Syllabus

Instructor
Uri Leibowitz
Office: Bartlett 381
Office Hours: Tuesday 2 - 3 or by appointment
Email: uri(at)philos(dot)umass(dot)edu

Course Description
The practice of medical and biological science raises certain distinctive ethical issues. There are issues concerning abortion, euthanasia, human and animal experimentation, patient autonomy, human cloning, resource allocation, organ donation, patient confidentiality, truth-telling, and more. The purpose of this course is to understand and appreciate the moral questions raised by some of these topics and to consider and critically evaluate some prominent positions and arguments concerning them. Throughout the semester, we will read and discuss reports of real-life cases, as well as several influential essays on these topics, and we will try to assess whether, and to what extent, the application of any overarching ethical principle can guide us in making real-life ethical decisions. 

Course Website
The course website, which you should check regularly, can be found here:

     http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~uril/phil164/164.htm

The website will contain important information and updates. You are encouraged to check the course website frequently. 

Required Books: 

1. Classic Cases in Medical Ethics: Accounts of Cases That Have Shaped Medical Ethics, with Philosophical, Legal, and Historical Backgrounds, 4th Edition. Author: Gregory Pence
2. Classic Works in Medical Ethics: Core Philosophical Readings. Gregory Pence (ed.)

Books are available at Amherst Books, 8 Main Street, Amherst MA.

Additional required readings will be made available on the course website.

Requirements

• Lectures: You must attend class regularly, taking detailed notes, asking questions (if you have any), and contributing to class discussions (if you have anything to contribute). Some questions on the exams will be in reference to material discussed only in lecture and not in any reading. 
• Readings: You must complete each reading assignment on time and be prepared to discuss it, or at least hear it discussed, in class. Most students will have to read each article at least twice to get a good understanding of it. Although you will not officially be graded on how well and carefully you read the articles, you will do poorly on the exams (and in general get a lot less out of the course) if you don’t put a lot of effort into the readings.
• Quizzes: We will have occasional (unannounced) in class quizzes. The quizzes will cover material from the previous two lectures and from your reading assignments for that class. If you miss a quiz, you get a zero, with no make-up possible. However, when calculating your quiz average, your two lowest scores (including zeroes) will be dropped.
• Homework: You will receive 10 homework assignments throughout the semester. Each assignment will be worth one point towards your final grade. Your homework assignments will be graded on a pass/fail basis.  
• Presentations: You will be required to give a short in class presentation. 
• Internet: You must have regular access to a computer with a printer and an internet connection. You must check your email and the course website frequently and be able to print out readings (essays and handouts) from the course website. 
• Exams: We will have four (non-cumulative) in-class exams. Although I encourage you to study with your classmates, the submission of duplicate or near-duplicate answers will be considered cheating (see cheating policy below). Each exam will constitute 20% of your final grade.

Grading
Your final grade for the course is determined by your exam grades (4x20%), your homework (10%) and your quiz average (10%). Although you will not officially be graded on attendance, note-taking, and participation, you will do poorly on the exams (and in general get a lot less out of the course) if you don’t do these things. Furthermore, I am much more likely to “bump up” a borderline grade to the higher grade if I see that a student has attended class regularly, taken good notes, asked questions (either in or outside of class), participated in class, and generally put a lot of effort into the course.

I grade answers to the short essay questions on both content and style. As regards style, aim for the following stylistic virtues: clarity, precision, succinctness, and directness. Avoid flowery language, polysyllabic words, and long, winding sentences. Instead, just make it completely clear to your audience exactly what you are trying to say.

As regards content, be sure you answer each question completely, but do not include any content not relevant to your answer. Especially avoid padding your answer with “fluff” and other BS. They will get you nowhere in philosophy and will hurt your grade in this course.

Cheating
Passing off another’s ideas or words or answers as your own is cheating. It is very easy to catch and will not be tolerated in this course. Cheaters will receive an automatic ‘F’ for the course and may be subject to expulsion from the university.

Additional Notes
Students with Special Needs: If you are a student with any kind of special need, please do not hesitate to contact me for any necessary accommodations.