Isaac Shur

This course is a study of moral and political problems related to biology, health, medicine and biotechnology. We will begin by examining competing philosophical accounts of biological functions, health, and the ethics of the physician-patient relationship. What is health and why should we care about it? How should we understand the distinction between physical and mental health? Should the distribution of healthcare be left primarily to private or public institutions? What values ought to govern physician-patient relationship, how might those values may conflict, and how should such conflicts be resolved? In the second part of the course, we will turn to some specific ethical challenges related to biotechnology, including abortion, genetic manipulation, human enhancement, and physician-assisted suicide. We will close the course by surveying the field of public health ethics, with particular attention to ethical issues related to global pandemic preparedness and response.