PHI 309 BIOETHICS COURSE SYLLABUS (SPRING 2015)

Transcription

1 PHI 309 BIOETHICS COURSE SYLLABUS (SPRING 2015) COURSE TITLE: Bioethics COURSE NUMBER: PHIL INSTRUCTOR: Paul Sander MEETING DATES: Tuesday and Thursday MEETING TIME: 12:00pm to 1:15pm MEETING LOCATION: Robinson Hall, B120 OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30 11:45am; Wednesday 12:15pm- 1:00pm LOCATION: Robinson A psander@gmu.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course explores a number of philosophical themes bearing on life, death and human suffering: e.g., What is the significance of death and the value of human life? Under what conditions, if any, are abortion and euthanasia morally permissible? What is the nature of human death, and what criteria should govern judgments about who is alive and who is dead? Is there a moral obligation to prevent people from starving in distant lands? Although the course engages these substantive issues, it also attempts to sharpen students skills in practical reasoning through argument analysis, analogical reasoning, and the application of theory and principles to cases. The materials for the course consist of readings from the assigned text, additional readings to be distributed in class throughout the term, and video presentations to be viewed in class and/or outside of class. The format of the course will be a combination of lecture, classroom discussion, and perhaps an occasional video presentation or in-class individual or group exercise. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Through this course the students will learn a body of information and develop a set of important skills. As for information, the students will (1) understand and articulate philosophical terminology, (2) understand key concepts in logic, morality and several of the most influential theoretical approaches to understanding morality, (3) become familiar with a number of the perennial issues and arguments in bioethics. As for skills, the students will learn to (1) recognize and assess arguments as presented in philosophical writing, (2) construct their own philosophical arguments; (3) compare and critique philosophical arguments; (4) develop their ability to communicate clearly and effectively in speech and in writing and (5) develop and refine their views on a number of important issues relating to life, death and human suffering. 1

2 TEACHING METHODS: Teaching methods will include lecture, classroom discussion, and possibly, individual and smallgroup classroom exercises and video presentations. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: (1) Attendance, participation, in-class quizzes and exercises: Students are expected to come to every class meeting, on time and prepared to participate in the discussion of the day s material. There may be occasional in-class quizzes or exercises on the assigned material. The attendance and participation grade will be worth 10% of the course grade. (2) Exams: There will be two mid-semester exams (worth 20% of the course grade each) and a final. The final will be comprehensive and will be worth 30% of the course grade. (3) Paper: There will be one 5-7 page paper assigned, which will be worth 20% of the course grade and due on the last day of class. Details as to form and content will be provided in class. Note that a helpful resource to assist you in the writing of your term paper is the University Writing Center s guide for writing philosophy papers, available at GRADING: Quizzes/In-Class Exercises 10 Midterm Exams 40 Final Exam 30 Term Paper REQUIRED TEXTS: The Elements of Moral Philosophy (6 th ed.) by James Rachels World Hunger and Morality (2nd ed.) by Aiken and LaFollette, eds. (Prentice-Hall) In addition to these two required texts, the other assigned readings will be available on reserve at the campus library or on Blackboard. CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and so will not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the classroom. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: carrying on side conversations during the class, eating in the classroom, bringing children to the classroom, regularly arriving late or leaving early, interrupting other students or the instructor, or in any other way showing disrespect to other students or the instructor. Note that, since this is a philosophy class, we will be doing a lot of arguing over the course of the 2

3 semester (in the philosophical sense of argument ), and we will always strive to critique each other s arguments, not each other. TEST TAKING EXAMS AND QUIZZES: For exams: --Once an exam has started, no one will be allowed to leave the room until they are finished with their exam. --When finished, students must submit their exam to the instructor and sign the attendance sheet. --Students arriving to class late on exam day will be permitted to take the exam, but (1) they may be required to take a different exam and (2) they must submit the exam to the instructor by the regular ending time for that exam. For quizzes: --Once a quiz has started, no one is allowed to leave the classroom. --Students must submit the quiz when the instructor calls time. --Students arrive late to class may begin the quiz, but must submit the quiz when the instructor calls time. EXPECTATIONS: Written assignments are evaluated on the basis of presentation, content, and application of the concepts studied and reviewed in class. - Students are expected to study the assigned material - Students are expected to dedicate themselves with energy - Students are well advised to take notes Any student in need of help and guidance in writing and developing the assigned written term paper is strongly encouraged to seek such aid in the Academic Support Center and/or through the Writing Center s guide for writing philosophy papers mentioned above. ATTENDANCE: Regular class attendance is an obligation implicit in the agreement between the student and the College. Every student enrolled in this course is responsible for the work done in all class sessions and for all study assignments. Therefore, the College expects each student to attend all classes and complete all assignments regularly. To accommodate personal needs, a student may miss up to four class periods without penalty. After the third missed class, however, penalties for additional absences will be imposed. These penalties may include reductions in the student s course grade or forced withdrawal from the course. Note that there is no official distinction between an excused and unexcused 3

