BIOL C122: Bioethics
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 04/20/2018 |
| Top Code | 150900 - Philosophy |
| Units | 3 Total Units |
| Hours | 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54) |
| Total Outside of Class Hours | 0 |
| Course Credit Status | Credit: Degree Applicable (D) |
| Material Fee | No |
| Basic Skills | Not Basic Skills (N) |
| Repeatable | No |
| Grading Policy | Standard Letter (S),
|
| Local General Education (GE) |
|
| California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) |
|
| Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) |
|
| California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth) |
|
Course Description
Bioethics looks at the ethical implications of advancements in biology and medicine and at how they affect decisions on life, death, biotechnology, politics, law, and philosophy. This course fulfills the philosophy humanities requirement. Enrollment Limitation: PHIL C122; students who complete BIOL C122 may not enroll in or receive credit for PHIL C122. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC: Credit Limitation: PHIL C122 and BIOL C122 combined: maximum credit, 1 course.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Identify the ethical issues involved and analyze those issues from multiple perspectives based on generally accepted ethical and moral standards.
- Evaluate, examine, and analyze the ethical standards applied to decision-making.
Course Objectives
- 1. Describe the history of medical and biological research in regards to its ethical dilemmas.
- 2. Defend ethical positions and judgments in a principled way through researching current social, medical, biological, and political influences.
Lecture Content
Ethics versus morality Ethical reasoning and ethical theory Ethics in medical and biological research: history and current trends Informed consent: history and current trends Ethics in stem cell and/or in vitro fertilization or similar End of life decision making such as euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, do not resuscitate Additional topics may include Abortion Chronic diseases Surrogate parenting Anonymous sperm donation Brain-computer interfaces Organ transplant Disparity in health care and health insurance Pharmaceuticals Clinical trials Opioid addictions and treatment Firearms and injury Political and legal issues surrounding medical and biological decision making Genetic manipulation and cloning
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
- DE Online Lecture (02X)
Instructional Techniques
Instructional techniques may include any combination of the following: Lectures Videos PowerPoints Group projects Class discussions
Reading Assignments
Reading assignments may include textbooks, newspapers, research papers, and Internet assignments, including library assignments.
Writing Assignments
Writing assignments may include essays and/or a research paper discussing different viewpoints on medical and biological issues.
Out-of-class Assignments
Out-of-class assignments include the above reading and below writing assignments as well as the research required to defend an ethical position.
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Methods of student evaluation may include any or all of the above. Critical thinking is developed during research for essays and in group discussions of difficult ethical topics.
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
This class requires an essay or essays and short answers on debating ethical issues in biology and medicine.
Eligible Disciplines
Biological sciences: Masters degree in any biological science OR bachelors degree in any biological science AND masters degree in biochemistry, biophysics, or marine science OR the equivalent. Masters degree required. Philosophy: Masters degree in philosophy OR bachelors degree in philosophy AND masters degree in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.
Textbooks Resources
1. Required Vaughn, Lewis. Bioethics: Principles, Issues and Cases, 3RD ed. Oxford Press, 2016 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 2. Required Mepham, Ben. Bioethics: An Introduction for the Biosciences, 2ND ed. Oxford Press, 2008 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text
Other Resources
1. OER as available. 2. Coastline Library