Studying at York
Contemporary Issues in Bioethics - PHI00002H
Module summary
The aim of the module is to explore philosophically the ethical implications of advances in sciences related to medicine and healthcare.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
Module aims
The aim of the module is to explore philosophically the ethical implications of advances in sciences related to medicine and healthcare, specifically:
- to achieve an understanding of some recent relevant advances in sciences related to medicine and healthcare
- to look at the moral implications of such advances
- to apply philosophical theory to bioethical issues
Module learning outcomes
- To assimilate and engage with recent advances in biomedicine and to apply relevant philosophical theory.
- To provide students with the opportunity to continue the development of their philosophical skills, such as critically reading texts, presenting written material, and engaging in philosophical discussion.
Module content
The module takes a philosophical approach to contemporary bioethical problems. Examples of topics covered include the morals status of the human embryo; selecting offspring; ethics of organ transplantation; defining death; the use of animals for biomedical purposes; assisted suicide; and issues in public health ethics and global bioethics.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Feedback on formative work will be provided two weeks after the submission date; feedback on summative work will be provided four weeks after the submission date.
Indicative reading
Holland, S. 2017: Bioethics: A Philosophical Introduction (2nd Edn). Cambridge: Polity.
Holland, S. (ed.) 2012: Arguing about Bioethics. London: Routledge.
Steinbock, B. (ed.) 2007: The Oxford Handbook of Bioethics. Oxford: OUP.