Schedule for PHIL 164

Fall 2008

Introductory Material

Wed Sept 3: Course Introduction, logistics

Fri Sept 5: Introductory Lecture: What is philosophy? (no reading)

Mon Sept 8: Introduction to Bioethics (B pp. 1-7)

Unit 1: Killing and Letting Die

Wed Sept 10: Jonathan Glover, “The Sanctity of Life” (B 266-269)

Fri Sept 12: Glover, part 2 (B 269-275)

Mon Sept 15: James Rachels, “Active and Passive Euthanasia” (B 288-291)

Wed Sept 17: Rachels, continued.

Fri Sept 19: Winston Nesbitt, “Is Killing No Worse Than Letting Die” (B 292-295)

Mon Sept 22: Nesbitt, continued.

Wed Sept 24: Helga Kuhse, “Why Killing Is Not Always Worse Than Letting Die” (B 297-299)

Fri Sept 26: Jonathan Bennett, “Whatever the Consequences” (PDF)

Mon Sept 29: Bennett, part 2. First Take-Home Assignment Due.

Wed Oct 1: Bennett, part 3.

Unit 2: Patient Autonomy

Introduction

Fri Oct 3: J.S. Mill, from “On Liberty” (B 621-623)

Mon Oct 6: Immanuel Kant, from Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (PDF).

Part I: Medical Research

Wed Oct 8: Introduction to Part VII of Bioethics (B 499-502); Benjamin Freedman, “Equipoise and the Ethics of Clinical Research” (B 513-518)

Fri Oct 10: Samuel Hellman, “The Patient and the Public Good” (B 520-524)

Mon Oct 13: Columbus Day -- No Class.

Tue Oct 14: Follow Monday class schedule. Torbjörn Tännsjö, “The Morality of Clinical Research: A Case Study”. Read up to section 5 (B 525-528).

Wed Oct 15: Tännsjö, part 2: read from section 5 to the end (B 528-532).

Fri Oct 17: Overflow.

Mon Oct 20: Overflow.

Wed Oct 22: Review for Mid-Term

Fri Oct 24: Study for Mid-Term – No Class.

Mon Oct 27: Mid-Term Examination.

Part II: Informed Consent and Paternalism

Wed Oct 29: Robert Veatch, “Abandoning Informed Consent” (B 636-644)

Fri Oct 31: Veatch, continued.

Mon Nov 3: Julian Savulescu, “Rational Desires and the Limitation of Life-Sustaining Treatment”. Read through the end of Part 1 (B 646-650).

Wed Nov 5: Savulescu, part 2 (B 650-656).

Fri Nov 7: Savulescu, concluded (B 656-660).

Unit 3: Philosophers and Decision-Making

Mon Nov 10: Plato, Euthyphro

Wed Nov 12: Follow Tuesday class schedule – No Class.

Fri Nov 14: James Rachels, “When Philosophers Shoot from Hip” (B 703-705). Second Take-Home Assignment Due.

Mon Nov 17: Jonathan Moreno, “Ethics Consultation as Moral Engagement” (B 703-705)

Wed Nov 19: Moreno, continued.

Fri Nov 21: Dan Brock, “Truth or Consequences” (B 715-718)

Mon Nov 24: Heta Häyry, “Should the Decisions of Ethics Committees Be Based on Community Values?” (B 719-723)

Wed Nov 26: Turkey Hunting Day – No Class.

Fri Nov 28: Thanksgiving Break – No Class.

Mon Dec 1: Film: Krzysztof Kieślowski, Decalogue #2.

Wed Dec 3: Film: Mike Nichols, Wit.

Fri Dec 5: Film, continued.

Mon Dec 8: Film, continued.

Wed Dec 10: Review for Final Exam

Fri Dec 12: Field Trip: Amherst Coffee

Final Exam: Mon. Dec. 15, 10:30 a.m., Bartlett 61.