Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 321"
COURSE NAME: "Bioethics"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Stefan Sorgner
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 4:30 PM 5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous philosophy course or Junior Standing Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Bioethics is a branch of applied ethics that examines the ethical challenges posed by medicine and biotechnology. This course explores some of the most important contemporary bioethical challenges, such as human reproductive cloning and genetic enhancement, the patenting of genes, stem-cell research, the use of animals in biomedical research, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, and in vitro fertilization.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course examines some of the most important contemporary bioethical issues to help you to develop a familiarity with the debates and your ability to discuss, reflect on and defend your own views.

Initially a basic outline of key terms of the debates and their relevance will be introduced. In the first part of the course, we will study and discuss some fundamental bioethical issues, e.g. ethical theories; the relationship between ethical theories and applied ethical issues; the history of bioethics; the meaning of “bioethics”. Then, in the second part, we will focus on one specific ethical challenge per week, and by considering the strongest pro- and contra-arguments, you should be able to form your own line of thought concerning the questions with which we will deal.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

More specifically, by the end of the course you will be able to:

• recognize and analyze bioethical issues;

• analyze relevant recent cases, along with specific positions and arguments regarding them;• analyze and employ broader theoretical approaches, debates and concepts in bioethics;

• develop informed, reasoned positions regarding these issues, cases and broader theoretical aspects;

• explain and analyze course material orally and in written forms;

• make appropriate use of original and academic resources and undertake guided research work.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Contemporary Debates in Bioethics.	Caplan, Arthur L./ Arp, Robert (eds.)	Wiley Blackwell, 2014.	978-1-4443-3714-3

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Class Participation		10
Midterm exam	The mid-term written assignment will be a ‘take-home’ assignment of 1000-2000 words (incl. bibliography), written in response to one of a selection of questions which I will provide. I will distribute the questions during week 6 and the assignment should be submitted by Friday of week 7. An electronic version of the project must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) A printed version must be given to the instructor. You will find your grade on your written mid-term assignment when it will be given back to you.	30
Presentations	In-class Presentation: Students are required to give two short individual presentations (5 - 10 minutes). The presentation will be well-organized, concise, and include (when opportune) audiovisual and electronic materials. An electronic version of the presentations must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) The deadline is the last class. No materials will be accepted past the deadline. Please ask your instructor about your grade immediately after the class, in which you will have given the presentation.	10
Final exam	The final exam will consist in an essay. All students will have to answer the same question.	20
Final project	Final Project: The final paper (1000-2000 words, incl. bibliography) will be on any topic of the student’s choice related to the class program. The topic should be precisely defined and worthy of investigation. An electronic version of the project must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) A printed version must be given to the instructor. The deadline is the last class (session 28; the deadline is not the date of the final exam). No materials will be accepted past the deadline.	30

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

A maximum of four absences are allowed throughout the semester. Any additional absence will result in a penalization of one grade level (e.g.: from B+ to B for five absences, B+ to B- for six absences, B+ to C+ for seven absences, etc.). Two latenesses count for one absence. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class by calling students’ names. Students not answering will be marked absent. Students arrived late will ask the instructor to be market late at the end of the class, after which attendance records will not be modified.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1: Monday: Introduction to Bioethics

Wednesday: Introduction to Bioethics 2

Are there Universal Ethical Principles That Should Govern the Conduct of Medicine and Research Worldwide?

Week 2: Monday: Pro (chap. 1)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 2)

Is it morally Acceptable to Buy and Sell Organs for Human Transplantation?

Week 3: Monday: Pro (chap. 3)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 4)

Should the United States of America Adopt Universal Healthcare?

Week 4: Monday: Pro (chap. 19)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 20)

Is the Deliberately Induced Abortion of a Human Pregnancy Ethically Justifiable?

Week 5: Monday: Pro (chap. 7)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 8)

Is it Ethical to Patent or Copyright Genes, Embryos, or Their Parts?

Week 6: Monday: Pro (chap. 9)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 10)

Should a Child have the Right to refuse Medical Treatment to Which the Child’s Parents or Guardians Have consented?

Week 7: Monday: Pro (chap. 11)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 12)

Is Physician-Assisted Suicide Ever Ethical?

Week 8: Monday: Pro (chap. 13)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 14)

Should Stem-Cell Research Utilizing Embryonic tissues Be Conducted?

Week 9: Monday: Pro (chap. 15)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 16)

Should We Prohibit the Use of Chimpanzees and Other Great Apes in Biomedical Research?

Week 10: Monday: Pro (chap. 17)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 8)

Is There a Legitimate Place for Human Genetic Enhancement?

Week 11: Monday: Pro (chap. 21)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 22)

Can There be Agreement as to What Constitutes Human Death?

Week 12: Monday: Pro (chap. 23)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 24)

Should In Vitro Fertilization Be an Option for a Woman?

Week 13: Monday: Pro (chap. 27)

Wednesday: Contra (chap. 28)

Final Week

Week 14: Review for final examination