The Theology of Medicine - 2nd Edition by Thomas Szasz (Paperback)

From the Back Cover

The essays assembled in this volume reflect my long-standing interest in moral philosophy and my conviction that the idea of a medical ethics as something distinct and separate from ethics is an absurdity. Every person who acts is a moral agent. A person who possesses special knowledge and skills and is expected to act in the face of life-threatening circumstances--such as a physician--is someone whose status as moral agent is accordingly greatly enhanced. From the preface by the author.

Review Quotes

A genuinely introductory exposure to Szasz' stimulating and provocative assessment of psychiatry. . . . With never a dull page, Szasz' literary style is so readable and his arguments so commonsensical as to constitute this book a delight to read whether one agrees or disagrees with his warm- hearted humanism.-- "Journal of the American Academy of Religion"

His performance--as scholar, as debater, as gadfly, as stylist--is impressive, as always.-- "The Los Angeles Times Book Review"

Some of Szasz' finest essays. . . . Shows more extensively than any of his works the philosophical foundations he believes necessary for a society which truly supports freedom and autonomy of the individual.-- "Philosophy and Rhetoric"

We are treated once again to one of the most prolific, penetrating and passionate libertarian thinkers of this century. . . . Always we are confronted with choice and values; and in the process, Szasz teaches us something new about the meanings of law, ethics, criminology, political science, and sociology.-- "Libertarian Review"

About the Author

Thomas Szasz is professor emeritus of psychiatry at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. His books include Law, Liberty, and Psychiatry, The Manufacture of Madness, Ideology and Insanity, Ceremonial Chemistry, The Myth of Psychotherapy, Psychiatry: The Science of Lies, and The Medicalization of Everyday Life, all published by Syracuse University Press.