UNSW Handbook Course - Bioethics

Bioethics - PHIL2418


	Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
	School: School of History and Philosophy
	Course Outline: http://philosophy.arts.unsw.edu.au/
	Campus: Kensington Campus
	Career: Undergraduate
	Units of Credit: 6
	EFTSL: 0.125 (more info)
	Contact Hours per Week: 3
	Enrolment Requirements:
	Prerequisite: 6 units of credit in level 1 Philosophy and 36 units of credit overall
	Excluded: PHIL5502
	Fee Band: 2 (more info)
	Further Information: See Class Timetable

Description

Examines current issues in the field of bioethics by considering a number of dilemmas raised by current bio-medical developments. Introduces the main streams of ethical theory used in contemporary bioethics debates, primarily utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics and ethics of care, as a platform for philosophical discussion of a number of controversial bioethical issues. Issues addressed may include the doctrine of the sanctity of human life and the concept of the person, brain death, organ transplanting, abortion, stem cell research, new genetic technologies, reproductive technologies, euthanasia, and the principle of informed consent in biomedical research.

Learning Outcomes

On completing this course, students should be able to:

Describe the key ethical theories and approaches used in bioethics
Critically reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and develop an appreciation of how each allows a moral dilemma to be resolved differently
Apply aspects of these theories to contemporary dilemmas that arise in relation to beginning and end of life issues, genetic technologies and medical research
Evaluate the extent to which such theories can help us understand and resolve the emerging problems that we face as moral agents in an increasingly complex society
Show an appreciation of the breadth of philosophical inquiry in the area of bioethics, and of the impact of technological change on our moral thinking
Utilise skills associated with scholarly inquiry in the discipline of philosophy, particularly information literacy and critical analysis skills.

Assessment

Research portfolio - 45%
Essay (2500 words) - 35%
In-class exam - 20%

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