Suchergebnisse

Medical ethics are now in a period of great change. Some of the patterns, causes, agents, modes, resistance to, and costs of these changes are briefly described as a guide to the several detailed essays in this volume.

Occupational prestige is one important dimension of social inequality. Building on past theory and especially on excellent recent empirical research in this area, a new theory is presented. This new theory criticizes some assumptions of older theories of occupational prestige with regard to motivation and to the scarcity of human talent. Finally, using the new theory, some small suggestions are given for social policy to reduce inequality based on occupational prestige.

Medical ethics are now in a period of great change. Some of the patterns, causes, agents, modes, resistance to, & costs of these changes are briefly described. Causes of change include technological determinism, rationality as a set of values, & egalitarianism as a set of values. Agents of change are insider medical professionals, ie, "humanists," "bioethicists," social scientists, & some government people. Modes of change include social movement, legal action, & government policy. Laymen complain about the huge expense of medical aid; professionals complain about the decline of trust in their efforts. Slowly, too, medicine is losing some of its omnipotence in the community -- too slowly for some, too quickly for others. As the process of change continues, perhaps even more quickly than in the last hurried fifteen years, it is hoped that there will be less conflict & more rational remedy. Modified HA.