PHIL 321 Syllabus Spring 2020 Howard Final-11 PDF

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SYLLABUS ~For an online course that you can take in your jammies~

Welcome to Philosophy 321: Medical Ethics Tier Two Humanities Gen Ed Laura Howard, Ph.D. [email protected] Office: University of Arizona Social Sciences 201 Term: Spring 2020 Course Location: Wherever you are! Course Home Page: D2L Online Office Hours: Chat Sessions or Skype by appointment In person office hours: Check the following link for weekly changing office hours: http://philosophy.arizona.edu/user/laura-howard

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Anthony Holbrook

What is medical ethics? This course explores many challenging moral questions related to situations encountered by health care professionals. For example: What rights and responsibilities come with the role of healthcare provider? Should the healthcare provider always disclose to a patient the full truth about his or her diagnosis? Should diagnosis and treatment errors be disclosed to patients? Under what circumstances is it morally permissible to break patient confidentiality? Why does moral distress arise in medical professionals who regularly deal with futility of treatment cases? Should one have absolute rights over one’s body (e.g. with respect to euthanasia) or are there other moral considerations that limit such freedom? What is the proper justification for allocation of moderately scarce resources? Should everyone have an absolute right to health care, and who should provide access? As we explore these and many other questions, we will learn about some major moral theories along the way, with an emphasis on applying them to real world moral problems. My hope is that this course will give you skills for recognizing the scope and force of an ethical conflict when it occurs and ways of becoming more reflective and open-minded about differing moral views. I also hope to provide you with the skills to cogently defend your own principles and lobby for changes in regulations when there is a perceived need. The skills acquired in philosophical argument are indispensable for engaging with the evolving moral discussions surrounding medical ethics. Let me know before the course begins if you are uncomfortable with any of the topics. If you do not drop the course, I will assume that you have no objections to the subject matter.

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Learning Objectives: During this course, you will: Study the four bioethical principles and relevant moral theories pertaining to medical ethics. Read about general terminology used in moral philosophy. Work through opposing articles in order to understand the structure of philosophical argumentation. Learn about laws and court cases involving privacy and confidentiality. Read contrasting views about the importance of truth-telling. Study how theory is applied to resolve conflicts involving rights to autonomy and informed consent. Learn about the legislation that governs assisted death for the terminally ill. Study arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide. Become familiar with the biology of In vitro fertilization and study the moral arguments associated with various reproductive choices. Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, you should be able to: 1. Recognize elements of morality & the difference between descriptive and evaluative claims. 2. Define and explain the moral norms and major principles of bioethics. 3. Employ the philosophical method of argumentation to bioethical issues. 4. Explain the major moral theories of moral philosophy, 5. Identify the arguments about physician truth-telling and confidentiality. 6. Explain the conflict between autonomy, paternalism, and a right to privacy. 7. Reconstruct an argument in favor of voluntary, informed consent. 8. Recount the particular circumstances of several major, historical research studies. 9. Explain the types of euthanasia and the distinction between killing and letting die. 10. Recognize the major arguments surrounding the legalization of physician-assisted death. 11. Recount the basic components of Death with Dignity Acts. 12. Apply moral theories to argue the moral permissibility of physician-assisted death. 13. Explicate the arguments surrounding In vitro fertilization, disposal of embryos, and parental rights in reproduction. 14. Construct your own arguments to defend your views on these major issues in medical ethics.

Text: All of the readings for this course are in the course textbook: Bioethics: Principles, Issues, and Cases Lewis Vaughn Oxford University Press, Third or Fourth Edition [Anything earlier than the third edition will be missing some sections.] Check out rental opportunities for a substantial cost savings: Bookrenter.com, Chegg.com, Bigwords.com, Amazon.com, RedShelf.com, VitalSource.com, etc.

