New Courses for 2017/18
APBI 490 (Section 201) Agricultural Ethics and Public Policy
The Faculty of Land and Food Systems is offering APBI 490 (Section 201) Agricultural Ethics and Public Policy in 2020W Term 2 (January to April). This course will be taught with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content (Monday / Friday asynchronous and Wednesday synchronous). It is offered from 4-5 pm to accommodate many time zones. See the course offering here and the wiki page with course details here. The course is available for registration for third and fourth year students as well as some second year students or graduate students (contact the course instructor at adam.shriver@ubc.ca for more information).
PHIL 337-001: Ethics for the Sciences
This is a new course, intended for students across disciplines but will particularly appeal to those in the social and natural sciences. Here’s the what, who, when, and where for those who are interested.
What: Scientific research has an impact on all of us, and on every aspect of our lives. This course will provide a general introduction to ethics issues that are raised by the (non-medical) social and natural sciences. It is organized around three central questions: what counts as “responsible conduct of research” (RCR)?; who is accountable for the social and environmental impacts of research?; and what role do social values play in scientific practice? There are no prerequisites for this course; however, please note that, if a student has taken ISCI 433, they will not be able to take PHIL 337 for credit.
Who: Dr. Alison Wylie is the course instructor. Should you have questions about the course, please direct them to: alison.wylie@ubc.ca.
When: 2020-W2, Mondays and Wednesdays, 16:00 – 17:30
Where: Chemistry C124
APBI 490: Agriculture Ethics and Public Policy
Agriculture was essential in the development of human civilization and continues to be essential for modern life. The practice of farming has also historically been associated with good morals and virtuous character. But as farming practices have changed to keep pace with the increased demands of a growing population, many of the practices of modern farming have become the subjects of intense public debate. Questions about the relationship between modern agriculture and the environment, animal welfare, and human health and nutrition have been discussed in numerous scholarly and popular publications. Moreover, those who choose farming as a profession are increasingly constrained by the demands of the food industry. This course will introduce students to debates about the direction of agriculture at the policy level and provide them with the tools needed to effectively engage in these ongoing debates.
Instructor: Dr. Adam Shriver
SPPH 581T: Ethics of Evidence Based Medicine and Public Health
Since the early 1990s, Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) has emerged as a highly influential movement that has impacted almost all health related disciplines, including population and public health. At the core of EBM is a set of beliefs about what constitutes good evidence for the effectiveness of health interventions. Consequently, it is an excellent example of what some philosophers refer to as a coupled ethical-epistemic issue. That is, what makes something good evidence for the effectiveness of a health intervention is not only a scientific or statistical question, but is also linked to the deeply value-laden aim of improving health in both clinical and population settings. This course, then, focuses on coupled ethical-epistemic issues arising from EBM, and their implications for population and public health. Specific topics to be addressed include:
- Ethical and value aspects of the concept of evidence.
- Potential rationales and shortcomings of evidence hierarchies commonly used in EBM.
- The role of evidence-based approaches in population health, wherein randomized clinical trials are often infeasible.
- Susceptibility of EBM to sponsorship bias and disease mongering, and approaches for countering these.
Instructor: Dr. Dan Steel
2017/2018 Courses Taught by CAE Faculty
Susan Homewood
- INDS 502U Qualitative Methods in Applied Ethics Research
- SOCI 200 Sociology and Family
- SPPH 519 Qualitative Methods in Health Research Design
- SPPH 621 Approaches to Inquiry in Population and Public Health
David Fraser
- APBI 314 Animals and Society
- APBI 315 Animal Welfare and Ethics of Animal Use
- APBI 414 Animals and Global Issues
David Silver
- COMM 386 Business Ethics Leadership
Daniel Steel
- SPPH 381A Public Health Ethics
- SPPH 581T Ethics of Evidence Based Medicine and Public Health