Course Description:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,

but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
- Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse College, ‘48

This mini-course introduces students to the methods and results of philosophical bioethics. Our topics will include an overview of logical argument analysis and moral theories (hypotheses or explanations for what makes right actions right and what makes wrong actions wrong); human and animal experimentation; global bioethics, poverty and resource allocation; and a final topic (ortopics) of students’ choice, e.g., abortion, stem cell research, cloning, euthanasia or some other issues(s). We will focus on developing students’ logical skills in identifying and evaluating moral arguments in bioethics. This involves finding clear and precise conclusions on moral issues, clear and precise reasons or premises given in their favor and assessing whether these premises provide adequate support or evidence for these conclusions. This skills-based approach will help provide students with the intellectual and moral tools needed to begin more effectively addressing further bioethical issues and for further learning and research on the issues discussed in class.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

· Understand basic concepts of logic and moral argument analysis (premise, conclusion, logically valid arguments, sound arguments; clarity, precision).

· Understand basic moral theories (hypotheses or explanations for what makes right actions right and what makes wrong actions wrong), how one might develop a moral theory (e.g., by inference to the best explanation from clear, confident cases) and how one might critique a moral theory or moral principle, i.e., argue that it is false (e.g., by the method of counterexample).

· Understand the most important and most-discussed positions or conclusions on the bioethical issues discussed in the readings and in discussion, the arguments given in favor of these conclusions, the critical responses to these arguments, and be able to evaluate these arguments and provide reasons in favor of one’s views and reasoned responses to those who disagree.

Required Text:

 Bernard Rollin, Science and Ethics (Cambridge University Press, 2006)

http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521674188

§ AVAILABLE USED at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Science-Ethics-Bernard-E-Rollin/dp/0521674182

§ AVAILABLE USED at Abebooks.com: http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=rollin&sts=t&tn=science+and+ethics&x=33&y=16

· Other required readings available in a packet, online for download and printing and/or handed out in class.

Course Schedule:

Day-Date	Topic(s)	Required Readings & Writing Assignment
Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 8:00 a.m.-8:50 a.m., Nabrit-Mapp-McBayLecture Room II	Introduction to Ethics; Introduction to Logic; Values in Science	READINGS: 1. Bernard Rollin, Preface, Ch. 1, “The Waxing and Waning of Faith in Science,” Ch. 2, “Scientific Ideology and ‘Value Free’ Science,” in Science and Ethics (Cambridge UP 2006). 2. James Rachels, “Some Basic Points About Arguments” from The RightThing to Do (McGraw Hill):http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/rachels-on-arguments.pdf 3. Rachels, “A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy,” from The RightThing to Do (McGraw Hill):http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/rachels-intro-to-ethics.pdf 4. Tom Regan, “The Case for Animal Rights,” (widely reprinted) (provides an overview of ethical theory and a defense of theory of moral rights for humans and animals who are “subjects of a life”):http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/regancase_for_animal_rights.pdf 5. Ch. 3, “What is Ethics?” in Science and Ethics (Cambridge UP 2006). WRITING ASSIGNMENT 1 (due at the beginning of class): Rachels, Regan and Rollin survey some influential moral theories. Whichtheory or theories are best – in terms of explaining the basic difference between right and wrong actions? Why? Explain the theory (or theories) and why it (or they) is (or are) best. Explain why other theories are inferior. Defend your view with reasons. 3 pages.
Thursday, May 28, 2009 8:00 a.m.-8:50 a.m., Nabrit-Mapp-McBayLecture Room II	Human & Animal Experimentation	READINGS: 1. Rollin, Ch. 4., “Ethics and Research on Human Beings,” in Science and Ethics. 2. Tom Regan, “Empty Cages” (widely reprinted):http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/regan-emptycages.htm 3. Bernard Rollin, Ch. 5, “Animal Research,” in Science and Ethics. 4. “The Case for the Use of Animals in Biomedical Research,” Carl Cohen, TheNew England Journal of Medicine, 1986, 315: 865-870.http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/cohen.pdf WRITING ASSIGNMENT 2 (due at the beginning of class): First, summarize the arguably morally worse experiments done on human beings. Give what you think is the best explanation for why these experiments were morally wrong; give reasons why your explanation is best. Second, summarize the arguably morally worse experiments done on animals. Give what you think is the best explanation for why these experiments were (or are) morally wrong; give reasons why your explanation is best. Third, explain how your explanations for the wrongness of certain kinds of human experiments relate to your explanation of the morality of certain kinds of animal experiments: does one have implications for the other and vice-versa? Explain the relations. 3 pages.
Monday, June 8, 2009 11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Nabrit-Mapp-McBayLecture Room II	Poverty and Global Public Health: Charity or Justice inResource Allocation?	READINGS: 1. “The Singer Solution to World Poverty,” Peter Singer, The NY Times.http://www.utilitarian.net/singer/by/19990905.htm 2. Gregory Pence, Ch. 4. “UTILITARIANS VS. KANTIANS ON STOPPING AIDS,” from The Elements of Bioethics (McGraw Hill, 2006)http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/pence.pdf 3. “Racism and Health Care: A Medical Ethics Issue,” Annette Dula, from A Companion to African-American Philosophy (Blackwell, 2003).http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/dula.pdf 4. Introduction to sections on “Resource Allocation” in Singer and Kuhse(eds.) Bioethics: An Anthology (Blackwell, 2007)http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/resource-intro.pdf WRITING ASSIGNMENT 3 (due at the beginning of class): A number of philosophers, health-care professionals and activists have argued that we are morally obligated to focus greater attention on the needs of people living in poverty and absolute poverty, both domestically and abroad. What are their arguments? What challenges do these positions face? What, if anything, are we obligated to do to address the needs of these differing populations? Why?
Monday, June 9, 2009 11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Nabrit-Mapp-McBayLecture Room II	Final topic(s) of students’ choice: · Abortion? · Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide? · Cloning? · Genetic Engineering? · Something else? See the forFurther Readinglinks for suggestions fortopics and readings.	READINGS: 1. Rollin, Ch. 10., “Ethics and Science,” in Science and Ethics. Other Readings TBA WRITING ASSIGNMENT 4 (due at the beginning of class): TBA

