Abstract

Ethical choices in Contemporary Medicine rejects the standard medical ethics model of "rights" language and shows that the bioethical problems that receive attention from the media and public are explicable in terms of the epistemological foundations of science and medicine... The authors examine present concerns about medicine in terms of cultural context and suggest that, given the conflicting frameworks, agendas, and attitudes, it may be necessary to go beyond rational, parochial, ethical dialogue. They show that two interrelated issues surface in evaluations of medicine: on the one hand, there is a strong critique of science and the privileges associated with scientific discourse; on the other, there is a deep-seated quest for certainty in all medical matters.