PHI 205    BIOMEDICAL ETHICS

 

Instructor: David Makinster, Greenfield Community College

Spring, 2005, Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

 

Course Description (from the GCC catalogue) Examination of the theoretical and historical foundations of bioethics. Emphasis on the application of ethical theory to the analysis of contemporary issues in health care. Special attention to the cultural content of bioethical problems, specifically issues of race, class, and gender. Prereq: ENG 101, 103, 105, or Phil 104 or permission of instructor.

AGENDA

Biomedical ethics includes issues of importance for health care providers, scientists, patients and their families, consumers, legislators and private citizens.  This course will introduce you to the methods and ideas philosophers use to investigate ethical issues concerning medicine and biological research. Topics include…

  • What is an "ethical issue," as distinct from a political, legal or scientific issue?
  • What kinds of reasoning and evidence can we use to better understand moral/ethical issues in a biomedical context?
  • How can we promote constructive dialogue between differing viewpoints and interests?
  • How do avoid unfounded opinions, and make our opinions more reasonable or useful?


OBJECTIVES

  1. You are expected to begin acquiring a "skill set," including the ability to identify and clarify ethical issues that pertain to biomedical topics, to detect bad logic and specious evidence when they occur in moral argument, to give a fair hearing to alternative points of view, and to make a reasonable case for your own views.
  2. You are expected to use your skills, as you continue to acquire and improve them, to investigate some major issues and perspectives presented in this class.
  3. Your written work, exams, and class participation should demonstrate that you are making progress on items #1 and #2 above.


ASSIGNMENTS/GRADING

Needless to say, you will not be graded on what conclusions you draw. You will be graded on how reasonably you draw them, and how well you express them.

  • A midterm exam, essay format. (30% of your grade)
  • One paper or final project.  (35 % of your grade)
  • A brief class presentation on your paper. (5 % of your grade)
  • A final exam, essay format, to be taken during the last scheduled class time.  (30% of your grade)

I may raise your grade, at my discretion, because of improvement, regular attendance and quality participation, or an unusually outstanding performance on a particular assignment.  Extra credit projects must be approved in advance!

 

BOOKS

The following books are required.

1.  Weston, A PRACTICAL COMPANION TO ETHICS
2.  Pence, CLASSIC CASES IN MEDICAL ETHICS.



HOW TO REACH ME

  • Office Phone at GCC: 413-775-1164
  • EMAIL (most reliable method) = david_makinster@yahoo.com
  • Yahoo Instant Messenger ID = david_makinster (by appointment)

 

This syllabus is available on my website, www.oocities.org/david_makinster.  Any unanticipated changes to the calendar for this course will be reflected in updates to the syllabus on the web. 

 

BASIC EXPECTATIONS

  • You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all GCC requirements explained in your Student Handbook 2004-2005.
  • Plan to attend class regularly. If you must miss class, speak to me, preferably in advance, about making up the work. Undue, unexcused absence can lead to a grade of "F."  If you arrive after I have taken attendance, it is your responsibility to make sure I count you as present.
  • Plan to submit work on time. If this is ever impossible, speak to me about it. Allowances can be made for legitimate reasons, but I reserve the right to penalize for lateness.
  • Although substance is more important than style, if your work is illegible or otherwise unacceptable in form, you may be asked to resubmit it.
  • I may, at my discretion, require an oral examination over some part of the material, for a particular student, if warranted by uneven or anomalous performance.
  • If you choose to drop the course, you must do the required paperwork to avoid an "F."
  • If you need to take an "I" for the course, you MUST discuss this with me before the end of the semester. Failure to do so may result in an "F" for the course.
  • Cheating, including plagiarism, will result in an automatic "F"…FOR THE COURSE. Please refer to your GCC Student Handbook 2004-2005 for more information on academic honesty/academic offences. The GCC Student Handbook defines plagiarism as follows: The college accepts the definition of plagiarism by the Modern Language Association as the “act of using another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source...” Other academic offenses consist of dishonesty, fraud, cheating, disruption of teaching or any other activity which adversely affects the academic process.”
  • In order to avoid class disruption, please turn off cell phones and beepers during class time, and do not leave class to answer cell phone calls. If you are on-call for work and therefore need an exception, please talk to me. It goes without saying that iPods and similar devices should be left home.
  • If you do not understand any part of these rules, or are unsure of your current status in relation to them, it is YOUR responsibility to ask me for clarification.
  • If you have any special needs regarding health or learning, please let me know ASAP. Self-disclosure is voluntary, but would help me to address your needs.

CALENDAR - Last Update = 04/04/05

04/12/05
Guest Speaker – Sociologist Molly Martin.
Topic: Medicine and Science in the Service of Genocide, From the Nazi Doctors to the Present.

04/19/05

Who is “sane,” and who decides?

 

Read: Pence, #15

04/26/05

Issues concerning genetics

 

Read: Pence, #16

05/03/05

Issues concerning AIDS

 

Read: Pence, #17

05/10/05

TBA –  your choice J

 

 

05/17/05

Presentation based on your term project.

Submit final exams.