A Summary of Conscience in Reproductive Health Care: Prioritizing Patient Interests

Abstract:At the 2022 Central American Philosophical Association meeting (Chicago, Illinois, February 23–26), there was an Author-Meets-Critics session on Carolyn McLeod's (2020) book, Conscience in Reproductive Health Care: Prioritizing Patient Interests. The event was organized and chaired by Heather Stewart and sponsored by the APA Committee on the Status of Women and Kate Norlock, chair of that committee. There were four speakers, including McLeod and three "critics": Javiera Perez Gomez, Alison Reinheld, and Jennifer Parks, who were all generous enough to provide McLeod with their comments beforehand. The sessions occurred over Zoom even though some speakers were present in person at the conference.McLeod kicked things off by providing a summary of her book, which was then followed by critical (and supportive!) comments by the critics in the order in which they're named above. McLeod responded to their remarks and then Stewart led a Q&A session with our small but lively and intelligent audience. The content of what was said has been reproduced here.