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Criterion	Weight	Due Date
Attendance and Participation are REQUIRED
Writing Assignments will be graded on the basis of: Completeness, i.e., all aspects of the assignmentare addressed, especially reasoned defenses of views. Understanding of the relevant theories and information. Clarity Organization Grammar and spelling.	25% each	See above; each writing assignmentmust be completed by the beginning of class on the day that we will discuss thetopic that students read and wrote about; it will be collected at the end of class.

For Further Reading:

Medical Ethics: Accounts of the Cases that Shaped and Define Medical Ethics, Gregory Pence (McGraw Hill 2007) http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?search_crawl=true&isbn=0073535737

Bioethics: An Anthology, 2nd Edition, Helga Kuhse (Editor), Peter Singer (Editor)

ISBN: 978-1-4051-2948-0, March 2006, Wiley-Blackwell

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405129484.html

The Bioethics Reader: Editors' Choice

Ruth Chadwick (Editor), Helga Kuhse (Editor), Willem A. Landman (Editor), Udo Schüklenk (Editor), Peter Singer (Editor), September 2007, Wiley-Blackwell

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1405175222,descCd-tableOfContents.html

Elements of Bioethics, Gregory Pence (McGraw-Hill 2006).

http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?search_crawl=true&isbn=0073132772

Public Health Ethics (PHE) is a peer-reviewed international journal with a focus on the systematic analysis of the moral problems that arise in public health and preventive medicine. PHE combinestheoretical and practical work from many different fields, notably philosophy, law, and politics, but also epidemiology and the medical sciences.

http://phe.oxfordjournals.org/

Some sample exam questions

1. What are the basics of utilitarian ethics and Kantian ethics? How do utilitarians make moral decisions? How do Kantians make moral decisions?

2. What arguments are given against certain kinds of experiments on humans? What arguments are given against certain kinds of experiments on animals? How are these arguments similar and different?

3. What is the argument that Peter Singer presents in his “The Singer Solution to World Poverty”? What are some of Gregory Pence's criticisms of that argument?

4. What are some of the health disparities between the races that Annette Dula summarizes? What does she argue ought to be the response to these disparities?

5. In general, how should one address moral issues? What methods of thinking are useful?

Day 4

Day 4

Today people seemed to vote that they'd like to discuss abortion/stem cell research/cloning (which can all be related in various ways) and/or euthanasia/physician assisted suicide.

Here is a reading on abortion:
http://www.iep.utm.edu/a/abortion.htm

James Rachels, "Active and Passive Euthanasia," JAMA
http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/Rachels_Euthanasia.pdf

Day 3

For Monday

Monday, June 8, 2009 11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Nabrit-Mapp-McBayLecture Room II

Poverty and Global Public Health: Charity or Justice inResource Allocation?

READINGS: 1. “The Singer Solution to World Poverty,” Peter Singer, The NY Times.http://www.utilitarian.net/singer/by/19990905.htm 2. Gregory Pence, Ch. 4. “UTILITARIANS VS. KANTIANS ON STOPPING AIDS,” from The Elements of Bioethics (McGraw Hill, 2006)http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/pence.pdf 3. “Racism and Health Care: A Medical Ethics Issue,” Annette Dula, from A Companion to African-American Philosophy (Blackwell, 2003).http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/dula.pdf 4. Introduction to sections on “Resource Allocation” in Singer and Kuhse(eds.) Bioethics: An Anthology (Blackwell, 2007)http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/resource-intro.pdf WRITING ASSIGNMENT 3 (due at the beginning of class): A number of philosophers, health-care professionals and activists have argued that we are morally obligated to focus greater attention on the needs of people living in poverty and absolute poverty, both domestically and abroad. What are their arguments? What challenges do these positions face? What, if anything, are we obligated to do to address the needs of these differing populations? Why?

General Intro to Ethics materials

Here are some of the materials I use in my Intro to Ethics course:
http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/teaching
Many moral issues are related and so insights gained thinking critically about one topic can help give insights into other topics, esp. in terms of the methods used in thinking about them.