Bioethics:Theory Practice

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course is a philosophical and historical treatment of issues in bioethics. The following major areas are covered: human research ethics, clinical ethics, the place of principles and rights in biomedical ethics, and animal research ethics. The issues and controversies to be discussed include the moral significance of research scandals throughout the 20th century (principally in Germany and the United States); the nature of, and problems of, informed consent and informed refusal; problems of “death with dignity,” “the right to die,” and physician aid in dying; whether unregulated innovative medical “practice” and off-label use of pharmaceutical products are acceptable in medicine; whether the pervasive distinction between clinical medical ethics and clinical research ethics is tenable; the quality of federal regulations governing research and the lack of regulations governing medical practice; the nature and role (if any) in bioethics of common morality theory; and whether a moral revolution in government regulations to protect animal research subjects is now needed. So-called “theories of biomedical ethics” and the role and importance of moral justification will also be featured. The format in class will be brief lectures, focused class discussion, and papers presented by students. Discussion will involve a minimum of interpretation of articles and books and a maximum of discussion of the issues.