ETHICS IN SCIENCE

Course Description

This 2-unit course (with the option to enroll for 3 units) offers an introduction to bioethics with a focus on the ethical challenges that emerge in and around the practice of science. Open to all majors, the course emphasizes how ethical questions arise from real scientific decisions, controversies, and institutional norms.

Topics will include research misconduct, bias and objectivity, conflicts of interest, medical experimentation, biological ownership, genetic technologies, environmental responsibility, and issues of equity in science. We will examine case studies that reflect how ethical decisions are shaped by scientific, social, and political contexts.

Students will engage in in-class discussions, respond to assigned readings, and write short evaluations of ethical dilemmas. These evaluations will be revisited and refined in light of peer dialogue and deeper engagement with course materials.

Several short books are required and will be available through the library. Guest speakers and optional film screenings will support discussion and provide insight into real-world applications of bioethics.