The Scope of Bioethics

Bioethics consists of human conducts that directly and particularly relate to the application of technology in his natural life. Technologies of this kind are distinguished under the title of biotechnology. Biotechnology has indirectly changed the human life through changes made in animal and vegetable lives, while directly affecting his own life too. Therefore, the moral evaluation of biotechnology is very important since the moral perspective is fundamental in light of which other perspectives, such as religious and legal ones, could be interpreted or determined. All aspects of human life – before birth, during his life and after death – fall within the scope of bioethics. These aspects include subject matters such as “infertility treatment”, “abortion”, “organ transplantation”, “human cloning”, “research on human beings”, “vegetable genetic modification”, “animal genetic manipulation”, “concept and criteria of death” and “euthanasia”. In this paper we deal with the scope of bioethics by introducing and analyzing the problems that dominate this field, present and evaluate contending viewpoints in this field, and put forth solutions for a precise approach for the analysis of the problems. Approach to bioethical problems needs to be both free of dogmatism and holistic. Moreover, it is proposed that moral judgements in this field, be presented within a justifiable moral theory whose bases are established at the meta-ethical level, in a clear, sufficient and consistent way.