Bioethics and Armed Conflict

3 Units

Armed conflict raises numerous ethical issues for medical practitioners, medical researchers, and the recipients of medical care. This course will introduce students to some of the central ethical questions arising from the intersection between armed conflict and bioethics, including: What are the duties of military medical personnel in an armed conflict? How should military medical personnel balance duty to the military and duties to patients? May military medical personnel prioritize the medical needs of friendly combatants or civilians above those of enemy combatants or civilians? May medical research be used to assist the achievement of military objectives, such as the enhancement of military personnel? What rights do military personnel have with respect to new medical interventions, such as vaccines? And what are states' duties regarding the provision of healthcare after conflict? This course will introduce students to a diverse range of disciplinary and global perspectives on these and related issues. Offered as PHIL 308 and PHIL 408 . Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Counts as a Moral & Ethical Reasoning course. Prereq: Graduate student standing.