APG5080 Bioethics and the body

Matters of the human body are central to many issues discussed in bioethics, and, although mainstream bioethics has largely ignored questions of embodiment, they have become central to recent approaches. This course examines the significant impact that bodily characteristics such as gender, race, age and ability have in bioethics and healthcare. It begins with philosophical exploration of ways of understanding the human body and moral personhood, then extends into topics such as: pregnancy and moral agency; race, genomics and personalized medicine; ageing, technology and care; disability and selective reproductive technologies; health, illness and human enhancement.