Course Description: Philosophy 343: Biomedical Ethics
Fall Term 2007: MW 10:35-11:25 plus conference
Professor: Andrew Reisner
Office: Leacock 933
Phone: 398-3392
email: andrew.reisner@mcgill.ca
Office Hours: TBA
This course serves as an introduction to biomedical ethics. The aim of this course is to
enable students to engage in a careful, analytic way with problems arising in biomedical
ethics. To that end, both current topics in biomedical ethics and the theoretical issues that
commonly arise in their analysis will be covered. This course takes the view that
biomedical ethics is a special branch of normative ethics more generally, and so the
emphasis is on sound, careful reasoning in an applied context.
Much of the literature in bioethics traditionally has focused on the issues of abortion and
euthanasia. Special attention will be paid to those issues, as they provide good contexts
for examining many of the central questions around being born and dying. However, in
recent years changes in biomedical technology has spurred the development of a thriving
literature in other areas. Among the current topics, we will be looking at questions
surrounding disabilities, gene therapy, and enhancements; transgenesis and trans-species
chimeras; the patient-physician relationship; and the distribution of scarce healthcare
resources.
While this class does not presume any particular philosophical or scientific knowledge,
the material in this course spend considerable time on theoretical issues in philosophy
and requires a great deal of careful thought and attention. Students should be prepared to
think logically and to produce closely reasoned arguments both in discussion and in
writing.
Texts: 1. McMahan, Jeff The Ethics of Killing: Problems at the Margins of Life. Oxford
University Press: 2002. Copies will be available at Paragraphe bookseller.
2. A course pack will be available from the McGill book store.
Course Requirements: Two essays (30% and 35% respectively) and a take-home final
examination (35%)
Extensions: Extensions will be given for medical reasons with an appropriate medical
note. Late papers will be marked down 1/3 of a grade (e.g. from an A to an A-, from an
A- to a B+) for each day late (including weekend days).
Academic Integrity: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students
must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other
academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see
www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information). In this course, academic infractions will
be pursued diligently. If you are in doubt about any aspect of plagiarism or cheating,
please contact the instructor or your TA before handing in the assignment or taking the
exam.