This table provides information about both the lecture (L) and recitation (R) sessions.
| SES # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| Ending life | ||
| L1 | Introduction to the course | |
| L2 | From euthanasia to assisted suicide | |
| R1 | Euthanasia | |
| L3 | Killing for the greater good I | |
| L4 | Killing for the greater good II | |
| R2 | Killing vs. letting die | |
| L5 | Withdrawal of life support | |
| R3 | Withdrawal of life support and the ICU | |
| Beginning life | ||
| L6 | Neonatal dilemmas | Paper 1 due |
| L7 | Are people organisms? | |
| R4 | Neonatal dilemmas and personal identity | |
| L8 | The ethics of abortion I | |
| L9 | History and abortion | |
| R5 | The morality and legality of abortion | |
| L10 | The ethics of abortion II | |
| L11 | Obligations of pregnancy | Paper 2 due |
| R6 | The obligations of pregnancy and Thomson on abortion | |
| Optimizing life | ||
| L12 | Procreation and future people I | |
| L13 | Procreation and future people II | |
| R7 | The non-identity problem | |
| L14 | Eugenics and its legacies | |
| L15 | Genetic engineering | Paper 2 rewrite due |
| R8 | From eugenics to genetic engineering | |
| L16 | Slippery slopes | |
| L17 | Enhancing or cheating | |
| R9 | Enhancing, treating, and cheating | |
| Valuing life | ||
| L18 | The political economy of organs | |
| L19 | Valuing lives I | Paper 3 due |
| R10 | The political economy of organs | |
| L20 | Valuing lives II | |
| R11 | Utilitarianism | |
| L21 | Rationing health care | |
| L22 | Valuing lives III | |
| R12 | Rationing health care and valuing lives | |
| Regulating life | ||
| L23 | Public health vs. individual rights? | |
| L24 | Public health and individual responsibility | |
| R13 | Rights, responsibilities, and public health | |
| L25 | Self binding | |
| L26 | Conclusions | Final paper due |