ביואתיקה וביוטכנולוגיה (0411.3129)

עודכן: 09.05.2016

שם הקורס באנגלית: Bioethics and Biotechnology

 

מרצה הקורס: פרופ' אפל ברוך

 

ימים ושעות הקורס

סוג: שיעור
מספר קורס סמסטר יום משעה עד שעה בניין חדר
0411.3129.01 ב ג 12:00 14:00 גרין 01-קציר

 

סילבוס:
 
The course will deal with the central moral issues arising from genetic engineering and the new biotechnology, genetically engineered plants and animals, risk analysis, biotechnology patents, research ethics and social responsibility, regulation of biotechnology, biodiversity, and the impact of biotechnology and agrotechnology on society and the environment. Major moral theories will be discussed and applied. The course is discussion intensive. Case studies will be presented and discussed. 
Course Goals:
o increase your awareness of the complexity of moral issues related to biotechnology and agrotechnology
o make you more knowledgeable about the reasons (arguments) and theories behind different positions on various moral issues, and improve your ability to articulate those arguments 
o improve your ability to give reasoned arguments for and against viewpoints 
o increase your ability to think critically about bioethics (both sides of the debates)
o improve your reading, writing and especially critical thinking skills
o teach you to write a case study and a position paper on moral issues that arise from the use or introduction of new biotech products or technologies

Possible topics include: 
• Cloning; Stem Cell Research 
• Environmental ethics
• Biodiversity
• Globalization 
• The ethics of genetic engineering
• Genetically engineered crops 
• Risk analysis 
• Risks of releasing GMOs 
• Labelling and testing of genetically engineered crops 
• Genetic enhancement 
• Genetic treatment of diseases 
• Use of genetically engineered animals for medical research 
• Genetic engineering and animal welfare 
• Patents on living organisms and genes 
• Biopiracy and appropriation of traditional knowledge
WHAT ARE POSSIBLE ETHICAL ISSUES THAT COULD ARISE IN EMPLOYING BIOTECHNOLOGY?

Possible ethical issues in the genetic engineering of plants and animals:
• Is man playing God by creating new species, violating species ethos?
• Will Genetically Modified Organisms lead to:
o changes in social structure of farming communities
o the demise of family farms, lead to migration of farm workers to cities, increase dependence of farmer on large corporations 
o loss of biodiversity in crops 
o change ecological balance
• Are GM foods and other products safe to humans and the environment?

Possible ethical issues in the genetic engineering of microbes:
• Create “monster”-microbes that can get out into nature and change the natural microbial ecology (Pseudomonas syringae ice nucleation negative)
• Create microbes that will attack natural products and destroy them
• Cause new diseases
• Genetically engineer microbes for biological warfare which will kill millions 
• Engineering Bird flu to be contagious (to publish or not to publish methodology)

Possible ethical issues: research ethics and social responsibility:
• Who should have access to personal genetic information, and how will it be used?
• Who owns and controls genetic information? How does personal genetic information affect an individual and society's perceptions of that individual?
• How does genomic information affect members of minority communities?
• How will these technologies affect developing nations' dependence on the West? 
• Should governments be responsible for new developments and make them available?
 
 
מס תלמידים: 25
 
דרישות קדם: 
Course open to: Students in Biotechnology Program (Required course) and students in programs dealing with Food Safety and Security; Students in Environmental Studies; Students from other programs may be accepted after interview with Professor Epel.
 
נוכחות חובה
 
הרכב ציון: 
Participation in class discussions, group presentation projects, and term paper
 
מטלת סיום: עבודה\פרויקט
 
ספרות:
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