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A. The (very interesting) work you’ll do: There are four units that we will cover over the course of the semester. 1. Moral Reasoning and Moral Theories in Bioethics 2. Truth-Telling and Confidentiality 3. Reproductive Choices 4. Physician-assisted Death There is a 5th unit on Organ Sales that is optional. See section below about Exams. 1. Almost every week you will need to: 1. Do the Readings. 2. Study the slides while listening to the accompanying audio lectures or videos. 3. Complete a quiz. 2. For each of the four units, you will: 1. Make a post to a Discussion Topic 2. Take an exam with 25 questions (for a total of four (4) exams for the course). 3. For the writing component of the course, you will need to do two assignments: 1. You will submit a rough draft and a revision. This is a writing intensive general education course. Your word count for writing assignments totals a minimum of 2750 words. The essay assignment includes a rough draft and revision.

B. Graded requirements: 7 quizzes: 5 points each; lowest two scores dropped for a total of

25 points

5 exams: 40 points each (one dropped) for a total of

160 points

4 Discussion posts: 5 points each; lowest score dropped for a total of

15 points

Essay Rough Draft

50 points

Essay Revision

100 points

Semester Total points possible:

350 points

Curving and Rounding: The grades will not be curved for any specific grade item. However, at the end of the semester, I will use the following grade scheme: 89.5-100=A 79.5-89.49=B 69.5-79.49=C 59.5-69.49=D 0-59.49=E (This gives you a .5% “gift” over the University’s regular 90/80/70/60 grade scheme. If, for example, your ‘final calculation’ in D2L is 89.5%, you will get an A. However, if it is 89.49%, you will get a B.)

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C. Descriptions of Graded Requirements Quizzes and Exams Do not take your exams on your phone or tablet. The quizzes and exams are open book. Each of the exams is 25 questions and has been designed to take 35 minutes. Quizzes are 10 minutes for every 5 questions. It is extremely important that you do the readings daily, and study the power point slides, video and audio lectures. Then you will be prepared to move quickly through the exam, only using the textbook and slides for confirmation of material you already know. Check d2l for the availability times for each exam. If you miss taking one of the first four exams, you will need to take the fifth one.

The fifth exam, covering the material from a separate fifth topic unit, is optional. If you are satisfied with your grades on the first four exams, you do not have to study the material of the fifth unit or take the exam. (However, if you miss one of the first four exams, you must take the fifth one.) Only your four highest exam scores will be kept; the lowest of the five will be dropped. (So, if you don’t take the 5th one, it just gets dropped). The fourth and fifth topic units will be available concurrently, at the end of the semester. You will need to make your decision and budget your time in order to be able to do well on the 5th exam. In other words, if you think you will want to study the material and take the 5th exam, you’ll need to finish the fourth unit early. For each exam, you will be responsible for all of the content for that particular unit, plus all of the moral principles and theories studied up to that point. You will be able to see the questions you got wrong on the exams, along with the correct answers, at 8:00pm the day after the quiz or exam closes for the whole class. See “How to View Feedback” under course information in the content area of d2l. I will consider challenges to quiz and exam questions, for the first three exams only, up to 48 hours after the wrong-answer feedback is released (i.e., 48 hours after 8:00pm on the day after the quiz or exam closes), but no later. For the last two exams of the semester (units 4 and 5), there will be no opportunity to challenge exam questions. There is no final exam during finals week for this course.

Discussion Posts:

For each discussion topic, you must post at least once. You may post more than once, replying to your classmates. Posting more than once and replying to others is not required, but will be considered in your score. Your post must be a minimum of 250 words. (The length of your optional replies to other students can be any length, within reason.)

