Keywords
Bioethics, Ethics, Human Reproduction, Medical Ethics, Philosophy
Research Areas
Health, Law, Philosophy
Professor Stephen Wilkinson
Professor
Lancaster University
Bailrigg
Lancaster
United Kingdom
LA1 4YL
Email: Email Hidden
Tel: +44 (0) 1524 594260
Location: County South
Affiliations
Stephen Wilkinson's most recent research is on reproductive ethics and the regulation of reproductive technologies, especially the ethics of selective reproduction (practices that involve choosing between different possible future people). A book on this topic (Choosing Tomorrow's Children, Oxford University Press) was published in 2010.
A previous phase of work focussed on the commercial exploitation of the human body and culminated in his first book, Bodies for Sale (Routledge, 2003).
He has also written on various other ethics topics including: biomedical research, conjoined twins, futility, mental illness, passive euthanasia, and resource allocation.
He is the holder of a Wellcome Senior Investigator Award (jointly with Professor Rosamund Scott of King's College London) which funds a five-year programme of work (2013 - 2017) on the donation and transfer of human reproductive materials.
PhD Supervision Interests
Human Reproduction - ethics and regulation ofOrgan Donation - ethics and regulation of
2013
A complex web of questions
McGuinness, S., Walker, T. & Wilkinson, S. 01/2013 In: Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. 22, 1, p. 4-7. 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Is the HFEA’s Policy on compensating egg donors and egg sharers defensible?
Wilkinson, S. 2013 In: Medical Law Review. p. 1-40. 40 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2012
‘Saviour siblings’ as organ donors
Wilkinson, S. 2012 In: Moderna Läkare . 2
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2011
Ethical principles and the HFEA’s donation review
Wilkinson, S. 2011 In: Bionews. 632
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Selective Reproduction, eugenics, and public health
Wilkinson, S. 2011 In: Public Health Ethics: Key Concepts and Issues in Policy and Practice. Dawson, A. (ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 48-66. 19 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter (peer-reviewed)
2010
On the distinction between positive and negative eugenics
Wilkinson, S. 2010 In: Arguments and analysis in bioethics. Hayry, M., Takala, T. & Herissone-Kelly, P. (eds.). New York: Rodopi bv, p. 115-128. 14 p. (Value inquiry book series ).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Why I wrote…choosing tomorrow's children: the ethics of selective reproduction
Wilkinson, S. 2010 In: Clinical Ethics. 5, 1, p. 46-50. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Chapter 3: Consent
Wilkinson, S. 2010 In: European textbook on ethics in research. Hughes, J. (ed.). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, p. 33-48. 16 p. (Studies and reports).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Choosing tomorrow’s children: the ethics of selective reproduction
Wilkinson, S. 2010 Oxford: Clarendon Press. 265 p. (Issues in biomedical ethics).
Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Book
Saviour Siblings, Other Siblings and Whole Organ Donation
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2010 In: The 'Healthy' Embryo: Social, Biomedical, Legal and Philosophical Perspectives. Nisker, J., Baylis, F., Karpin, I., McLeod, C. & Mykitiuk, R. (eds.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 251-264. 14 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter (peer-reviewed)
Choosing Tomorrow's Children: the ethics of selective reproduction
Wilkinson, S. 2010 Oxford: Oxford University Press. 265 p.
Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Monograph
2009
Philosophical clinical ethics
Dawson, A. & Wilkinson, S. 2009 In: Clinical Ethics. 4, 1, p. 36-37. 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Book review: 'Whose body is it anyway? Justice and the integrity of the person' by Cecile Fabre
Wilkinson, S. 2009 In: Medical Law Review. 72, 2, p. 313-316. 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Using some ‘new’ political ideas: feminism and ‘green ideology'
Wilkinson, S. 2009 In: Res Publica. 5, 1, p. 105-110. 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2008
Saviour siblings and organ transplantation: guest editorial
Wilkinson, S. 2008 In: Clinical Ethics. 3, 3, p. 107-108.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
'Eugenics Talk' and the Language of Bioethics
Wilkinson, S. 2008 In: Journal of Medical Ethics. 34, 6, p. 467-471. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Sex Selection, Sexism, and 'Family Balancing'
Wilkinson, S. 09/2008 In: Medical Law Review. 16, 3, p. 369-389. 21 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2007
Commodification
Wilkinson, S. 2007 In: Principles of health care ethics. Ashcroft, R. E., Dawson, A., Draper, H. & McMillan, J. (eds.). 2 ed. Wiley Blackwell, p. 285-292. 8 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Eugenics and the criticism of bioethics
Wilkinson, S. 2007 In: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. 10, 4, p. 409-418. 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Health care law: text and materials
McHale, J. (ed.), Fox, M. (ed.), Gunn, M. (ed.) & Wilkinson, S. (ed.) 2007 2 ed. London: Sweet & Maxwell. 1204 p.
Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Book
2006
Separating conjoined twins: disability, ontology, and moral status
Wilkinson, S. 2006 In: Cutting to the core: the ethics of contested surgeries. Benatar, D. (ed.). Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, p. 113-126. 14 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Eugenics, embryo selection, and the Equal Value Principle
Wilkinson, S. 2006 In: Clinical Ethics. 1, 1, p. 46-51. 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Selecting disability and the welfare of the child
Garrard, E. & Wilkinson, S. 2006 In: The Monist. 89, 4, p. 482-504. 23 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2005
Mind the gap: the use of empirical evidence in bioethics
Wilkinson, S. 2005 In: Bioethics and social reality. Häyry, M., Takala, T. & Herissone-Kelly, P. (eds.). New York: Rodopi bv, p. 73-87. 15 p. (Value inquiry book series).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
'Designer babies’, instrumentalisation and the child’s right to an open future
Wilkinson, S. 2005 In: Philosophical reflections on medical ethics. Athanassoulis, N. (ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 44-69. 26 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Separating conjoined twins: the case of Laden and Laleh Bijani
Wilkinson, S. 2005 In: Ethics, law and society. Gunning, J. & Holm, S. (eds.). Aldershot: Ashgate, Vol. 1, p. 257-261. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Biomedical research and the commercial exploitation of human tissue
Wilkinson, S. 2005 In: Genomics, Society and Policy. 1, 1, p. 27-40. 14 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Passive euthanasia
Garrard, E. & Wilkinson, S. 2005 In: Journal of Medical Ethics. 31, 2, p. 64-68. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2004
Hashmi and Whitaker: an unjustifiable and misguided distinction?
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2004 In: Medical Law Review. 12, 2, p. 137-163. 27 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Should selecting saviour siblings be banned?
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2004 In: Journal of Medical Ethics. 30, 6, p. 533-537. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Dilemmas and decisions at the end of life
De Raeve, L. (ed.), Garrard, E. (ed.), Katz, J. (ed.) & Wilkinson, S. (ed.) 2004 3 ed. Milton Keynes: Open University.
Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Book
2003
Does bioethics need moral theory?
Wilkinson, S. 2003 In: Scratching the surface of bioethics. Häyry, M. & Takala, T. (eds.). Rodopi, p. 35-45. 11 p. (Value inquiry book series ).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
The exploitation argument against commercial surrogacy
Wilkinson, S. 2003 In: Bioethics. 17, 2, p. 169-187. 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Bodies for sale: ethics and exploitation in the human body trade
Wilkinson, S. 2003 New York: Routledge. 248 p.
Research output: Book/Report/Proceedings › Book
2002
Futility
Wilkinson, S. 2002 In: Vital Judgements: ethical decision making at the end of life. Dawson, A., Jackson, J. & Levack, P. (eds.). London: National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services, p. 14-16. 3 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Beyond futility: to what extent is the concept of futility useful in clinical decision-making about CPR?
Kite, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2002 In: Lancet Oncology. 3, 10, p. 638-642. 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2001
What is humanism?
Wilkinson, S. 2001 In: Humanist News. p. 14-15. 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Rationing health care: individuals and the broader public
Wilkinson, S. 2001 In: Philosophy Today. 14, 36, p. 10-11. 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
‘On the sharpest horns of a dilemma’: re A (conjoined twins)
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2001 In: Medical Law Review. 9, 3, p. 201-207. 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Intellectual property rights and the human body: is ‘gene patenting’ a special case?
Wilkinson, S. 2001 In: Imprints. 5, p. 132-160. 29 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Termination of pregnancy for reason of foetal disability: are there grounds for a special exception in law?
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 2001 In: Medical Law Review. 9, 2, p. 85-109. 25 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
2000
The concept of mental injury
Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: Philosophy, psychiatry, and psychopathy: personal identity in mental disorder. Heginbotham, C. (ed.). Aldershot: Ashgate, p. 89-104. 16 p. (Avebury series in philosophy).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Palliative care and the doctrine of double effect
Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: Death, dying and bereavement. Dickenson, D., Johnson, M. L. & Katz, J. (eds.). 2 ed. London: Sage, p. 299-302. 4 p. (Open University set book).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Ethical issues in managing cancer pain
Russon, L. & Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: Cancer pain management: a comprehensive approach. Simpson, K. H. & Budd, K. (eds.). Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 7-15. 9 p.
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Why lying is worse than merely misleading
Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: Philosophy Today. 13, 34, p. 6-7. 2 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Commodification arguments for the legal prohibition of organ sale
Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: Health Care Analysis. 8, 2, p. 189-201. 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder?
Wilkinson, S. 2000 In: The Philosophical Quarterly. 50, 200, p. 290-304. 15 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
1999
Smokers’ rights to health care: why the ‘restoration argument’ is a moralising wolf in a liberal sheep’s clothing
Wilkinson, S. 1999 In: Journal of Applied Philosophy. 16, 3, p. 255-269. 15 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
1998
Female genital mutilation and cosmetic surgery: regulating non-therapeutic body modification
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 1998 In: Bioethics. 12, 4, p. 263-285. 23 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
1997
Ethics in social care: moral dilemmas
Garrard, E. & Wilkinson, S. 1997 In: Homecare Professional. 3, p. 11.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
Conjoined twins: the legality and ethics of sacrifice
Sheldon, S. & Wilkinson, S. 1997 In: Medical Law Review. 5, 2, p. 149-171. 23 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article
1996
Restitution without punishment: is it enough to make criminals pay?
Wilkinson, S. 1996 In: Punishment, excuses and moral development. Tam, H. B. (ed.). Aldershot: Avebury, p. 35-54. 20 p. (Avebury series in philosophy).
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings › Chapter
Bodily integrity and the sale of human organs
Wilkinson, S. & Garrard, E. 1996 In: Journal of Medical Ethics. 22, 6, p. 334-339. 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article