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Issue 186: Jahr, Fritz: Selected Essays in Bioethics 1927-1934 Fritz Jahr. Postscript and References by Hans-Martin Sass. November 2010.November 2010

 
FRITZ JAHR (1895 – 1953) rightly has been called the ‘Father of Bioethics’. This brochure presents English language translations of half a dozen essays, starting with the groundbraking article ‘Bio-Ethics’ in the leading science journal ‘Kosmos’ 1927, followed by essays on animal ethics, social and sexual ethics, the role of mass media in public morality, ethics education, and a bioethical interpretation of the Fifth Commandment. Jahr develops his concept of a universal ‘Bioethical Imperative’ in critical response to Kant’s Categorical Imperative, balancing egoism and altruism among humans and in human communities, in dealings with plants and animals, and in natural, cultural and economic environments: ‘Respect every living being on principle as an end in itself, and treat it, if possible, as such!’. Translation, References and Postscript by Hans-Martin Sass; a selection of 15 original German articles is republished in ‘Medizinethische Materialien 187, 2010.

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