Fall 2003
Location: Cheray 101
Days and Time Tuesday and Thursday
8:30-9:45
Professor: Edward J. Mahoney, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of the College
Associate Professor, Religious Studies
Department
Jeamarie 281 - Telephone: 654-2347
E-mail:
emahoney@smcvt.edu
SYLLABUS
1.
Description
The course in Christian Health Care
Ethics is one of the courses that a student can select to fulfill the second
requirement in Religious Studies at Saint Michael's College. In order to be
enrolled in RS 228, students must have completed successfully one of the
following courses: Introduction to Christianity (RS120), or Models
of Christianity (RS130).
The course in Christian Health Care
will acquaint the students with the particular theological discipline of
ethics, and specifically the area of health care ethics. Previous courses in
ethics are not required, although this background is always helpful.
We will begin with a brief exploration
of the relationship between religion, faith and ethics and the implications
this holds for health care, including how religious beliefs influence
decisions about health and medicine.
The first section of the course
will consider the importance of religion and spirituality in the ethical
life, especially the contribution that religion and faith have made and
continue to make in the area of medicine and health care. In this section,
we will explore some of the fundamental concepts in religion and medicine.
The second section of the
course will examine the foundations of Christian ethical reflection;
especially the fundamental elements of Catholic Moral Theology and the way
that this tradition has informed the discussions on various ethical and
moral questions related to health care.
The third section of the course
will explore the medical, legal, socio-cultural, theological and ethical
aspects related to specific issues such as problem pregnancies, AIDS,
deathbed decisions, physician assisted suicide, genetic testing, stem cell
research and organ transplants. These issues will be addressed in the
context of the understanding of the Christian faith. An important aspect of
the discussion of these ethical dilemmas is a basic appreciation for the
complexity of the problems involved, and an understanding that the way we
determine to resolve these questions will go a long way toward determining
what sort of society we will create.
2 Objectives
There are five principal objectives
for this course:
A. To deepen our appreciation for the
role of religion and spirituality in health care.
B. To acquire a greater familiarity with
selected issues in health care ethics.
C. To be conversant with the way that
Christian theology reflects on health care issues.
D. To articulate informed positions on
the specific ethical, legal and social aspects that
these dilemmas raise.
E. To further develop our own methods for
solving ethical dilemmas.
3. Texts
The principal texts for this course
are:
Richard J. Devine. Good Care,
Painful Choices: Medical Ethics for Ordinary People. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2000.
ISBN 0809136317
Stephen E. Lammers and Allen Verhey,
eds. On Moral Medicine: Theological Perspectives in Medical Ethics. 2nd
Edition.Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998.
ISBN0-8028-4249-6.
Other readings on reserve in the
library or online may be assigned throughout the course.
In addition, through films, videos,
web-based materials and other media we will explore these questions and
issues in an interactive manner.
4. Method
The course will use a variety of
educational methods. Students are expected to keep up with assigned readings
for each class, and be familiar with the issues to be discussed. Advance
preparation is necessary for active participation in class. We will make
frequent use of discussion groups, especially on case studies and the
reflection questions assigned by the professor. At other times, we also may
have films, media presentations or outside speakers.
5. Expectations/requirements
A There are 27 class sessions planned
for this course. Students are expected to be present for every class. If
a student misses five class sessions without sufficient reason, the student
will automatically fail the course.
B. Students are expected to have
completed the reading assignments prior to each class. Failure to complete
reading and writing assignments on time will result in a reduced grade for
the course
C. There will be three tests for this
course: September 25, November 6, and the final on Thursday, December 18.
Reading quizzes will occur regularly. There will be no make-up dates
for quizzes. However, if a student misses either of the regular course tests
for a legitimate reason, a make-up may be considered. Excusable reasons
include, but are not limited to: serious family illness or death in a
family, serious personal illness, or legitimate College activities requiring
a student to be off campus.
D. For most class sessions, you will
be given a set of questions or writing assignment in preparation for the
following class. These will not be collected but will serve as the basis for
class discussions. Each student will choose two of the 2-3 page writing
assignments to hand in for grading. These are due by the last class of the
semester. Students are encouraged to submit a draft of these papers for
comments and re-writing, but no drafts will be accepted after Thanksgiving
6. Grading
Grades will be assigned on the
following scale:
A. Test Scores 60%
B. Reflection Papers 20%
C. Class Participation (including
attendance) 10%
D. Quiz Scores 10%
8. Office Hours
My office is located in Jeanmarie
Hall, Room 281. My phone is 654-2347. If I am not available when you drop by
the office, please leave a message with Ms. Claudia Shover, Administrative
Assistant to the Associate Dean; or record your message on the voicemail
system. My home phone is 879-7109. E-mail:
emahoney@smcvt.edu.
Appointments can be made at the following times:
Monday 2:00-4:00 PM
Tuesday 2:00-4:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00-11:00 AM
Friday 9:00-11:00 AM
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