Bioethics
Biology 4486
Fall 2007
Faculty:
Dr. Estella Chen
Office:
SC 324
Phone:
678-797-2080
(best to contact me via WebCT mail)
E-mail:
please use the WebCT mail system
Office hours: Tuesdays-12:30; Wednesdays-3:30
Time & Place:
TTh: 5:00-6:15 pm
SC 214
Purpose of Course:
The majority of you taking this class will become the scientists and doctors of the next
several decades. Most science classes focus solely on the physical aspects of the world and
the method of enquiry. But knowing the scientific method and science facts is not enough for
producing good science. Advances in biology and technology are having a larger impact in
fundamental issues such as re-defining life, determining its beginning and end, determining the
“quality of life”, and determining behavioral or physical traits in human beings. Because of this,
it is important that producers and users of biological knowledge be able to identify the
relationship between science and a society’s values. This is particularly important in the United
States, since we live in a pluralistic society with competing traditions and values. Furthermore,
the biological sciences are rapidly growing in the commercial industry, where money rather than
ethics can determine which technologies are developed. It is incumbent upon biologists to
understand how biology affects the larger society and to play a mature role in its decisionmaking. Good science policy is founded on a sound understanding of both science and ethics.
It would be a great misfortune if some advances were not made due to ignorant fear. It would
be an equal tragedy if we generate advances with which we cannot live.
The goals for this course are to give students the skills to recognize moral issues in
biology and medicine, to have students break down each issue and place it within a larger ethical
framework, and for them to articulate their opinion and views with respect to an issue in bioethics.
Course Prerequisites: C or better grade in Biol 3300, plus a minimum of 12 hours of 30004000 level Biology/Biotechnology/Biochemistry courses or consent of instructor.
Course Description:
The primary activities for this course will be reading, writing and sharing with others
through discussion and presentation. Our examination of “expert” opinion will be useful for both
the arguments that are presented and the mode of argumentation with which they are
presented. We will also use case studies, which present us with the basic dilemmas about
which we ask--”what should be done?” You will find it most effective to read carefully and
consistently.
Required books and reading:
a. Levine, Carol (Ed.); Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Bioethical Issues (Eleventh
Edition); Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 2006.
b. Bryant, John; Baggott la Velle, Linda; Searle, John. Introduction to Bioethics. Wiley. 2005.
c. Readings posted on WebCT (Beauchamp and Walters [“B&W”], Furrow et al., Asche, Parens,
etc.). These readings are of significant size. Budget for printing accordingly ($30-$40).
d. Readings in addition to the ones listed in the syllabus may be added, and will be announced
in class and posted on WebCT.
Expectations, evaluation and grades:
Attendance in this course is essential since much of your learning will come from group
discussions. It is especially important that you attend all the class meetings. You are responsible
for all the material covered in the readings and discussions as well as for any assignments or
schedule changes. To receive full attendance credit you must sign the attendance sheet and be
present for the full class period. In addition, you must have completed that day’s reading
assignment. Frequent and effective participation in class discussions will be expected of
everyone.
Your overall grade for the course will be determined according to the following:
Responses to instructor questions in class
Voluntary participation
Exams (3)
Debates
Attendance
15%
extra credit up to 5%
20%, 20%, 20%
15%
10%
A=90-100%, B=80-89%, C=70-79%, D=60-69%, and F= <60%
How will my verbal responses in class be graded?
a. Responses to instructor questions (n= 3-4x by the end of the semester). Students will be
graded on:
 Sound knowledge of the assigned material and general facts
 Ready identification of major issues regarding that particular topic
 Reasonable student’s analysis/response to question.
 Looking at personal notes is allowed; reading from personal notes is NOT (it must be
obvious that you read the material and are not using a friend’s notes).
b. Voluntary participation:
 Sincere questions welcomed
 Sincere, reasonably thought-out comments welcomed
 If it is felt that a student is simply generating b.s. just to earn extra credit, points will be
taken away.
 Manners required: instructor must call on the participant (no interruption of other students’
comments, or domineering of class).
c. Debates—each student will participate in a formal debate regarding a topic of their choice.
Students will work in teams of two or three, representing a “pro” side or a “con” side. 3-4 weeks
should be allowed for preparation of the material before the scheduled debate, but you will only be
told which side you are representing the week before (in order to be a good debater, you will need
to know both sides of an argument, so this should not affect your studying). Grades received by
each student for his/her role in the debate will be based on: a. preparation; b. presentation; c.
argument; d. ability to respond to the other side. The class will also vote as to which side they
agree with or considered the most convincing.
d. The attendance grade will be determined according to the following: 0-1 absences: A, 2
2
absences—B; 3 absences—C; 4 absences—D, 5 absences or more—F
e. Exams—exams will be primarily essay, but possibly include short answer or a decision matrix.
Exams will not be graded on the writer’s opinion, but on how well the student writes and argues or
deduces his/her position.
