At the level of theoretical foundations, contemporary
bioethics is to a large extent Balkanized. Without difficulty,
one can find contributions from communitarians, consequentialists,
and feminists, as well as those who advocate “the
principle approach,” an “ethics of care,”
and “narrative ethics.” The problem is not
so much the wide diversity of views as the lack of agreement
over the basics of medical ethics. For that reason alone,
any attempt to find (or induce) some harmony among these
many diverse voices is a welcome addition to the literature.
Fragmentation and Consensus is such an attempt.
Kuczewski argues that both communitarianism and casuistry
can be understood as neo-Aristotelian approaches to ethics,
and that once these views are “purged of non-Aristotelian
elements” communitarianism and casuistry are found
to be highly complementary. In the process of constructing
his theory, Kuczewski also finds room for liberal political
theory and narrative ethics. The resulting amalgam is interesting,
and the project ambitious.