Bioethics

Course Essential Questions

• How do we determine the ethical boundaries of scientific discoveries?
• What challenges do we face when using traditional ethical rules to handle modern bioethical issues?
• How can we effectively communicate complex bioethical issues to the public and ensure informed decision-making?
• What ethical obligations do we have towards future generations when making decisions about resource management and environmental impact?

Course Learning Objectives

• Identify the scientific and technological advancements driving challenges around the four basic principles of bioethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice.
• Use critical reasoning skills to justify an ethical position and make informed decisions.
• Gather evidence from various sources to effectively communicate and support a claim or opinion.
• Apply ethical principles to real-world scenarios by analyzing case studies, proposing solutions, and considering the potential consequences of different actions.
• Engage in public debates to demonstrate active citizenship on bioethical issues.

Unit 1: From Conception to Completion: Fertility, Genetics, and Euthanasia (Weeks 2-4)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What are the core principles that guide ethical decision-making in bioethics?
• Is it ethical to use genetic engineering to create "designer babies"?
• Could the use of cloning ever be ethically responsible?
• Is there a right to die with dignity?

Week 1: Navigating the Maze: Foundations of Bioethics

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Define the core principles of bioethics and explain their application in biotechnology advances.
• Analyze the historical and cultural context of bioethics, understanding how evolving technologies and societal values have shaped ethical frameworks.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills for engaging in respectful and productive discussions about complex bioethical dilemmas.
• Distinguish between types of questions arising from biotechnology to recognize ones related to ethics.

Week 2: Designing Families: Genetic Screening and IVF

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Identify major issues in fertility and describe current assistive reproductive technologies.
• Analyze ethical principles in the context of assisted reproductive technologies, identifying potential conflicts and justifying ethical positions.
• Evaluate the arguments for and against various practices within assisted reproductive technologies as viewed from diverse perspectives.
• Apply ethical frameworks to real-world case studies involving IVF, genetic screening, and potential future advancements.

Week 3: Nature or Copy: The Age of Cloning

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Describe the scientific principles and technical challenges behind different cloning methods and their potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and conservation.
• Evaluate ethical principles in the context of cloning technology, recognizing potential conflicts and defending ethical stances.
• Formulate well-reasoned arguments and propose solutions to ethical dilemmas arising from various forms of cloning.

Week 4: Autonomy and Dignity: Euthanasia

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Summarize methods of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, including their definitions, procedures, and legal status.
• Compare the potential benefits, risks, and ethical challenges associated with different forms of euthanasia.
• Interpret the arguments for and against legalizing euthanasia, considering diverse perspectives from individuals, healthcare professionals, religious groups, policymakers, and legal experts.

Unit 2: Modifying Life: Genetic Engineering and Stem Cell Research (Weeks 5-8)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What does it mean to be human in the age of biotechnology?
• When do the potential benefits of modifying life outweigh the potential risks?
• Is bioengineered food a tasty solution to world hunger or a recipe for unintended consequences?
• Should performance enhancement be allowed in all aspects of life, or is it reserved for specific contexts?
• Can the potential cures from stem cell research justify the ethical concerns surrounding its methods?

Week 5: The Human Blueprint: Genome Editing

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Define key terms related to genome editing.
• Describe different types of genome editing techniques, their strengths and limitations, and potential applications.
• Apply ethical frameworks to critically evaluate the implications of genetic therapy for individuals, their families, and society at large.

Week 6: Frankenfood or Future Feast: Bioengineered Organisms

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Explain key terms related to bioengineered organisms.
• Evaluate the different applications of bioengineered organisms for fields such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental remediation.
• Compare the benefits and risks associated with specific applications of bioengineered organisms.
• Propose potential solutions or approaches to address ethical concerns about bioengineering, considering scientific limitations, societal values, and potential long-term impacts.

Week 7: Superhumans: Performance Enhancement

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Define key terms and describe different methods of performance enhancement, recognizing their mechanisms, effectiveness, and limitations.
• Analyze the potential individual and societal impacts of performance enhancement, both positive and negative.
• Apply ethical frameworks to evaluate different technologies and information sources, identifying biases and limitations.
• Formulate personal positions on specific technologies to debate the ethical implications of performance enhancement.

