Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Organization

TTK Department of General Zoology

Code

bioetiub17em

Title

Bioethics and Philosophy of Science L

Usual semester

Autumn

ECTS

1

Language

en

Learning outcomes

Competencies: Knowledge Upon successful completion of the course, students will: Understand the basic concepts, principles, and terminology of bioethics and the philosophy of science. Explain ethical principles, the fundamentals of moral acts and judgments, and major normative ethical theories. Identify the essential personal and professional qualities of a bioscientist and the Mertonian norms of scientific conduct. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical requirements concerning respect for human and non-human subjects in research. Understand the professional, educational, and social responsibilities of the bioscientist. Recognize the structure, purpose, and limits of the scientific method and key philosophical problems in biology. Describe ethical issues related to data handling, presentation of scientific results, authorship, and co-authorship. Abilities Upon completion, students will be able to: Apply ethical principles and moral reasoning to analyze and resolve dilemmas in scientific and research contexts. Employ philosophical reasoning to assess and critique scientific methods and assumptions. Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and accountability in research planning, execution, and reporting. Recognize and fulfill ethical obligations toward human and non-human research subjects. Identify and address ethical problems in data management, result interpretation, and publication. Apply fair and transparent practices in authorship, co-authorship, and collaborative work. Integrate ethical, philosophical, and scientific perspectives to support responsible decision-making. Attitude Students completing the course will: Exhibit a reflective, responsible, and ethically conscious approach to scientific practice. Value honesty, fairness, respect for life, and intellectual humility. Demonstrate commitment to ethical excellence and continuous moral reflection. Appreciate diverse perspectives and uphold respect for the dignity of all forms of life. Maintain a socially responsible and sustainability-oriented outlook on the role of science. Autonomy and Responsibility Graduates of the course will: Exercise autonomy in ethical reasoning and professional judgment within scientific contexts. Take personal responsibility for maintaining ethical integrity, transparency, and accuracy in research. Act responsibly and cooperatively in interdisciplinary and collaborative environments. Balance independent critical thinking with respect for professional and collective norms. Demonstrate accountability toward the scientific community, society, and the environment. Commit to lifelong ethical reflection and responsible advancement of science for the common good.

Course content

Science, philosophy of science, general problems, scientific method.Basic terms in philosophy of science, epistemiology, empiricism, induction, deduction, hypothesis, falsification, paradigm. Main thinkers in philosophy of science.Philosophical problems in biology.Biological examples for the basic problems of philosophy of science (e.g. in evolution, selection, adaptation, taxonomy, development).Moral acts and ethical theory.Ethical principles. Fundamentals of moral act and judgement. Normative ethical theories. Consequentialism – utilitarian ethics.Biological dimensions of ethics.Public understanding of scientific research. Essential personal qualities of bioscientist. The Mertonian norms. Respect for human and non-human subjects of study. Professional, educational and social responsibilities of the bioscientist.Scientific misconducts and frauds.Ethical problems in data handling and  presentation of scientific results. Authorship, coauthorship. Frauds, hoaxes. Some big known misconducts in biology.Bioethics in practice.Risk, risk assessment, risk management. The Precautionary Principle. Trust, trustworthiness, transparency, the Nolan Principles. Politics and the biosciences, Hungarian connections.Bioethics in animal experiments, protected organisms and areas.General rules and bioethical questions in animal experiments. International rules. Research with protected organisms. Research at protected areas.

Assessment method

Exam: Computer-based test questions – multiple choice k5 = exam mark (5) (1 failed, 5 excellent)

Bibliography

Lőw Péter: Bevezetés a bioetikába (http://ttomc.elte.hu/kiadvany/bevezetes-bioetikaba) Ben Mepham: Bioethics - An Introduction for the Biosciences, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2008, ISBN: 9780199214303 Forrai és Szegedi (szerk): Tudományfilozófia: Szöveggyűjtemény. Áron Kiadó 1999. (online verzió is elérhető) Hull and Ruse (eds) Philosophy of Biology. Oxford. (1998) Lecture slides, 7 x approx. 30 slides

Recommended bibliography

Lőw Péter: Bevezetés a bioetikába (http://ttomc.elte.hu/kiadvany/bevezetes-bioetikaba) Ben Mepham: Bioethics - An Introduction for the Biosciences, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2008, ISBN: 9780199214303 Forrai és Szegedi (szerk): Tudományfilozófia: Szöveggyűjtemény. Áron Kiadó 1999. (online verzió is elérhető) Hull and Ruse (eds) Philosophy of Biology. Oxford. (1998)

Programmes of the course