Syllabus

HUHI 7379

Philosophical Issues of Humanities

Bioethics

Time: Wednesday, 7:00-9:45 p.m.

Instructor: M. Wayne Cooper, MD, PhD
Telephone: 903-589-5430
Cell: 903-714-5639
Email: mwaycoop@msn.com

Office hours: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays

1. January 11: Introduction

2. January 18: History of Bioethics – Hippocratic Ethics

Handout

3. January 25: History of Bioethics – Albert Jonsen

4. February 1: Jonsen (cont’d)

5: February 8: Medicine and the Holocaust – The Nuremburg Code

Handouts

6 February 15: Who should be a Bioethicist?

Is There a Bioethicist in the House? by Jonathan Moreno

Moderator: Howard Morgan, MD, MA

9. February 22: Who Should be a Bioethicist (cont’d)

Handouts

10. March 1: Bioethics and the Law

Strangers at the Bedside: A History of How Law and Bioethics

Transformed Medical Decision Making, by David J. Rothman
11. March 8: Spring Break

12. March 15: Bioethics and the Law (cont’d) Handouts

13. March 22: Societobiomedicalethicization

The Schiavo case – Handouts

Bioethics and Society: Constructing the Ethical Enterprise, by Raymond

DeVries

14. March 29: Tyranny of the Normal: Essays on Bioethics, Theology and Myth, by
Leslie Fiedler
Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America, by Wesley J.
Smith

First draft of term paper to be submitted

15. April 5: Using Stories to Teach Bioethics

Stories Matter: The Role of Narrative in Medical Ethics, by Rita Charon

and Martha Montello

16. April 12: Telling Stories

Telling Stories: Creative Literature and Ethics, by Charles Radey

Handout of stories

17. April 19: The Problems with Stories

Selections from Hilde Lindemann Nelson, Stories and their Limits

(Handout)
Attendance:

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and contribute to all classes. The
course consists of considerable readings and it is strongly encouraged that each student
do the complete reading and participate in the discussions. Even if you are unable to
complete the reading, you should attend and participate in the discussions since this will
aid you when you come to complete the reading.

Grading :
Grades will be determined from two sources:

1. Class participation. Each student will sign up for and lead the discussion of
one of the weekly topics. This activity will make up 25% of the final grade.
2. Term paper: Each student will prepare and submit a research term paper on a
topic agreed on with the instructor. The paper will be 10-20 pages in length, 1
½ spaced 12 font with either footnotes or references at the end using standard
MLA format. The quality of this paper is expected to be such that it could be
considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The topic should be
discussed with the instructor early in the semester. The student is to submit a
first draft of the paper at the date designated in the syllabus.

University Policy is that in order to receive an Incomplete in the course a student

must have completed 70% of the coursework and must have a reasonable
expectation of completing the course in the specified time period. Students
should be aware that failure to complete the course at the required time will result
in the conversion of an I into a F.

University Policies
Academic Dishonesty
At the University of Texas at Dallas students and faculty are responsible for maintaining an environment
that encourages academic integrity. Students and faculty members are required to report an observed or
suspected case of academic dishonesty immediately to the faculty member in charge of an examination,
classroom or laboratory research project, or other academic exercise.
Since the value of an academic degree depends on the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for
the degree, it is imperative that a student maintain a high standard of individual honor in scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and collusion.

Cheating
“Cheating” includes:
• Copying from the paper of another student, engaging in written, oral or any other means of
communication with another student, or giving aid to or seeking aid from another student when
not permitted by the instructor;
 • Using material during an examination or when completing an assignment that is not authorized by
the person giving the examination or making the work assignment;

• Taking or attempting to take an examination for another student, or allowing another student to
take an examination for oneself;

• Using, obtaining, or attempting to obtain by any means, the whole or any part of an un-
administered examination or work assignment.
“Plagiarism” includes the unacknowledged incorporation of the work of another person in work that a
student offers for credit.
“Collusion” includes the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work that a
student offers for credit.

Grading Appeal Procedure

A student who wishes to contest a grade given by an instructor must initiate the procedure by contracting
the instructor who assigned the grade. The instructor and the student should informally review the criteria
for assignment of grades and the student’s performance. The instructor may affirm the grade or revise the
grade.
If the student is not satisfied after the informal discussion with the instructor, then the student may initiate a
formal grade appeal by completing a Grade Appeal Form which may be obtained from the Office of
Student Records. Normal grade appeals should be filed at the earliest date possible, but no later than six
months from the final date of assignment. The instructor and the student should complete the appropriate
parts of the form clearly indicating the instructor’s rationale for the grade given and the student’s basis for
the grade appeal.
Each administrative level of the appeal process, an attempt will be ‘made to resolve the issue. If the
instructor holds one of the administrative positions used in the appeal process, then that level is noted. If no
resolution is reached at a particular level, then the appeal is forwarded with the recommendation of the
administrator at that level with all documentation.
The Office of the President is the final step in the appeal process at The University of Texas at Dallas.

Any changes in the syllabus will be made in writing.