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Essay For the essay rough draft, you will be given a specific reading assignment and specific instructions for how to write the essay. You do not pick your own topic. You will be given feedback on the rough draft and additional instructions for writing the revision. Specific instructions will be available on D2L. Each essay component has a specific due date and time. They are submitted online in D2L, and late submissions incur a penalty up until a cut-off time, after which no submissions will be accepted, no exceptions. See essay instructions for details. There will be no make-up opportunities for either the rough draft or the revision. Our Graduate Teaching Assistant will grade your rough draft and revision. You will not get your rough draft grade returned until approximately two and a half weeks after the submission deadline. This will give you approximately 10 days to complete the revision. If you are more than 23 hours late turning in your rough draft, the promise date for returning your grade will be extended by one week, thus you will have less than one week to complete the revision. Penalties for late submissions are substantial. If you miss the cut-off time for turning in the rough draft, you may still submit the revision assignment. Neither our GTA nor I will be able to comment electronically on drafts prior to submission. I regret this, but the class is just too large to make this offer to everyone. That’s my official policy. But, as a matter of fact, I enjoy helping you as much as I can. So, if I have time, and as I have time, I would enjoy meeting with you during my office hours (in person or by Skype) to go over your draft. (You must send me a substantially completed draft before our appointment. For help with the Revision, you must send me a substantially completed draft of the revision—not the first draft.) Appointments for help with essay drafts will be on a first come, first serve basis, until I run out of time. I definitely will not be available the Friday and Saturday before the essay is due. I hold extensive office hours during the weeks prior to the first draft and revision submission due dates, so please don’t wait until the last couple of days before the deadline to try and get an appointment. You will not get your revision grade returned until after the term has ended. There will be no feedback for the revision. The revision is not eligible for appeal. I reserve the right to adjust scores given by the TA in either direction—up or down.

D. READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE Specific dates and times for all quizzes, exams, and essays are in D2L. Always defer to the D2L times and dates to see when something is due. Use a method for remembering assignment due dates that works for you. Mark the dates on a paper calendar, your electronic calendar, print them out and hang them in your bathroom, paste them to your forehead…you get the idea. They’re über-important. You’re responsible for studying all the material on D2L, and exam questions may be drawn from any and all supplemental material provided to you at any time during the term. The material on D2L takes precedence over what is listed here in the syllabus. Page 5 of 18

WEEK ONE: Jan 13: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Let’s Get Set Up: Begin: Start on the Home Page. Order your textbook. Then click on “Content” Read: Go through the Modules in this order:  Overview  Start Here  Unit One: Moral Reasoning in Bioethics  Week One: Introduction Complete: Everything on the To-Do List: Watch: Welcome Video Return:The Pledge of Academic Integrity Return: The Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Syllabus Fill out: D2L Profile Study: The SYLLABUS WEEK TWO: Jan 20: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Unit 1: Moral Reasoning in Bioethics: Watch: Video Lecture Read: Chapter One, Moral Reasoning in Bioethics, in its entirety. Study: Chapter One Powerpoint slides Listen: Audio—Features of Moral Norms Listen: Audio—Bioethics Principles WEEK THREE: Jan 27: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Watch: Video Lecture Read: Chapter Two, Bioethics and Moral Theories, in its entirety Study: Chapter Two Powerpoint slides Listen: Chapter Two Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Chapters One and Two Post: Submit at least one response to Discussion Board: Topic-Tim Bowers WEEK FOUR: Feb 3: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Review: Feedback-Quiz-Chapters One and Two Review: All learning material for Unit One Study: Learning Objectives and Study Guide EXAM: Complete Exam Unit One—Moral Reasoning and Moral Theories in Bioethics Do not take the exam on your phone or tablet Page 6 of 18

Study: “Guidelines on Writing Philosophy Study: Understanding the Philosophical Argument”

WEEK FIVE: Feb 10: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Unit Two: Truth-Telling and Confidentiality Watch: Video Lecture Read: Chapter Four, Truth-telling and Confidentiality, in its entirety. Study: Chapter Four Powerpoint slides Listen: Chapter Four Audio Study: Utilitarianism Powerpoint slides Listen: Utilitarianism Audio Study: Kantian ethics Powerpoint slides Listen: Kantian ethics Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Truth-Telling and Confidentiality (TTandC) Post: Submit at least one response to Discussion Board: Topic-Impaired Drivers Review: “Guidelines on Writing Philosophy Review: “Understanding the Philosophical Argument” Begin: Start to work on the Essay First Draft

WEEK SIX: Feb 17: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Review: Feedback-Quiz-TTandC Read: Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California Study: Tarasoff Powerpoint slides Listen: Tarasoff Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Tarasoff

WEEK SEVEN: Feb 24: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Review: Feedback-Quiz-TTandC Review: Feedback-Quiz Tarasoff Review: All learning material for Unit Two Study: Learning Objectives and Study Guide EXAM: Complete Exam Unit Two: Truth-Telling and Confidentiality Do not take the exam on your phone or tablet Submit: Essay Rough Draft—for exact deadline, see d2l dropbox folder. Do not wait until the last minute to submit. See the late essay policy.

