Bioethics (PHIL 340)

2021 Fall
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Philosophy(PHIL)
3
6
Faik Kurtulmuş afaikkurtulmus@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
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Programs\Type Required Core Elective Area Elective
Cultural Studies *
Cultural Studies *
Philosophy Minor *

CONTENT

This course introduces students to the ethical issues that arise in the medical sciences and related fields. Topics to be covered include utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, euthanasia, ethical issues in cloning and genetic enhancements, ethics of biomedical research, justice in the distribution of healthcare, global justice, the social and political framework of biotechnological research, and human nature.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to offer well-constructed arguments for their views
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to critically evaluate arguments
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should develop their ability to read philosophical writings
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to describe the basics of ethical theories like utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to analyze the ethical issues that arise in biomedicine, and know about the main positions on these issues

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES

1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 5

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 3

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 4

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 5

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 4

1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences. 4

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society. 4

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information. 4

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the multiple methodologies and interpret different approaches, concepts, and theoretical legacies in the interdisciplinary field of Cultural Studies. 1

2. Identify interconnections of knowledge within and across the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, literature, visual studies, philosophy, and geography. 3

3. Cultivate a critical approach to the study of culture, articulating the relations between culture, power, and history; exploring cultural diversity and socio-cultural change at the local, national and global level; and exploring the corresponding demands for rights and social justice. 3

4. With the use of appropriate technologies, be able to present advanced oral and written evaluations of developments in the realm of cultural production, consumption, and representation. 1

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Assignment 50
Term-Paper 40
Participation 10

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Readings

Crisp, R. (2017). Well-Being. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, Fall 2017 edition
Eyal, N. (2019). Informed Consent. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, Spring 2019 edition.
Chapter 3 of Bykvist, K. (2010). Utilitarianism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Continuum, London.
Thomson, J. J. (1985). The trolley problem. The Yale Law Journal, 94(6):1395?1415.
Hursthouse, R. (1991). Virtue theory and abortion. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 20(3):223?246.
Rachels, J. (1975). Active and passive euthanasia. New England Journal of Medicine, 292(2):78?80.
Sober, E. (2000). The meaning of genetic causation. In Buchanan, A. E., Brock, D. W., Daniels, N., and Wikler, D., editors, From Chance to Choice: Genetics and Justice, pages 347?369. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Daniels, N. (2009a). Can anyone really be talking about ethically modifying human nature? In Savulescu, J. and Bostrom, N., editors, Human Enhancement, pages 25?42. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Pages 1-100 of Sandel, M. J. (2007). The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Age of Genetic. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Shakespeare, T. (2013). The Social Model of Disability. In Davis, L. J., editor, The Disability Studies Reader, pages 214?221. Routledge, New York, NY, 4th ed. edition Barnes, E. (2014). Valuing Disability, Causing Disability. Ethics, 125(1):88?113.
Daniels, N. (2009b). Is there a right to health care and, if so, what does it encompass? In
Kuhse, H. and Singer, P., editors, A Companion to Bioethics, pages 362?372. Blackwell, Oxford, 2nd ed edition.
Radcliffe-Richards, J., Daar, A. S., Guttmann, R. D., Hoffenberg, R., Kennedy, I., Lock, M., Sells, R. A., and Tilney, N. (1998). The Case for Allowing Kidney Sales. The Lancet, 351(9120):1950?1952.
Chapter 9 of Satz, D. (2010). Why Some Things Should Not Be for Sale: The Moral Limits of Markets. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Luna, F. and Macklin, R. (2006). Research involving human beings. In Kuhse, H. and Singer, P., editors, A Companion to Bioethics, pages 457?468. Blackwell, Oxford, 2nd ed edition.
Eyal, N., Lipsitch, M., and Smith, P. G. (2020). Human Challenge Studies to Accelerate Coronavirus Vaccine Licensure. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 221(11):1752? 1756.
Meyer, M. N. and Chabris, C. F. (2015). Please, Corporations, Experiment on Us. The New York Times.