neonatal circumcision in a us context, other classics have emerged since then, including wallerstein 1980, ritter and denniston 2002, goldman 1997, and gollaher 2000, a historical analysis. Jan 18, 2010 the 1999 circumcision policy states that parents should make the decision about nontherapeutic circumcision, implying that doctors should comply with parental desires. Home the oxford uehiro centre for practical ethics. Some are intensely practical, such as whether we can withdraw a feeding tube from a patient in a vegetative state who could go on living for.
On the ethics of nontherapeutic circumcision of minors, with a prescript on the law. In circumcision and human rights, internationally respected experts in the fields of medicine, science, politics, law, ethics, sociology, anthropology, history, and religion present the latest research on this tragedy, as a part of the worldwide campaign to end sexual mutilation. Control and prevention and is currently working on a book on the ethics of. She claimed that the book was the reason she became a vegetarian. Lets face reality and abandon the harmful practice. For this third edition, the author has revised and updated all the chapters, and added a new chapter addressing climate change, one of the most important ethical challenges of our generation. The book is an exploration of the medical, legal, moral and cultural aspects of the practice of circumcision. Author mr thando mgqolozana, whose novel, a man who is not a man and electronic. Peter singers practical ethics is a very considerate book. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin prepuce from the human penis. Mdjd weighs in you voted, now see the results and an experts discussion.
Evolutionary cultural ethics and the circumcision of children. Uehiro centre for practical ethics, university of oxford, oxford, uk. Accordingly, this guidance addresses the queries medical practitioners raise with the bma about both therapeutic and nontherapeutic 1. What about the ethics of ignoring conflicts of interest of researchers and policymakers, withholding information by media outlets, and preventing open debate about circumcision. Nontherapeutic circumcision is clearly discriminatory, unethical. The decision to implement the circumcision policies in africa was based on three clinical trials conducted in south africa, uganda, and kenya, which showed that circumcision reduced mens hiv risk. Male circumcision partial or total removal of the penile prepucehas been proposed as a public health measure in subsaharan africa, based on the results of three randomized control trials showing a relative risk reduction of approximately 60 per cent for voluntary, adult male circumcision against femaletomale human immunodeficiency virus transmission in that context. More ethical questions about circumcision circumcision. The book of colossians was likely written between a. The completely unregulated practice of tion to the ongoing discussion. I will reframe singers positions regarding these, not exactly as singer put them, but being as. For this second edition the author has revised all the existing chapters, added two. Opponents cite jewish sources that contest it, implying that the procedure is not as. As an alternative, i propose an ethical framework for evaluating such.
Is a physicians compliance with a parental request for nontherapeutic circumcision consistent with rendering competent medical care based on what the. In his book, gollaher explains that britain was in a serious economic. Circumcision ethics and economics psychology today. Circumcision pros and cons circumcision resource center. They now say that the probabilistic health benefits conferred by the procedure outweigh the known risks and harms. The topics discussed are mainly matters of law and social policy, so the focus on legislation or codes of ethics. We summarize the main points from these papers below to show their diverse views on circumcision and ethics. Male and female circumcision book subtitle medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice.
Ethical issues are rarely acknowledged by circumcision proponents. Frontiers do the benefits of male circumcision outweigh. Editors 2009, 276 pages, 53 illustrations, 26 in color, hardcover isbn. For a small country, iceland has had a big impact on global media coverage recently, following its proposed ban on male circumcision. Do the benefits of male circumcision outweigh the risks. Peter singer, the princeton philosopher, has written an important book on ethics as applied to practical and controversial issues of the present day, such as euthanasia and abortion. This official statement follows a week or so of speculation in the media that the aaps new statement would fall on the side of supporting newborn male.
Bodily integrity and male and female circumcision springerlink. Whatever one thinks about the benefits of this procedure, it is a procedure. Feb 21, 2011 for thirty years, peter singers practical ethics has been the classic introduction to applied ethics. Circumcision and human rights attorneys for the rights of. Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin from the human penis. Singers writings about equality, the ethical treatment of animals, and ending world poverty are best, it seems to me. The main focus of this collection is on male circumcision. This usually takes place in a ceremony called a brit or bris milah witnessed by. Critical perspectives on boys circumcision childhood. Ethics, applied ethics and human rights atheist scholar. For thirty years, peter singers practical ethics has been the classic introduction to applied ethics. Frontiers do the benefits of male circumcision outweigh the. Circumcision is the removal of the flap of skin which naturally covers the tip of the penis.
