Van Rensselaer Potter and His Place in the History of Bioethics

Van Rensselaer Potter (1911-2001), the biochemist-oncologist of University of Wisconsin-Madison, was long been related to the invention of the term "bioethics". Even today, knowing that the German theologian Fritz Jahr (1895-1953) is to be credited for this invention, Potter's ideas do not lose on their importance, primarily for his opposition to a bioethics narrowed down onto biomedical issues. The book represents the first monograph on Potter's life and work worldwide, telling a fascinating story about a concerned top scientist and humanist.