Ethical Dilemmas in Life and Society

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

Previously available at 3rd level with the code 672-345. Students who have completed 672-345 or Issues in Biomedical Ethics (161-024)

are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website : http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Many of the most important social and political issues confronting 21st century Australia generate ethical controversies. What are our obligations to the environment and to future generations? Are there limits we ought to respect with regard to the creation and destruction of life? How should wealth be distributed? Does the application of our scientific knowledge put important social goods at risk? This subject will provide a way of making sense of these controversies: it will discuss a number of particular issues, possibly including the status of mental illness, abortion, genetic screening and modification, euthanasia, global warming and the responsibilities of corporations.

Students who successfully complete this subject will

• be familiar with the philosophical debate on selected topics in applied ethics.
• understand the way in which philosophical reasoning can be applied to controversies in applied ethics.
• have demonstrated the ability to think and write clearly on selected topics in applied ethics.

A subject reader will be available from the bookshop at the start of semester.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• develop the ability to analyse and critique arguments.
• be able to think and write rigorously, imaginatively and coherently on issues of public controversy.
• have an appreciation of the way in which philosophical theory can inform reasoned discussion of matters of ethical importance and public controversy.