Library, Internet

Campbell, A, Charlesworth, M, Gillett, G & Jones (eds) Medical Ethics, Oxford University Press, 1997
Dickenson, D., Risk and Luck in Medical Ethics, Polity Press, 2002
Fulford, K., Dickenson, D., Durray, T. (eds) Healthcare Ethics and Human Values, Blackwell, 2002
Gillon, Raanan (ed) Principles of Health Care Ethics, John Wiley & Sons, 1994
Harris, J. The Value of Life, Routledge, 1985
Kuhse, H & Singer, P (ed) Bioethics, Blackwell, 1999
Holland, S. Bioethics, Polity Press, 2003
Regan, T. (ed) Matters of Life and Death: Essays in Moral Philosophy, McGraw Hill, 1993
Singer, P. Practical Ethics, Cambridge University Press, 1993
Singer, P. Rethinking Life and Death, Oxford University Press, 1994

A coursework essay [Learning Outcomes 1-4]

A weekly lecture will be used to introduce issues, survey competing positions, outline possible solutions and to set up an associated student-centred small group discussion session. The latter will consist of student led debates on pre-arranged questions, role-playing sessions, and individual and group student presentations of particular positions.

The module forms an introduction to a range of issues raised within the area of medical ethics. Students will be introduced to questions about what is distinctive in thinking about moral issues, and the principles that can be appealed to in justifying the treatment of other people. Questions raised might include: What counts as a life?, What are the rights and wrongs of such practices as abortion and euthanasia?, Is there always an obligation to save and preserve life?, Is there a difference between killing someone and letting them die? How can we judge the quality of life?, Is there a point beyond which treatment of someone can no longer be justified?, How should we define death?, What are the ethics of research on living and dead human subjects or embryos? How can we reconcile conflicts between welfare and personal autonomy?, On what principles should resources in health care be allocated?