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WEEK EIGHT: Mar 2: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Unit Three: Reproductive Choices Watch: Video Lecture Read: Chapter 7 Introduction (from beginning of chapter through and including cases for evaluation) Study: Powerpoint Slides-Chap 7 Abortion Study: Rights-based Theories Video Read: Article by Thomson, “A Defense of Abortion" Read: Article by Noonan, "An Almost Absolute Value in History" Study: Thompson Powerpoint slides with Video Study: Noonan Powerpoint slides with Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Reproductive Choices #1

WEEK NINE: Mar 16: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Watch the video lecture Review Feedback for Quiz-Reproductive Choices #1 Read: Chapter 8 Introduction (from beginning of chapter through and including cases for evaluation.) Study: Chapter introduction slides Read: Singer article, “IVF: The Simple Case” Study: Singer slide presentation with audio Read: Warren article, “IVF and Women’s Interests: An Analysis of Feminist Concerns” Study: Warren slide presentation with audio Quiz-Reproductive Choices #2 Post: Submit at least one response to the Discussion Board: Topic--"Three-Parent Babies”

WEEK TEN: Mar 23: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Review: Feedback-Quiz 1-Reproductive Choices Review: Feedback-Quiz 2-Reproductive Choices Review: All learning material for unit three Review: “Guidelines on Writing Philosophy” Review: “Understanding Philosophical Argument” Page 8 of 18

Begin: Start to work on Essay Revision

WEEK ELEVEN: Mar 30: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. EXAM: Complete Exam Unit Three—Reproductive Choices Do not take the exam on your phone or tablet Continue: Work on Essay Revision

WEEK TWELVE: Apr 6: Always refer to the D2L dates & times for exact deadlines. Submit: Essay Revision—for exact deadline, see d2l dropbox folder. Do not wait until the last minute to submit. See the late essay policy. **[Optional Unit Five: Organ Sales: See D2L Unit Five Module for Details]**

Unit Four: Euthanasia and Physician-assisted Death Watch video lecture Read: Chapter Ten Introduction (from beginning of chapter through and including the Nancy Cruzan case) Study: Euthanasia and PAS PowerPoint Slides Listen: Euthanasia and PAS Audio Read: Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia, Study: Rachels Power point slides Listen: Rachels Audio. Read: Oregon Death with Dignity Act, pdf file posted under content. Listen Oregon Death with DignityAudio

WEEK THIRTEEN: Apr 13: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Watch video lecture Study: Natural Law Theory (NLT) and Doctrine of Double Effect PowerPoint Listen: NLT and DDE audio Listen “About the Phrase ‘Pulling the Plug’” Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Rachels Post: Submit at least one response to Discussion Board: Topic-Rachels

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WEEK FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN: Apr 20 and Apr 27: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Watch video lecture Review: Feedback-Quiz-Rachels Read: Arras, Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Tragic View. Study: Arras powerpoint slides Study: Virtue Ethics Powerpoint slides Listen: Virtue Ethics Audio Quiz: Complete Quiz-Arras EXAM: Complete Exam Unit Four-Physician-Assisted Death.

WEEK SIXTEEN: May 4: Always refer to the D2L dates and times for exact deadlines. Please Complete: End of Term Evaluations Review Grades for miscalculations only. (No appeals or late work accepted)

CONGRATULATIONS! You did it!

1. MISSED OR LATE WORK I strongly recommend that you make a practice of completing work several days ahead of the due date. You have ample windows of time within which to complete assignments and assessments. So if you wait too long and something comes up that prevents you from turning your work in on time, there will be no exceptions to the policies.

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I do not excuse missed assignments or assessments of any kind, for any reason, including reasons related to illness, injury, mental health issues, or family emergencies. Instead, I am dropping a number of graded assignments; there is an optional 5th exam to make-up for a missed exam; and there is a penalized courtesy period for submitting late essay assignments. If you anticipate in advance that you will miss assignments for any reason you must contact me at least 48 hours before the assignment is due, although this does not guarantee you will be allowed to make up work. I do ...