PHIL208 BIOETHICS
COURSE OUTLINE AND NOTES 

BIOETHICS RESOURCES

The Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath--Modern
AMA Principles of Medical Ethics
Fundamental Elements of the Patient-Physician Relationship (AMA)
Patient Responsibilities (AMA statement)
A Patient's Bill of Rights (American Hospital Association)

ETHICS RESOURCES

The Ten Commandments by my Daughter Clare, for your personal edification.
How to Recognize Ethical Issues (Template for analyzing case studies)
Pitfalls in ethical reasoning
Entrance Poll Results
Notes to the wise: How Philosophers think

LECTURE NOTES

Click on the link for lecture notes. Numbers refer to chapters in Devettere, Practical Decision Making in Health Care Ethics.

I. GENERAL CONSIDERATION OF ETHICS (1&2)

A. Ethics Generally

The Nature of Ethics
Background to Ethics
Value of Studying Ethics
Is Studying Ethics Ethical?

B. Ethical theory

What is an Ethical Theory?
Common agreements among all ethical theories
Differences between two main ethical theories
Criticisms of each type of ethical theory
Resolution of St. Thomas Aquinas to the above "dispute" 
Contemporary Ethics
Problems with Rule-Based Ethics

C. Basic Features of Morality

The Good
Happiness
Conscience
Human Action
Moral Determinants of Action
Virtues and Vices
Lists of Virtues; Aquinas' list of virtues; Aristotle's Virtues (handout in class)
Prudence
Moral (Natural) Law

Practical Principles of Natural Law.
Moral Principles of Natural Law

Some Objections to Ethics Answered
Ethical Reasoning Guidelines

D. Ethical Reasoning

What makes an ethical argument good or bad?

II. THE ETHICS OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL PRACTICE

A. The Language of Health Care Ethics (3)

B. Medical Values developed throughout history