The book of genesis explains circumcision as a covenant with god given to abraham, gen 17. Jul 21, 2009 the circumcision ceremony judaism and circumcision. When circumcision is performed, it does not treat any disease, injury, or other health problem. Brian earps posts archives journal of medical ethics blog. I conclude that circumcision before an age of consent is not an appropriate health promotion strategy. Medical, legal and ethical considerations in pediatric practice new. Infant circumcision is an ethical issue that has lifelong effects on the child and societal costs. For healthcare, seek a qualified medical professional who is knowledgeable on the benefits of a whole body and intact care and who knows the harms involved in circumcision and forced retraction.
Peter singers remarkably clear and comprehensive practical ethics has become a classic introduction to applied ethics since its publication in 1979 and has been translated into many languages. For this third edition, the author has revised and updated all the chapters and added a new. Editorial the ethics of infant male circumcision day ritual circumcision not only inherits and re. In this commentary, originally published at the university of oxfords practical ethics website, i argue that the aap is on less secure footing than it seems to think. As it may be guessed from its title, gyekyes book is not. In 2017, the american medical associations journal of ethics published two articles challenging the morality of performing nontherapeutic infant circumcision. Pdf the ethics of infant male circumcision brian d. The ethics of nontherapeutic circumcision being imposed on unconsenting minors babies and children has been a source of ongoing controversy. The eight best introductory books on ethics the daily idea. Circumcisionthe removal of this structureis nontherapeutic, painful, irrevers. Should there be a separate ethical discourse practical ethics, university of oxford. The two disciplines inevitably impact upon each other, and this book brings them together to focus on practical ethics for general practitioners.
This is problematic because the fact that female circumcision is left with much less attention means the. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and you. The title suggests that the book will cover both topics, male and female circumcision. Ethical aspects of traditional male circumcision among certain ethnic groups in south africa. Less commonly, circumcision is sometimes done for healthrelated reasons. One of the bmas roles is to issue guidance to doctors on ethical and medicolegal issues. The important role of practical ethics in cases like this is to help clarify the key concepts, identify central ethical questions, separate them from questions of scientific fact and subject arguments to critical scrutiny.
Oxford uehiro centre for practical ethics home page skip to main content. I bought this book for an ethics class research paper. Circumcision violates the cardinal principles of medical ethics, to respect. For a small country, iceland has had a big impact on global media coverage recently, following its proposed ban on male circumcision before an age of consent. Earp argues that the nontherapeutic circumcision of infant males is unethical, whether it is performed for reasons of obtaining possible future health benefits, for reasons of cultural transmission, or for reasons of perceived religious obligation. Circumcision books research circumcision circumcision. Reading this book will be an eyeopening experience for many. Some scholars look elsewhere for the origin of jewish circumcision. Adult symptoms associated with circumcision trauma included shyness, anger, fear, powerlessness, distrust, low selfesteem, relationship difficulties, and sexual shame. Ethics of nontherapeutic circumcision catholic moral principles question consent by proxy to ntc, all the more so if the procedure is to be performed on a healthy child and can be predicted to effect a permanent change in normal anatomy or might negatively impact the functions of a nondiseased organ 48.
In the most common procedure, the foreskin is opened, adhesions are removed, and the foreskin is separated from the glans. This is a debate about how far do parents rights extend over onto the body of their child. Medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice kluwer academicplenum publishers new york 1. The practice of circumcision has ancient origins, and continues today around the. Earp uehiro centre for practical ethics, university of oxford, oxford, uk the centers for disease control and prevention cdc have announced a set of provisional guidelines concerning male circumcision, in which they suggest that the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks. Excerpts from an important book from the ethical canary by margaret somerville altering baby boys bodies. In this chapter, we contrast legal and ethical perspectives on two forms of nontherapeutic. American academy of pediatrics releases revised policy on. Dec 24, 2019 practical ethics university of oxford. The discussions tackle the biggest questions facing ethics.
A history of the worlds most controversial surgery by david l. Circumcision is a common surgery but what of the ethics. Evidence and ethics on circumcision faqs evidence based. It is a surgery performed with little or no anesthesia on a helpless, restrained infant. Full text female genital mutilation and male circumcision. How an american cultural practice affects infants and ultimately us all, ronald goldman, ph. Male circumcision campaigns in africa to fight hiv are a form. Legitimization of male and female circumcision middle east research associates amsterdam. The first half of the book of colossians is a theological treatise that includes one of the most profound presentations of christology anywhere in the new testament.
