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PHIL 165.001 – Bioethics

Instructor: Logan Mitchell. This course meets MTWRF 1:15 – 2:45 p.m. via remote synchronous (RS) instruction.

Bioethics is the systematic exploration of ethical, social, and legal issues relating to health and medicine. If you (i) have been born, (ii) have required or will require medical care while alive, or (iii) will die, then bioethics is relevant to you!!

In this course we will begin exploring some of the (many) pressing questions that make bioethics so interesting, focusing on three main units:

  • Bioethics Before Birth
    • What is bioethics, and how can we answer questions in bioethics?!
    • Is abortion morally permissible?!
    • Should designer babies be legal?!
  • Addiction, Disability, and Disease
    • Is addiction a disease?!
    • What even IS a disease?!
    • What is a disability, and (why) does it matter?!
  • Medical Care and (Preventing) Death
    • Do we have a right to healthcare?!
    • Do we have a right to die (and have our doctor help us in doing so)?!

This is a philosophy course, so in addition to understanding various answers to these questions, we will explore and defend our own answers to these questions, while developing philosophical skills like analysis, writing, and argumentation.