Postgraduate - UnitAPG4394 - Questions of life and death

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2012 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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12 points, SCA Band 1, 0.250 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Offered	City (Melbourne) First semester 2012 (Day) Clayton First semester 2012 (Off-campus) Clayton Second semester 2012 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Deborah Zion

Notes

Previously coded CHB4102

Synopsis

This unit examines a variety of ethical issues concerning the beginning and end of life, such as the morality of abortion, infanticide, and causing death. The unit also deals with the ethical problems raised by new reproductive research and biomedical technologies, such as embryo experimentation, cloning, genetic counselling, genetic therapy and genetic engineering. There will be discussion of a range of philosophical problems central to these issues, including the sanctity of life doctrine, notions of potentiality, the nature of personhood, the acts/omissions distinction, and the definition of death.

Assessment

Written work (6500 words): 75%
Take-home exam (2500 words): 25%

Chief examiner(s)

Assoc Prof Justin Oakley

Contact hours

One 2.5 hour seminar per week

Prerequisites

APG4393 or equivalent

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/bioethics/pgrad/units/chb4102.php