Personhood in the Bioethics Literature

Althought the literature--medical, philosophical, religious, and legal-- on personhood is vast, there is little evidence that writers on this topic are approaching a consensus on the meaning of the concept or on criteria for its application. Some writers set low, or minimal, standards for personhood - others posit higher, more normative standards. But throughout, the moral values writers antecedently embrace determine the definition they arrive at by way of conclusion. Personhood has not been a useful concept for resolving dilemmas in bioethics.