The Oxford Readings in Philosophy series brings together important recent writing in major areas of philosophical enquiry, selected from a variety of sources which may not be conveniently available to the university student or general reader. In this volume, John Harris presents the examples of the very best philosophical writing in bioethics from an internationally renowned list of contributors; authors featured include Peter Singer, Helga Kuhse, Tom Beauchamp, Ruth Macklin, and Ronald Dworkin. The book begins with a substantial overview by John Harris, looking at the evolution and nature of bioethics, contemporary debates, and introduces each of the pieces included, setting them in their academic context. Organized thematically, the volume covers the beginnings of life, end of life, value of life, quality of life, future generations, and professional ethics. It is a wide-ranging volume that covers the broad spectrum of the major topics in bioethics, and its clear and accessible approach makes it essential reading for all students of bioethics.