Discipline: Philosophy Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Philosophy 15


COURSE DESCRIPTION
15 Bio-Medical Ethics Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite: None.
 
An introduction to some of the ethical questions which affect medical research and the health care industry. The topics covered will include: the foundations of ethical judgments, the nature of moral reasoning, the ethics of medical practitioner-patient relationships, confidentiality, death and dying, medical experimentation, animal research, abortion and euthanasia, genetic engineering and the new reproductive technologies. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
Introduction to the major ethical questions which affect medical research and the health care industry.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
None.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1.   Identify various questions that arise within bio-medical ethics and
      the role of ethical discussion in the health care industry.

2.   Critically examine some of the answers, including their supporting
      arguments, which are currently being offered to address the
      important issues within bio-medical ethics.

3.   Analyze the implications of different ethical theories for the various
      bio-medical issues explored in the course.

4.   Read and critically assess writing contemporary work on bio-medical
      issues.

5.   Write brief argumentative essays that address issues in 
      bio-medical ethics.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 
  1. Foundations of ethical discourse
    1. Ethical theory:  Kantian, Utilitarian, Natural Law and Social Contract approaches
    2. The basic of argument
  2. Issues with bio-medical ethics
    1. Relationship between patient and health care professional: patient right, confidentiality, communicating the truth to patients
    2. Death and dying: euthanasia, refusal of lifesaving treatment, seriously ill newborns
    3. Paternalism:  informed consent, behavior control therapies, suicide intervention
    4. Use of technology: abortion, new reproductive technologies, genetic counseling and engineering, medical experimentation on humans and animals 
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Presenting class lectures/discussions/demonstrations in order to familiarize students with the key ethical theories and contemporary issues in biomedical ethics, contrast different  approaches to these issues, model philosophical analysis, reasoning, and organization of ideas.
  • Facilitating small group activities in order to provide an opportunity to work with others to come to an understanding of under what circumstances ethical questions arise.
  • Developing and assigning class exercises that require analysis and understanding of the texts.
  • Showing videos/films/audio tapes in order to focus discussion on concrete situations in which decisions need to be made and the ways in which ethical considerations are brought to bear on these decisions. 
  • Conducting individual conferences in order to assist in the organization of essays and the analysis of arguments.
  • Developing and assigning web-based/web-enhanced/online/distance learning tasks/activities such as further reading, investigation of philosophy websites to deepen understanding of the contexts, issues, and current controversy surrounding issues in bio-medical ethics.
  • Inviting guest lecturers to class in order to present contrasting traditions and approaches to issues in bio-medical ethics.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • Oral reports/presentations designed to assess students’ ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate issues in bio-medical ethics.
  • Quizzes and examinations designed to evaluate ability to identify key, terms in ethics discourse and distinction relevant to bio-medical ethics, as well as to identify different traditions, compare and contrast ethical positions, explain and evaluate different answers, and the arguments given in support of those answers to questions that arise in bio-medical ethics.
  • Written assignments designed to provide the opportunity to analyze texts, explain implications of ideas, critically assess various ethical positions, and provide support for the claims made in these assignments.
  • Group and individual projects designed to show evidence that students are able to clearly identify the relevant features of problems and work with others to come to an understanding of the different philosophical approaches that can provide insight into issues in bio-medical ethics.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • Arras, London, and Steinbock. Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine. 6 ed. any: McGraw-Hill, 2002.
  • Nuland. How We Die. any: Vintage Books, 1995.
  • Mappes and Degrazia. Biomedical Ethics. 5 ed. any: McGraw-Hill, 2000.
  • Nuland. How We Die. -: Vintage Books, 1995.
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