The aim of the course is to provide an introduction to bioethics, with particular reference to the main issues related to the three disciplinary areas of clinical ethics, research ethics and public ethics.
The course aims to provide a historical-methodological introduction of bioethics as a discipline. In particular, the different methodological approaches present in the literature and currently used within bioethical reasoning to face the so-called ethical dilemmas and moral disagreements will be presented and discussed.
The course also deals with the three aforementioned sectors - clinical ethics, research ethics and public ethics - through the presentation of the main theoretical and applied issues addressed within these areas of investigation, and the treatment of selected case studies that allow to show how bioethics can become a useful tool for analyzing, if not solving, these issues.
Finally, the course will offer opportunity to evaluate the ethical and social impact of many topics proposed in the study path with reference to the disciplinary area of research methodologies and communication and to the area of clinical and diagnostic disciplines.
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
• demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts and theoretical perspectives in ethics;
• recognize and critically analyze ethical concerns in biology, medicine and public health;
• distinguish ethical questions from scientific and legal questions and from questions of personal preference, custom, or habit;
• develop and use critical thinking skills to analyze information and situations in order to respond and act ethically with regard to scientific research, practice, and technology;
• recognize that while there can usually be several answers or approaches to an ethical question, it is important to present a strong, well-reasoned argument for one’s position. And then to develop the ability to justify an ethical position;
• Enhance respectful dialogue among individuals with diverse perspectives.
At the end of the course, students should have also the theoretical competences that will allow them to assess ethical reasoning in complex situations and ethical decision making in professional and research practice.