This subject will focus on providing a comprehensive understanding of current key debates within bioethics including: the normative effects of medical technology, in relation to reproductive options and decision making, genetic testing, screening, engineering and cloning, medical experimentation and human enhancement; questions of life and death, including euthanasia, abortion and infanticide, and the professional role morality ? the obligations and role virtues ? appropriate to and perhaps distinctive of medical and health work. The subject also aims to develop student understanding of some of the deeper philosophical issues implicated in these debates, for example the nature of personhood, life and death; issues of moral agency and responsibility, including regarding distinctions between what we intend and foresee or our actions and omissions, and; the different approaches to such issues provided by our normative ethical theories, most notably, Consequentialism, Kantianism, and Virtue ethics.

When successfully completed, students will have developed a good theoretical understanding both of central and current issues in bioethics and of some key philosophical issues of importance to applied ethics more generally.

2,000 word essay (35%), 3,000 word essay (55%) and class/online participation (10%).

TBA

Enrolment in the MA(PAE) or with the permission of the coordinator.