Infant Circumcision and Human Rights: A Test of Tolerance and Cultural Relativism (Routledge Research in Applied Ethics)

This book provides a comprehensive ethical examination of infant male circumcision through the lens of human rights theory.Drawing on over 30 years of clinical experience and extensive research, Robert S.Van Howe presents a systematic analysis of one of medicine's most controversial practices. The book addresses fundamental questions about moral status, bodily integrity, and informed consent in medical decision-making.Van Howe employs diverse ethical frameworks-from Kantian categorical imperatives to utilitarian analysis-to examine whether infant circumcision constitutes a human rights violation.The analysis includes detailed comparisons with female circumcision practices and a thorough examination the moral status of infants and whether they are the subject of human rights protections.With clear explanations of bioethical principles and logical fallacies, the book serves both scholarly audiences and educated general readers interested in medical ethics, human rights, and cultural prac