AIDS: Crisis in Professional Ethics

This collection of original essays examines the difficult moral choices that AIDS presents in the work world. Cohen, a professor of philosophy at Indian River Community College and the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Applied Philosophy , and Davis, a senior research associate at the Center for the Study of Ethics in Professions at the Illinois Institute of Technology, tell us these choices are faced by a wide range of professionals--not all in health care. Although the book is targeted for an audience of students and professionals, the general reader will find much food for thought. The introduction is a primer on AIDS, dissecting the connection between AIDS and professional ethics. The bulk of the essays then go on to provide a reasoned discussion of the legal, moral and ethical issues involved in confronting the AIDS crisis. Questions discussed include: Do patients have the right to know the HIV status of their doctor? Can a medical professional refuse to treat an HIV-positive patient? Should an HIV-positive child be allowed to attend school? One essay discusses the case of William Acer, the HIV-positive dentist who allegedly infected six of his patients. In another, the manager of a cafeteria learns that a cook under consideration for a promotion has AIDS. By reexamining traditional ethics, the book asks readers to grapple with complex issues and make the choice between theory and application in today's workplace. (May)