Embryo research, stem cell research, euthanasia, genetic engineering, and animal ethics are central topics in bioethics with significant societal relevance. This volume provides a systematic introduction to bioethics, its history, theories, and areas of study. It situates the debates surrounding euthanasia, brain death, and more within broader theoretical horizons and moral philosophical discussions, such as those concerning life and nature, human action, and human identity. The author assumes that new knowledge and technologies in the life sciences are transforming many aspects of human life and that these changes are subject to ethical reflection and moral evaluation. In this context, the methods and conceptual possibilities of academic bioethics are of essential importance for societal and political discussions.