Graduate Research Ethics
    Spring 1998
    PHI 640/GSC 640
     

    Tuesday 5:l5-6:50 Norton 2l8
     

    Instructor: Barry Smith, Department of Philosophy (645-2444 x7ll)
    Office hours: 611 Baldy Hall, Tuesday: 12:00-1:00

    e-mail: phismith@acsu.buffalo.edu
    /smith

    GSC Registration #249509, PHI Registration #014380


    DESCRIPTION:
    This 2-credit course begins with a general introduction to the main ethical theories and to the principal schools in the philosophy of science. A series of specific topics in the field of research ethics will then be addressed, in part through lectures by invited specialists, in part through student debates, for which readings will be assigned on an individual basis. The aim of the course is to provide some of the skills needed to enable a rational consideration of ethical issues in science and to provide a thorough grounding in the wider intellectual context of scientific research.


    GRADING:
    The grade for the course will be determined on the basis of: participation in class discussions (25%), participation as debater in student debates (25%), submission of two written items (25% each) selected from: research report, debate brief, debate summary, research proposal.


    SYLLABUS:

    Jan. 20 General Introduction to Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Virtue Ethics; Paradoxes of Utilitarianism as Applied to Scientific and Technological Research (Corpses as Crash-Test Dummies). Implications for Medical Ethics. Assignment of topics for student debates

    Jan. 27 General Introduction to the Philosophy of Science: What is science? Popper's views, Scientific Realism, Truth vs. Knowledge of the Truth. Theories of Truth: Pragmatism, Conventionalism, Instrumentalism, the Correspondence Theory.

    Feb. 3 Fraud, Deceit, Civility. Debate between Barry Smith and David Triggle

    Feb.10 Contemporary Developments: Postmodernism, Science Studies and the Sokal Affair. Scientific ethics, scientific etiquette. The nature of academic freedom. The New Paltz Affair

    Feb. 17 Science, Race and Intelligence; The Bell Curve Wars, Debate with David Garren, UB Department of Philosophy

    Feb. 24 Animal Experimentation (Lecture by David Triggle)

    Mar. 3 Human Subjects Testing: Guest Lecture/Debate with John Furedy, Professor of Psychology, Toronto University

    Mar. 10 SPRING BREAK

    Mar. 17 Debate on Informed Consent: Legal and Clinical Aspects, with Professors Stephen Wear and Gerry Logue (Department of Philosophy and UB Medical School)

    Student debates:

    Mar. 24 Science and Multiculturalism: Helen Hardy, Brian Long, John Novasky, Hui Qin

    Mar. 31  1. Affirmative Action: Julie Kim, Don Mager, Kathleen West, Fonda Chen
    2. Fast-tracking: Robert Arnold, Jeanine Hand, Dave Schubert.

    Apr. 7   Pros and Cons of Universal Health Care: Haijing Mei, Eric Hung, Bob Fountaine, Mindy Magee
    Animal Testing: Jode McGleish, Tom Black, Mauren Glyn, Karen McCormick

    Apr. 14  Science and Gender: Deborah Griffis, Heather Wynn, Raymond Cha, Mimi Haskins

    Apr. 21  Human Cloning: Dennis Meletiche, Ron Churchill, Rajiv Shukla, Mark Connors

    Apr. 28 Outside guest speaker TBA


    Topics for student debates include:

    Science and the Idea of Progress
    Should Government be involved in deciding science policy?
    Positive and Negative Contributions to Science
    The Role of Experts vs. Democracy
    Science and Junk Science in the Law.
    Science and Freedom of Speech
    Forbidden Knowledge: Are there things we should not know?
    Science and the Holocaust.
    Science and the Military
    Libertarianism, Drug Use, and the FDA
    Public and Private Science; Issues of Copyright and Intellectual Property; Plagiarism
    Falsification; should there be a Scientist's Hippocratic Oath.
    Science and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

    Rules for Debates