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This paper has been published by UNESCO. It deals with ethical questions on human cloning, and so begins with a summary of its history in human cases. in parallel, animal cloning is subject of a brief review starting with the emblematic case of Dolly, the sheep. Referring to human cloning with research or reproductive purposes, the article introduce a though on both of them, and eventually it declares that human cloning is contrary to dignity because of, among many reasons, the social impacts on identity and family. Once clarified the differences between research and reproductive cloning. the article presents some deliberating conclusions about the use of adult and embrionary stem cells. The paper ends its analysis with the opinion of the international community and the actual debate on ethical questioning to cloning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a member of UNESCO's International Bioethics Committee (IBC) that elaborated the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights, the author summarizes along this paper Declaration's main points. Universal Declaration of Bioethics was adopted by UNESCO General Conference by 2005. The author also points out that albeit there are several declarations and international guidelines relevant to Bioethics, brand new UNESCO's Universal Declaration is the first international instrument, legally established (even though non-binding), that founds a set of principles for any biomedical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author presents a concise biography of Van Rensselaer Potter as scientist and father of Bioethics. Some of the authors that influenced his thinking are mentioned such as Margaret Mead, Aldo Leopold, Peter Whitehouse, Hans Kung and Haykai Sakamoto. In addition some of the principles that Potter borrow from them are specified. Evolution of Potter thinking that begins as a Bioethics of Survival and a Bridge kind of Bioethics is described to transit to a Global Bioethics or Deep Bioethics. Finally, the paper indicates some reasons of Potter distancing with Clinical Bioethics and the return of Bioethics to its original legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to illustrate the interdisciplinary and epistemological nature and structure of Bioethics, as ethics of life in all its development phases and manifestations. As such, it is intimately related to biotechnology, which is mainly centered in scientific progress, to philosophical ethics, and to the socioeconomic interests that derive from their applications. In that sense, this article outlines, in its first part, the interdisciplinary complexity of sciences involved in Bioethics. Then, in the second part, it points out the requirement of a paradigm of complexity and dialectical logic to approach this complexity. Finally, it illustrates the possible disciplinary models of research in Bioethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philosophy textbooks typically treat bioethics as a form of «applied ethics»-i.e., an attempt to apply a moral theory, like utilitarianism, to controversial ethical issues in biology and medicine. Historians, however, can find virtually no cases in which applied philosophical moral theory influenced ethical practice in biology or medicine. In light of the absence of historical evidence, the authors of this paper advance an alternative model of the historical relationship between philosophical ethics and medical ethics, the appropriation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of bioethics, some points of view have been formulated against what seems the status quo. Are these fruitful or, on the contrary, are they useless or harmful? In this short paper the author will try to examine the role of critical ways of thinking within philosophical development and the culture as a whole, as well as the consequences of critical positions in the field of bioethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to reflect on the bioethics and violence relationships, so far neglected. The relevance, the excluding economic policies, the human rights and dignity disrespect, are issues that interest this discipline. The method used was an essay, understood as a critic exercise searching a new way of looking to facts. Violence and bioethics relationships are discussed in the introduction. Next, violence concepts and meaning in the present world are approached, followed by analyzing the role of the State as far as vulnerability to violence is concerned. In conclusion, the importance of the violence subject in the bioethics field must be no longer neglected insofar the discipline might be together with the economic policy in order to prevent and struggle against violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author analyzes some issues related with confidentiality and freedom limitations within public health policies. Regarding HIV cases, he argues in favor to disclose medical information if it is necessary to protect life and health of third vulnerable people. Some criteria are presented to justify specific overpassing medical confidentiality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes, from the point of view of the principles of Bioethics, the problems of embryonic selection with the purpose of serving as donors of future transplant for their gravely ill brothers. Analyzed the principles of Bioethics of no malice, charity, autonomy and justice in connection with the matter explained, the author defends its moral fairness and he explains the necessity of proceeding to a legal reform which permits to accommodate in the Spanish Legal Code to this kind of embryonic selection, since nowadays laws into effect prohibit this practice with the purpose discussed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a reflection on the main work of the German philosopher Hans Jonas. It shows the intellectual aim of Jonas to rescue the ethics of responsibility, suggested in the works of Max Weber at the beginning of the twenty century. Jonas' principle of responsibility is an extremely critical analysis of modern science and its principal arm, technology. The philosopher expounds the need of all humans to act with moderation and humility in face of the excessive power of technoscience to transform the inherent nature of man and the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]