Description:

Introduces ethical problems relating to medical practice and biological research. Students discuss ethical issues in euthanasia, abortion, animal experimentation, genetic engineering, and doctor-patient relationships. Designed for students entering medical and research fields, but applicable to moral problems in any field.

Outcomes:

After completing this class, students should be able to:

PHIL 265 outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: • Formulate, clarify and evaluate arguments • Analyze and assess views that make ethics a matter of convention, including moral relativism and Divine Command Theory. • Explain and evaluate substantive ethical theories including utilitarianism and respect for persons and the ethics of care. • Explain how substantive ethical theories including utilitarianism, respect for persons and the ethics of care incorporate the value of cultural diversity. • Analyze as assess biomedical ethical issues like euthanasia, genetic engineering, abortion in terms of substantive ethical theories. • Explain the ethical foundations of medical guidelines concerning voluntary informed assent, the use of subjects in experimental procedures. • Address ethical issues concerning disabilities. • Write argumentative essays containing clear thesis claims, strong arguments for the theses, reasonable consideration of opposing views, and conforming to the presentation/writing standards set forth in the “BC Philosophy Writing Guidelines.”