The theology of medicine: The political-philosophical foundations of medical ethics (Harper colophon books ; CN 545)

In one of his recent interviews, when asked to summarize his legacy, Dr. Szasz stated: "Responsibility is more important than Liberty, and Liberty is more important than Health". The Theology of Medicine expands and clarifies this position in a very illuminating way. The book is a collection of relatively short essays. You can read each one of them in less than an hour, but you will probably need at least as much time to think about what you read. Dr. Szasz' writing is lucid and intellectually stimulating. I re-read this book very recently with as much pleasure as I received when I first read it several years ago. No discussion on medical ethics should be considered complete without this clear and powerful expression of Dr. Thomas Szasz' ideas. Although written more than twenty years ago, this book, unfortunately, is becoming only more relevant with the passage of time. I would advise everyone in the medical profession to become familiar with this book - you may not agree with everything, but it will make you think about some fundamental ethical assumptions you may be taking for granted.