Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with bioethics, one of the traditional core areas of applied ethics and one of the topics that is discussed in many of them is the issue of consent to interventions, treatment and research. It explores 'Ethics and society' covers a wider range of current issues, but many of them deal specifically with the way societies handle disputes and conflicts concerning its most vulnerable members, including children. The book analyses the issues in business and professional ethics, some of these are traditional issues in business ethics, but others are quite new, not because they are not important or not worth analysing, but simply because they have been overlooked. It illustrates the power of ethical and legal analysis to illuminate current societal developments ranging from the Orange revolution in Ukraine to the rebuilding of Iraq.