The value of human life and bioethics: A philosophical assessment

TL;DRAbstract

This study examines questions which lie at the heart of the ongoing debate about the value of human life. The issue is central to most bioethical dilemmas, and especially to those which arise from ongoing advancements in medical technology. Disagreement and confusion over the value and the definition of human life has precipitated the acceleration of debate on these issues in the professional literature. After an introductory chapter, the study begins, in Chapter II, by attempting to eliminate the ambiguity of the term "human life" by defining its different meanings relevant to this topic. Two concepts are defined, namely, "biological life" (defined as the presence of metabolism on a sufficiently high level of the organism as a whole) and "personal life" (indicated by the presence of the capacity for self-consciousness). This is followed by a discussion about valid criteria for indicating the presence of life, e.g., cardio-pulmonary function, whole-brain function, and neocortical funct

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