Help in writing
The KSU Writing Center is a free service offered to all KSU students. Experienced writing
assistants work with students throughout the writing process (on concerns such as topic
development, revision, research, documentation, grammar, and mechanics) although assistants
cannot edit or proofread your paper for you. Appointments are strongly encouraged. For more
information or to make an appointment, visit http://www.kennesaw.edu/english/WritingCenter,
or stop by Room 242, English Building.
Lecture slides and other electronic matters
I may use lecture slides. Students are welcome to request pdf file copies of the slides after
lecture, but slides will not be available before lecture. You are welcome to tape the lecture or bring
in your computer notebook to type notes (students who surf on the web or check email during
lecture will be considered rude and wasting their time; their laptops will be taken up until the end
of lecture if caught doing non-class activity on their computer).
Withdrawal policy: (as found in the University Catalog ’05-06 p. 42). “Students may withdraw
from one or more courses anytime before the last three weeks of the semester. However, as of
Fall 2004, students will be allowed a maximum of eight total withdrawals if they enter KSU as a
freshman. Transfer students will be allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted,
for a maximum of eight. Students who choose to pursue a second degree at KSU will be
allowed two additional withdrawals. Students who entered KSU before the Fall of 2004 will be
allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted for a maximum of eight. To withdraw,
the student should complete an official withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar. Students
who officially withdraw from courses on or before the last day to withdraw without academic
penalty will receive a “W”. Students who officially withdraw after the last day to withdraw
without academic penalty (and before the last three weeks of the semester) will receive a “WF”,
which will be counted as an “F” in calculation of their grade point average.
The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving
unusual circumstances, which are fully documented. Students may appeal to the academic
standing committee for consideration of unusual circumstances.”
Please note that the last day to withdraw without academic penalty is October 11.
Academic Integrity: (per University policy p 251 University Catalog ‘05-06) Every KSU student
is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the
Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses
the University’s policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and
cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of
University records or academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library
materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of
student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through
the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an
“informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing
procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct’s minimum one semester
3
suspension requirement.”
** CHANGES MAY BE MADE TO SYLLABUS AS NECESSARY THROUGHOUT THE
SEMESTER**
Date of
Lecture
Lecture Topic
16-Aug
Course Introduction
21-Aug
Classes of ethical theory
Past abuses of human research subjects--Nuremberg
and Unit 731
23-Aug
Reading
Bryant, chapters 1, 2
Levine xvi-xxi
B and W-Handout 1
(on course website)
Should we use science data from death camps?
http://www.pbs.org/w
gbh/nova/holocaust/e
xperiintro2.html
30-Aug
Tuskegee; Principles of Bioethics
B and W-Handout 2
(on course website),
Levine--xxii-xxv
4-Sep
Oath of Hippocrates; Refusal of Treatment--Bouvier
[competent patient]; Cruzan [incompetent patient]
B-W 156-159;
Advanced Directive
[course website]
6-Sep
Refusal of Treatment, Jehovah's Witness
28-Aug
13-Sep
Do Parents Harm Children When They Refuse
Treatment on Religious Grounds?
Should physicians be allowed to assist in patient
suicide?
18-Sep
20-Sep
Debate--Are parents negligent if they refuse medical
treatment for their child for religious reasons?
Debate--end of life issues
25-Sep
The beginning of life: when does human life become a
"person"; Maternal-fetal decision-making: women's
rights vs. fetal rights
Furrow 36-51
[Handout]
27-Sep
Is abortion immoral? (give out Exam 1)
Levine Issue 8
11-Sep
Levine, Issue 11
Levine Issue 5;
Jochemsen Handout
4
2-Oct
Debate--Is abortion immoral? (Exam 1 Due)
4-Oct
Eugenics programs in the 20th Century--sterilization of
Buck, aim of modern genetics
B-W 457-472
(Eugenics and Buck
v. Bell)
11-Oct
Personhood revisited
Prenatal diagnosis and selective abortion; Genetic
"harm"
Asche Handout;
Green Handout
16-Oct
18-Oct
PND/PGD continued
Debate--PND/PGD
23-Oct
25-Oct
Should the Federal Government Fund Stem Cell
Research?
Stem cell research
30-Oct
Debate--stem cell research
1-Nov
Human Gene Transfer Research and genetic
enhancement (give out Exam 2)
6-Nov
8-Nov
Case against perfection Exam 2 Due
Genetic Enhancement, cont.
13-Nov
15-Nov
Debate--Genetic Enhancement
Humans and the natural world
Bryant Chapter 3
20-Nov
22-Nov
Humans and non-human animals
Bryant Chapter 4
27-Nov
Should Animal Experiments be Permitted?
Levine, Issue 14
29-Nov
Professional code of ethics for biomedical scientists?,
give out FINAL EXAM
Bryant, Ch 13
4-Dec
Debate--status of animals Final Exam Due
9-Oct
Levine Issue 12
NBAC Handout
EXAM 2
Sandel Handout;
Parens Handout
fall break
5