Stacy S. Chen

Ethics is the study of what we ought to do or what behaviours are morally correct/incorrect. Bioethics is the study of these questions specifically in the context of health, including but not limited to: medicine and medical practice, health technologies, and research. This course is an introduction to the prevailing theories and the contemporary debates in bioethics. Some examples of questions we will discuss are: How do we balance autonomy and beneficence? Should medical assistance in dying be permitted? Why is informed consent important? How should research funding for disease cures be distributed globally? What does ‘do no harm’ mean in times of war? Through engaging with these issues, you will get to hone your skills of critical and analytical thinking. The skills you are asked to develop will build upon each other: (1) understanding the arguments made by bioethicists (2) critically engaging with these ideas—i.e. what do you think?—and (3) communicating these ideas to others.

Syllabus