Week 8: From Embryos to Cures: Stem Cell Research

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Define key terms and describe different methods of performance enhancement, recognizing their mechanisms, effectiveness, and limitations.
• Analyze the potential individual and societal impacts of performance enhancement, both positive and negative.
• Apply ethical frameworks to evaluate different technologies and information sources, identifying biases and limitations.
• Formulate personal positions on specific technologies to debate the ethical implications of performance enhancement.

Unit 3: Beyond Borders: Public Health, Animal Research, and the Environment (Weeks 9-12)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What ethical considerations influence public health interventions?
• How do we ensure equitable access to life-saving technologies in a world with limited resources?
• Do animals have moral rights, and if so, how should this influence our use of them in research and agriculture?
• What ethical responsibility do individuals and society have to protect the environment and address climate change?

Week 9: From Pandemics to Policy: Public Health Interventions

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Explain the mechanisms by which various public health interventions impact population health.
• Analyze potential ethical dilemmas arising in public health decisions and propose ethically sound solutions.
• Identify the unique ethical considerations facing international public health collaborations and interventions.
• Develop arguments for supporting and participating in global health initiatives that promote ethical and effective public health interventions for all.

Week 10: Beyond Scarcity: Resource Allocation

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Define key terms related to medical resource allocation.
• Identify major organ systems and tissues that can be transplanted and various diseases that impact these systems.
• Compare ethical frameworks applied to medical resource allocation.
• Describe the potential risks associated with xenotransplantation.
• Identify and analyze the key ethical issues surrounding xenotransplantation.

Week 11: From Rights to Responsibilities: Animal Welfare

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Identify the types of animals used and reasons for their choice, and ethical dilemmas arising from research practices.
• Analyze the 3Rs in animal research and their connection to regulations.
• Compare and contrast arguments for and against animal research, critically evaluating them based on evidence and ethical principles.
• Propose evidence-based solutions to specific animal welfare issues considering the importance of minimizing suffering and respecting animal well-being.

Week 12: Humanity and Habitat: Climate and the Environment

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Describe and evaluate the potential benefits and risks of technologies like geoengineering and carbon capture and storage in addressing climate change.
• Analyze and apply ethical principles like justice, responsibility, and sustainability to propose strategies for sustainable living at individual and community levels.
• Propose solutions that balance the needs of the present with the needs of future generations for a sustainable future.

Unit 6: The Future of Humanity: Transhumanism, and AI (Weeks 13-15)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• Does cognitive enhancement undermine the value of hard work and personal growth in achieving success?
• Can technology replace human decision-making in healthcare?
• How can we prepare ourselves and future generations to navigate the complex ethical landscape of an ever-evolving biosphere?

Week 13: Manipulating Minds: Cognitive Enhancement

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Describe various methods of cognitive enhancement and identify potential benefits and risks associated with each.
• Analyze the potential impacts of cognitive enhancement on individuals.
• Explore the potential societal implications of the widespread use of cognitive enhancement and propose strategies to ensure responsible development and implementation focusing on issues like fairness, access, and societal well-being.
• Develop informed arguments for or against the use of specific cognitive enhancement methods, considering ethical principles and potential consequences.

Week 14: Machines Learning, Humans Questioning: AI

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Identify and analyze various types of AI systems and their functionalities.
• Describe real-world applications of AI in healthcare.
• Explain ethical considerations surrounding AI autonomy and decision-making.
• Develop arguments for and against granting AI increased autonomy, considering ethical frameworks and potential societal impacts.

Week 15: Living in the BioEthical Age: Summing Up

Weekly Learning Objectives

• Explain the ethical responsibilities we have learned about in class and how they apply to current scientific situations.
• Describe how the lessons learned during the course should be used to responsibly and ethically control future biotechnologies.
• Provide feedback to VHS Learning about this course and our experience.