Callahan (director, the Hastings Center) asks the right questions (e.g. how much and what kind of health is necessary for a decent life?) and offers thoughtful answers: America's obsession with open- ended medical progress distorts the meaning of good health; prolonging life beyond reasonable expectations causes the neglect of general healthcare, and shortchanges other crucial needs such as education and housing. Persuasive. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-303) and index
From explosion to implosion -- On the ragged edge -- Hopes, vain hopes -- Health and the common good -- The delicate balance -- Devising a political strategy -- To kill and to ration -- Modernizing mortality -- Selected healthcare data