Critical Readings & Ethics

Catalog description

This course explores bioethics and the critical evaluation of scientific literature and publication practices. Topics include scientific integrity, human subjects research, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence in biology, environmental and public health ethics, and biosecurity. Students engage foundational ethical texts—Nicomachean Ethics, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, and Utilitarianism—to analyze contemporary case studies in biological research. Through seminars, discussions, and presentations, students develop skills in critically reading scientific work and articulating well-supported ethical arguments.