4 absence. A student will be considered absent if the student is present for less than 60% of the session. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: One mark of an educated individual is personal integrity. The members of the University community are committed to a code of behavior that promotes academic excellence and social responsibility. A student is thus pledged to academic honesty. The University Honor Code is in effect throughout the entire duration of the course and applies to all course work carried out inside and outside the classroom. It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the GMU Honor System and Code as laid out in the Student Handbook. Please refer to htt:// for detailed information. As academic honesty is considered to be a foundation stone of the educational enterprise, any form of cheating or plagiarism is considered to be an affront to the entire College community. Students should carefully study the definitions of cheating and plagiarism: 1. Cheating includes the following behaviors: Copying another student s answers while completing any class assignment, study group assignment, or during in-class or take-home examinations. Using notes, books, or any other unauthorized aids during an examination. Unauthorized discussion of answers during in-class examinations. Submitting another student s work as one s own. Stealing another student s work. 2. Plagiarism is submitting a paper in which the language, ideas, or thoughts, are identical to published or unpublished material from another source, without correctly giving credit to that source. 3. Failure of a student to report infractions is itself a violation of the Honor Code. 4. A violation of academic integrity will result in the following actions: - First Violation - A failing grade for the assignment and the student will not be allowed to re-write, re-submit, or revise the assignment. - Second Violation - A failing grade in the course and the student will not be allowed to return to the class. A student who has plagiarized in one class will have his or her case documented with the College; a repeat violation of the Honor Code in another class may lead to suspension or dismissal from the College. ADDITIONAL SERVICES: Students who have or may be dealing with a disability or learning difficulty should speak with the instructor or contact the appropriate administrative office at the university. Americans with Disabilities Act: The College is committed to compliance with both the letter and the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the Rehabilitation Act of

5 and other laws protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities. Students with special needs should contact the offices of the Dean of Student Development Services for additional information and complete the Request for Accommodations form. It is the student s responsibility to identify him/herself and the need for special accommodation with appropriate documentation to the instructor at the beginning of the semester. COURSE SCHEDULE (Note: The following is a tentative outline that may be revised depending on the needs of this particular class and the pace of the class as a whole): I. Introduction to Moral Philosophy and Moral Reasoning A. Moral Philosophy (aka Ethics ) James Rachels, What is Morality? from Elements of Moral Philosophy, 6 th ed., 1-17 B. Introduction to Logical Reasoning Nils Rauhut, excerpt from Ultimate Questions (to be distributed in class) C. Challenges to Ethics 1.) Ethical Relativism: James Rachels, Ethical Subjectivism from Chapter 3 (pp and 41-44) and The Challenge of Cultural Relativism (Chapter 2) 2.) Religion and Ethics: Plato s Euthyphro and James Rachels on the Divine Command Theory from Chapter 4 D. Important Moral Theories 1.) Utilitarianism: Rachels, Chapters 7 and 8 2.) Immanuel Kant s Ethics: Rachels, Chapters 9 and 10 3.) Aristotle s Virtue Ethics: Rachels, Chapter 12 II. The Value of Life and the Meaning of Death Lucretius, Death from De Rerum Natura, Bk. III Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus Thomas Nagel, Death from What Does it All Mean? Bernard Williams, The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality III. Abortion A. The Morality of Abortion John Noonan, An (Almost) Absolute Value in History Notes on Necessary and Sufficient Conditions 5

6 Judith Jarvis Thomson, A Defense of Abortion Mary Ann Warren, On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion Don Marquis, Why Abortion is Immoral B. Legal Perspectives on Abortion Roe v. Wade (1973) Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) IV. The Definition of Death President s Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research, Defining Death Baruch A. Brody, How Much of the Brain Must Be Dead? V. The Right to Refuse Treatment Keith Burton, A Chronicle: Dax s Case as it Happened Robert B. White, Commentary H. Tristram Engelhardt, Commentary VI. Choosing for Others In the Matter of Claire C. Conroy John D. Arras, The Severely Demented, Minimally Functional Patient: An Ethical Analysis VII. Suicide, Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide Thomas Aquinas, Whether it is Lawful to Kill Oneself David Hume, On Suicide James Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia Thomas Sullivan, Active and Passive Euthanasia: A Reply to Rachels Timothy E. Quill, Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized Decision Making Ronald Dworkin, Assisted Suicide: The Philosopher s Brief, Introduction Ronald Dworkin, Thomas Nagel, Robert Nozick, John Rawls, Thomas Scanlon, and Judith Jarvis Thomson, The Philosophers Brief Patient Request Form for Oregon s Death With Dignity Act John D. Arras, Physician Assisted Suicide: A Tragic View VIII. World Hunger and the Duty to Prevent Starvation (readings from World Hunger and Morality, Aiken and LaFollette, eds.) Peter Singer, Famine, Affluence, and Morality John Arthur, Rights and the Duty to Bring Aid 6

7 Onora O Neill, Ending World Hunger Amartya Sen, Goods and People IMPORTANT DATES Jan 20 First Class Jan 27 Last Day to Drop Class with Full Refund Feb 20 Last Day to Drop with No Academic Penalty Mar 9 15 Spring Break April 30 Last Class Meeting May 7 Final Exam, Term Paper Due; 10:30am 1:15pm 7