Phil 303

Medical Ethics

Schedule of Topics and Readings

The Catholic University of America

Spring 2007

Dr. Angela McKay

 

IR = Intervention and Reflection

LR    =  Library Reserve

WEB  = Located on my website, at: http://faculty.cua.edu/mckay/additionalreadings.htm  

 

Week #

(beginning)

Topics

Readings

1

(Aug. 27)

Introduction; The possibility of doing ethics;

Th:  LR – James Rachels, ÒThe Challenge of Cultural RelativismÓ

2

(Sept. 3)

Abortion

Th: WEB -- ÒAbortion: Making a DecisionÓ  and Tacelli, ÒWere You a Zygote?Ó

 

3

(Sept. 10)

Abortion

Tu:  IR 586-594; WEB -- Spaeman, ÒIs Every Human Being a Person?Ó

Th: IR 576-586

4

(Sept. 17)

 

Principle of Double Effect, Defining Death

Tu: LR Elizabeth Anscombe, ÒAction, Intention and Double Effect.Ó

Th: WEB -- Government Report on Death pp. 13-30

 

5

(Sept. 24)

Euthanasia Part I: Killing and Letting Die

Tu: IR – 725-729; handout

Th: Exam I

6

(Oct. 1)

Euthanasia Part II:

Suicide, Autonomy and Voluntary Euthanasia

Tu: WEB – Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica Second Part of the Second Part, q.64 a.5; David Hume, ÒEssay on Suicide.Ó

Th: LR – Hadley Arkes, ÒAutonomy and Quality of LifeÓ

 

7

(Oct. 8)

Euthanasia Part II continued;

Th: LR – John Arras, ÒPhysician-Assisted Suicide: A Tragic ViewÓ

 

 

 

 

8

(Oct. 15)

 

Euthanasia Part III: Non-Voluntary Euthanasia

Tu: IR 630, 646-651;

Th: video IR 639-646  Written Assignment Due

9

(Oct. 22)

 

Physician-Patient Relations: Medical Research

Tu: IR 3-25; 55-60

Th:  IR 61-65; 65-69

10

(Oct. 29)

 

Physician-Patient Relations: Paternalism

Tu: IR 184-188; 194-198

Th: IR101-25; 125-133

11

(Nov. 5)

Stem Cells and Cloning

Tu: IR 152-160

Th: IR 271-276; 312-316; 318-320

 

12

(Nov. 12)

Genetic Control

Tu: IR 277-309;

Th: Exam II

13

(Nov. 19)

 

 

Tu: IR 320-333;

Th: Thanksgiving Break

14

(Nov. 26)

Allocation of Resources

Tu:  IR 455-75; 477-483

Th: IR 484-487; 489-491

15

(Dec.  3)

Allocation of Resources

Tu:  IR 510-530

Th:  open