Smart Mice, Not So Smart People: An Interesting and Amusing Guide to Bioethics

by Arthur L. Caplan

What do you think about cloning, stem cell research, brain enhancement, or doing experiments on newly dead patients? Read Smart Mice, Not so Smart People and you'll know what Art Caplan thinks. But this assortment of pithy, provocative opinions on all things bioethical does more than simply give you a piece of the author's mind―it also invites and even dares you to make up your own mind. In his typical style, Caplan―one of the most sought-after bioethicists of our time―provokes discussion on issues at the center of the new genetics, cloning in the laboratory and in the media, stem cell research, experiments on human subjects, blood donation and organ transplantation, and healthcare delivery. Are new developments in these areas good or bad? As an engaged citizen in a democratic society, it is your responsibility to decide. This book will help you do it.

Genres: Science

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Arthur L. Caplan is Director of the Division of Medical Ethics in the Department of Population Health at New York University's Langone Medical Center.

Reviews

[D Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how this book attempted to ask the hard questions about stem cell research, transplants, blood transfusion, politics in healthcare, and etc. It really tried to get the reader to think from a scientific perspective of how we as a society should be thinking about these subjects, discussing them, laying down ethical rules/laws, using common sense, and acting humanely. The only thing that I did not like about this book is how it was written in a commentator style (He made his scientific opinions known about various topics). There are a lot of my own opinions that I could express here in this review, but I don’t want to appear as if I’m ranting. Though, I will say this: until I read this book I did not know that for more than 17 years (I’m going to have to look this one up on the internet since this book was written in 2007 and the laws may have changed) gay or bisexual males were deemed unfit for blood donation based on their sexuality. If these rules still are being applied by the FDA, then that is just another example of how our society still is not as advanced as we would all like to think. I would like to say that if it would save my life you could give me a blood transfusion from any person no matter their race or sexuality so long as it has been thoroughly tested.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book I probably would have picked up on my own. It is actually a book my daughter used in a college course, and which she wanted me to list on my seller's page on Amazon. I thought I'd give it a quick read to see what they were using/teaching in higher education these days.

Arthur Caplan is a bioethicist who has a solid reputation in his field of study. This book is a series of short articles he has written on a variety of subjects that relate to his field. I don't know if they were shorter articles in journals or columns in newsprint. His major sub-headings were End of Life; Engineering Ourselves; Engineering Plants, Microbes, and Animals; Experimentation Ethics; Health Reform; Human Cloning; Mapping Ourselves (genetics); Reproduction; Science in the U.S.; and Donation/Transplantation of Organs.

Each of the sections was enlightening, with challenging questions to ponder, and issues which I had not even though of before. Some of the sections, however, were a little bit repetitive. Caplan also tends to get a bit political in his writing. While I believe he was trying to bring to the forefront issues with contemporary politics, he did so in a way that seemed a bit sarcastic or judgmental.

A good and challenging read to spark discussion with others.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

You shouldn't read this book. I didn't like this book, and you shouldn't either.


That was a pretty awful review. Why? It was superficial, completely lacking in information, and infused with my personal bias without any sort of logical argument, sort of like this book. Each page discusses a new modern ethical dilemma, and each complex ethical dilemma receives ONLY that one page. One page is not long enough to argue the simplest of problems, let alone a topic in bioethics. Within each page, the author essentially tells you what is the right choice in each situation as he sees it, but he provides very little reasoning to support his position. This book basically just provides a handful of topics in the field, but I already know most of the main issues by myself- stem cell research, refusal of birth control by pharmacists, etc. I decided to read this book as an introduction to bioethics to decide whether I should enroll in a class about it in my college. I'm no further than I was when I started after reading this.

[Sandra Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps I liked this book because I agreed with the author so much. I found myself agreeing out loud with the book. It was written during the previous presidential administration which declared many thing forbidden. I've always been interested in bioethics. I'd like to see what new topics would be chosen for a current book. I know I would like to see a mental healthcare reform.

[Jo Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Various articles he wrote in the past. Still relevant and enjoyable. Was hoping for more.