Dominant ethical theories will be studied and critiqued, especially from the standpoint of application. Reasoning at the levels of principles, rules, and particular judgments will be distinguished, and the relevance of institutional practices, roles, and particular circumstances will be analyzed. It will include readings on controversial moral issues in clinical ethics and apply forms and strategies of moral reasoning to selected cases. Readings and discussion will cover such topics as surrogacy, transplantation, problems of financing, the allocation of resources, and experimentation. Prevention and Access Examines health policies regarding such issues as prevention, primary care, uninsured and underserved populations, rationing, aims of managed care relative to theories of justice, with international comparisons.
Technology Examines the impact of rapid technological change on bioethics.
Among topics typically included are DNA technology, gene therapy, enhancement of inherited traits, transplant policy, surrogacy, health and the human environment. Special Topics Examines special topics in bioethics. Students who have had a four credit course in a particular area should not take a corresponding two credit course, and vice versa. Teaching Faculty Joseph P. DeMarco, Ph.D., is the lead developer of the Cleveland State University bioethics web courses. He has published numerous articles in ethics.