Medical Ethics
PH 251
Tues/Thurs: 11:00-12:15

Download Full Syllabus​

INTRODUCTION
Sept. 4
Introduction to the course
Sept. 6
Human evolution (no reading)

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1.   GENETIC ENGINEERING
Sept. 11
Julian Savulescu - "As a Species, We Have a Moral Obligation to Enhance Ourselves" (TED interview)
Sept. 13
Michael Sandel - "The Case Against Perfection"

Sept. 18
Walter Glannon - "Genetic Enhancement"
Sept. 20
Erik Parens and Adrienne Asch - "The Disability Rights Critique" (excerpt) 


2.   HUMAN ENHANCEMENT
Sept. 25
Ted Chiang - "Understand" (short story)
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 1
Sept. 27
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 2

Oct. 2
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 3
Oct. 4
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 4

Oct. 9
NO CLASS (Columbus Day)
Oct. 11
NO CLASS (Tuesday makeup section)

Oct. 16
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 5
Oct. 18
Allen Buchanan - Better Than Human Ch. 6-7

Oct. 23
Begin watching documentary Fixed
Oct. 25
Finish watching documentary Fixed


3.   HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA
Oct. 30
Begin watching documentary Escape Fire
Nov. 1
Finish watching documentary Escape Fire

Nov. 6
Sarah Kliff - "Everything You Need to Know about Obamacare"
BBC News: "How has Obamacare Fared Under Trump?"
Danielle Kurtzleben - "Here's What's in Bernie Sanders' 'Medicare for All' Bill"
Nov. 8
Atul Gawande - "Is Health Care a Right?"

Nov. 13
Norman Daniels - "Is There a Right to Health Care?"
Nov. 15
David Goldhill - "How American Health Care Killed My Father"

Nov. 20
NO CLASS
Nov. 22
NO CLASS--Thanksgiving

​Nov. 27
Nina Martin and Renee Montagne - "Nothing Protects Black Women From Dying in Pregnancy and Childbirth"
Susan Sherwin - "Gender, Race, and Class in the Delivery of Health Care"
Nov. 29
Joseph Heath - "Personal Responsibility"

Dec. 4
No reading
Dec. 6
No reading

Dec. 11
TBA

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Photo by Daniel Star