This table provides information about both the lecture (L) and recitation (R) sessions.
Course calendar.
| SES # |
TOPICS |
KEY DATES |
| Ending life |
| L1 |
Introduction to the course |
|
| L2 |
From euthanasia to assisted suicide |
|
| R1 |
Euthanasia |
|
| L3 |
Killing for the greater good I |
|
| L4 |
Killing for the greater good II |
|
| R2 |
Killing vs. letting die |
|
| L5 |
Withdrawal of life support |
|
| R3 |
Withdrawal of life support and the ICU |
|
| Beginning life |
| L6 |
Neonatal dilemmas |
Paper 1 due |
| L7 |
Are people organisms? |
|
| R4 |
Neonatal dilemmas and personal identity |
|
| L8 |
The ethics of abortion I |
|
| L9 |
History and abortion |
|
| R5 |
The morality and legality of abortion |
|
| L10 |
The ethics of abortion II |
|
| L11 |
Obligations of pregnancy |
Paper 2 due |
| R6 |
The obligations of pregnancy and Thomson on abortion |
|
| Optimizing life |
| L12 |
Procreation and future people I |
|
| L13 |
Procreation and future people II |
|
| R7 |
The non-identity problem |
|
| L14 |
Eugenics and its legacies |
|
| L15 |
Genetic engineering |
Paper 2 rewrite due |
| R8 |
From eugenics to genetic engineering |
|
| L16 |
Slippery slopes |
|
| L17 |
Enhancing or cheating |
|
| R9 |
Enhancing, treating, and cheating |
|
| Valuing life |
| L18 |
The political economy of organs |
|
| L19 |
Valuing lives I |
Paper 3 due |
| R10 |
The political economy of organs |
|
| L20 |
Valuing lives II |
|
| R11 |
Utilitarianism |
|
| L21 |
Rationing health care |
|
| L22 |
Valuing lives III |
|
| R12 |
Rationing health care and valuing lives |
|
| Regulating life |
| L23 |
Public health vs. individual rights? |
|
| L24 |
Public health and individual responsibility |
|
| R13 |
Rights, responsibilities, and public health |
|
| L25 |
Self binding |
|
| L26 |
Conclusions |
Final paper due |
