Medical Ethics

Subject LAWS70259 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 7 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

April, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

September, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: The total class time is between 24 and 26 hours.
Total Time Commitment: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Prerequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Corequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Recommended Background Knowledge: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Non Allowed Subjects: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Core Participation Requirements: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

Contact

For the most up-to-date information about this subject, contact the Melbourne Law Masters Office by email at law-masters@unimelb.edu.au or phone 8344 6190 or alternatively visit the subject website: www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview:

Principal topics will include:

  • The current revolution in bioethical reasoning and methods in bioethics
  • Making good medical-moral judgments for self and others
  • Abortion
  • Euthanasia
  • Regulation of research, including:
    - Stem cell research and cloning
    - Transgenesis and human-non-human chimeras
  • Sale of biological material and body parts
  • Regulation of doping in sport
  • Reproductive cloning
  • Human enhancement
  • Genetic selection
  • Coercion in reproduction.
Objectives:

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

  • Understand the nature of ethical argumentation
  • Be able to identify ethical issues and construct arguments relevant to their practical resolution
  • Be able to engage in ethical debate and evaluate arguments
  • Understand basic ethical theories and concepts
  • Understand the difference between ethics and law in medical matters
  • Understand how ethical principles are relevant to law
  • Understand the modes of moral reasoning that are used in health care ethics, health care policy and in different parts of the world, including Australia
  • Be able to apply the foregoing tools to practical clinical problems and problems of health law.
Assessment:

Five-minute oral presentation and 10-minute questions (in class) (5%)
10,000 word research paper (95%) (8 July) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator

Prescribed Texts: Visit the subject website for more information
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Links to further information: http://www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au/

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