Thomas Percival's Medical Ethics and the Invention of Medical Professionalism: With Three Key Percival Texts, Two Concordances, and a Chronology

This book provides the first comprehensive, historically based, philosophical interpretations of two texts of Thomas Percivals professional ethics in medicine set in the context of his intellectual biography. It combines three essential Percival texts, concordances, and a Chronology of his life and works to support comparative reading.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 472 pages
Publication date: 06 April 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book offers the first comprehensive, historically grounded, philosophical interpretations of two texts of Thomas Percival's professional ethics in medicine, set within the context of his intellectual biography. Preceding his privately published and widely circulated Medical Jurisprudence of 1794, Thomas Percival (1740-1804) published Medical Ethics in 1803, the first book of its kind in the global histories of medicine and medical ethics. From his days as a student at the Warrington Academy and the medical schools of the universities of Edinburgh and Leyden, Percival immersed himself in the scientific method of Francis Bacon (1561-1626). McCullough demonstrates how Percival evolved into a Baconian moral scientist committed to Baconian deism and Dissent. Percival also drew upon and significantly expanded the work of his predecessor in professional ethics in medicine, John Gregory (1724-1773). As a result, Percival should be credited with co-inventing professionalism in medicine alongside Gregory. To aid and encourage future scholarship, this book brings together for the first time three essential Percival texts: Medical Jurisprudence, Medical Ethics, and Extracts from the Medical Ethics of Dr. Percival of 1823, the bridge from Medical Ethics to the 1847 Code of Medical Ethics on the American Medical Association. To support comparative reading, this book provides concordances of Medical Jurisprudence to Medical Ethics and of Medical Ethics to Extracts. Finally, this book includes the first Chronology of Percivals life and works.

Introduction:
Percival's Medical Jurisprudence of 1794 marked a significant milestone in the development of professional ethics in medicine. Prior to this publication, there was a lack of comprehensive and systematic guidelines for medical practitioners. However, with the release of Medical Jurisprudence, Percival provided a comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making in medicine.

Medical Jurisprudence:
Medical Jurisprudence is a seminal work that explores the principles of medical ethics and the legal aspects of medical practice. It provides a detailed account of the duties and responsibilities of medical practitioners, as well as the legal consequences of their actions. The book also discusses the ethical implications of various medical procedures and treatments, such as abortion, euthanasia, and the use of experimental drugs.

Medical Ethics:
Medical Ethics is a more philosophical and abstract work that examines the nature of medical practice and the ethical principles that guide it. The book explores the relationship between medicine and society, as well as the ethical dilemmas that arise in medical practice. It also discusses the role of medical practitioners in promoting health and well-being, as well as their responsibilities to their patients and the broader community.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book provides a comprehensive and insightful examination of two texts of Thomas Percival's professional ethics in medicine. By contextualizing these texts within the framework of Percival's intellectual biography, McCullough offers a deeper understanding of the philosophical and ethical foundations of medical practice. This book will be of great interest to scholars, students, and medical practitioners alike, as it provides valuable insights into the history and development of professional ethics in medicine.

Weight: 753g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030860387
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022