Other reasons to oppose circumcision of newborns are the experience of pain, possible complications, a lack of presumed medical bene. On a more practical level, some people also argue that it is necessary to consider the effects of a decision not to circumcise. Visit the choosing a pediatrician page for assistance in picking a doctor who is right for your family. Practical ethics was recommended to me by my ethics professor.
Dean edell i have had a long and vociferous opposition to the practice of routine male circumcision. Many people, including some doctors, have very strong feelings about circumcision. No distinction between male and female circumcision. Aug 28, 2012 circumcision can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in infants, cut the risk of penile cancer and lower the risk of hiv and the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical and other cancers. Male circumcision is defined as the partial or total surgical removal of the foreskin also called prepuce, which is specialized tissue that covers the head or glans of the penis. This makes me think that we have an evolving practical and moral. View that routine male infant circumcision is not ethical view that routine male infant circumcision is ethical. They outline steps for eradicating this abusive practice to. His book was last printed in 1974, the same year that one physician, writing in medical aspects of human sexuality, called the book pertinent and carefully thought out. Kennedy institute of ethics journal, 262, 105144 and e1e28. Practical ethics blog, individualrightsthecurrentdebateon circumcision marks an important contribu 30 aug 2012. At what point should we consider a fetus a human being.
In this article, we explore the research evidence as well as the ethical debate around. Second, the book addresses a relatively neglected realm of clinical ethics. Circumcision is an initiation rite for jewish newborn babies. Abstract circumcision is often claimed to be simpler, safer and more. Hindu medicine, known as ayurveda, the science of life, has a highly developed system of practical ethics derived from the hindu principles of nonhurtfulness, the sanctity of all life, the existence of the soul separate from the body and a willingness to accept lifes circumstances as defined by ones karma and dharma. Even its most highprofile ethical topicsfemale circumcision and the separation of conjoined twinshave not been treated extensively in the.
Male and female circumcision medical, legal, and ethical. Michael wilks, head of ethics at the british medical association. Circumcision, then, is considered a violation of the bodys integrity because a healthy, functional part of the body is excised. Jul 25, 2017 circumcision is the most common surgery in america, but it raises important questions about the rights of children, parental control, and the duty of doctors to do no harm. Ethical questions the first intensive exploration of the unrecognized psychological and social aspects of this increasingly controversial american cultural practice. Taking into consideration both scientific and ethical perspectives, i conclude that circumcision before an age of consent is not an appropriate healthpromotion strategy. After that, a circumcision device may be placed, and then the foreskin is cut off. Topical or locally injected anesthesia is generally used to reduce pain and physiologic stress.
One of the roles of the british medical association bma is to issue guidance to doctors on ethical and medicolegal issues. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you. Book title male and female circumcision book subtitle medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice editors. He presented to the united nations on male circumcision as a human rights violation. Centers for disease control cdc published a report on male newborn circumcision was in 20 and it included data from 1979. Such books typically concentrate upon concepts and theories but give scant attention to the kinds of ethical problems you are likely to face. The first is whether religions that practice infant circumcision actually require it. Circumcision, autonomy and public health public health. Circumcision spread in several englishspeaking nations from the late 19th century, with the introduction of anesthesia and antisepsis rapidly expanding surgical practice. Yet the book is full of insights and exhibits a depth of reasoning consistent with the best works in practical philosophy. Accordingly, this guidance addresses the queries medical practitioners raise with the bma about both therapeutic and nontherapeutic 1 male circumcision. As scientific advancements found legitimate pathologic etiologies for diseases previously believed to be prevented or cured by circumcision, new excuses were adopted to.
Pdf the ethics of infant male circumcision researchgate. I had looked at a lot of research regarding female circumcision and was prepared to write paper loaded with righteous indignation over the practice. But, before i had even finished the introduction, my viewpoint was changing. Circumcision is immoral, should be banned practical ethics. This intense exploration of the psychological and social aspects of this increasingly controversial american cultural practice. Ethics is at the heart of health services, dealing with fundamental questions about what ought to be valued, and why. Admittedly, in the world of medical ethics the question may not quite polarise opinion as widely. Medical, legal, and ethical considerations in pediatric practice.
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