Critical Bioethics
| Module title | Critical Bioethics |
|---|---|
| Module code | PHL2035 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Christine Hauskeller (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
Bioethics is the discipline that discusses all ethical issues and social conflicts that arise from modern developments in the medial and life sciences and biotechnology. In this module you will encounter a critical position toward the predominant way of doing bioethics in philosophy that avoids engaging with the real life conditions in which science and technologies operate and affect the lives of individuals and change society.
We discuss bioethics as a philosophical discipline concerned with technologies and moral principles or rational decisions, and the ways in which individuals and communities in a pluralist global world respond and are affected by medical and biotechnological innovations. You will consider the entanglement between philosophical concepts of society and the individual and the ethical and normative approaches of different schools in bioethics and how cultural values affect social, scientific, ethical and knowledge practices.
The lectures will present a set of themes – see syllabus – which provide you with a broad understanding of bioethics as a global approach to new science and technologies of life. The module focuses on different ethical approaches in bioethics, including sociological bioethics and feminist bioethics. Illustrative case studies will be explored in the seminars. The conceptual and methodological focus is on the gap between theory and practice, uncertainty and notions of justice and fairness. You will also look at value pluralisms and cultural relativism, and the history and culture on forms of ethical reasoning. Case studies will include applications of genetics and stem cell science.
Some knowledge of key moral theories as taught in year 1 and year 2 modules would be an advantage but is not a formal requirement. This is an optional module for the Single Honours degree programme in Philosophy. It is available to students in sociology and other departments as an optional course in philosophy.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- familiarise you with the history of, and different positions, theories and problems in current bioethics
- familiarise you with ethical issues of genetics, stem cell research and issues of social and cultural identity, through engagement with applied case studies; and
- advance your ability to analyse text, criticize, empirical and philosophical arguments and reflect on your own preferences in making arguments and your ideas of right and wrong.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate knowledge of a range of key topics in bioethics
- 2. understand different empirical and theoretical perspectives in bioethics
- 3. appraise forms of argument on ethical issues from different philosophical and sociological perspectives
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. analyse arguments in moral philosophy and social ethics
- 5. demonstrate the ability to engage with both abstract and practical ethical issues
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. develop the ability to write scholarly well-argued reflective essays
- 7. construct normative arguments
- 8. practice different forms of writing
- 9. practice expressing own thoughts and ideas at different levels of abstraction in discussion and writing
- 10. Demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes:
- History and themes of bioethics
- Abortion
- Bioethics, philosophy and empirical social sciences
- Direct to consumer genetic testing : sex selection
- Genetic engineering
- Global Bioethics
- Prenatal testing
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | Weekly 1-hour lecture and 1-hour seminar. Each student will once submit a summary of a reading prior to the seminar. |
| Guided Independent study | 128 | Independent, guided study: Weekly reading (44 hours), preparation of seminar presentation (20 hours), research for the essay (50 hours), preparation for the essay (64 hours). |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contribution to seminar discussions | Continuous | 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | 0 | 30 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 70 | 3000 words | 1-10 | Oral and Written |
| Presentation and handout | 30 | 10 minutes and 500 words | 1,3,4,5,6 | Oral and Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (3000 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
| Presentation and handout | Summary of 1 module reading (1000 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer (eds), A Companion to Bioethics, Blackwell Publishing (2001).
Raymond De Vries,Leigh Turner,Kristina Orfali,Charles Bosk (eds), The View From Here: Bioethics and the Social Sciences (Sociology of Health and Illness Monographs). Wiley-Blackwell (2007).
Lisa A. Eckenwiler andFelicia G. Cohn (eds), The Ethics of Bioethics: Mapping the Moral Landscape, Johns, Hopkins University Press (2007).
Jonathan Glover: Choosing Children: Genes, Disability, and Design (Uehiro Series in Practical Ethics), Oxford University Press (2008).
Christine Hauskeller, Steve Sturdy and Richard Tutton (eds), Special Issue Sociology: Genetics and the Sociology of Identity, SAGE (2013).
A Hedgecoe, Critical Bioethics. Beyond the Social Science Critique of Applied Ethics, In Bioethics, 18 (2) 2004, pp. 120-143.
R Hursthouse, Virtue Theory and Abortion, Philosophy & Public Affairs Vol. 20(3), 1991, pp. 223-246
MO Little, Why a feminist approach to Bioethics, Kennedy Institute for Ethics Journal, 1996, 6 (1), pp. 1-18.
S Sherwin, Abortion through a Feminist Ethics Lense, Dialogue, 1991, pp. 372-421.
H. Slim, Humanitarian Ethics. A Guide to the Morality of Aid in War and Disaster, C Hurst & Co, London 2015
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 08/03/2016 |
| Last revision date | 25/10/2018 |
