Course Information

796.18 - Seminar Health Ethics

Professor: Marc Spindelman
Credits: 2
Semester: 2010 Winter

Second Writing Requirement? Yes
Seminar? Yes
Professional Responsibility? No
Prerequisites: None
Means of Assessment: Research Paper (on an agreed-upon topic in Bioethics) and Class Participation

Course Description

In this seminar, we will consider a range of issues in bioethics, some familiar and traditional, others less so. Topics may thus include: abortion; euthanasia; surrogate motherhood; cloning; cosmetic surgery; gender reassignment surgery; artificial reproduction for, and by, lesbian couples; sexuality-conversion therapy; medical participation in the administration of the death penalty; use of the homeless in pharmaceutical research; and “organ tourism” (First Worlders’ procurement of organs for transplantation from Third World “donors,” and physicians’ involvement in the trade). Throughout, we will critically evaluate the standard approaches to bioethics in an attempt to ascertain their moral sensitivity to the principles of justice they are said to avow. After initial discussions on assigned topics, students will lead the conversation by presenting the provisional results of their seminar paper research.

The course materials listed above are for informational purposes only and should not be considered final. Students must check with the Registrar for a current list of closed courses.