PHILOSOPHY 5 FINAL PROJECT

GUIDELINES FOR CLASS PROJECT PRESENTATIONS AND RESEARCH PAPERS

Each group is given a topic/case and will have a class presentation (20
minutes) that explores the historical, legal, and ethical context of the topic and
Church Teachings (Old Testament, New Testament, encyclical).

START OF THE PRESENTATION: November 7, 2016

IN 20 MINUTES, GROUP MEMBERS SHOULD:

Present the topic in its
Part 1: Presentation: What are the facts of the case (historical, and legal)?
Part 2: Ethical context

2.1 Identify and define the ethical problem:

2.2 Who are the stake makers in the decision?

2.3 What values are at stake in the decision?

2.4 What ethical principles options do you see are available to resolve this
dilemma?

2.5 Which ethical options are the most compelling? Why?

2.6 How would you resolve this ethical case?

Part 3: Church Stand

3:1 What is the stand of the Church regarding this issue? (Sacred Scriptures and
Encyclical)

Part 4: Conclusion and recommendation

The group should budget their time to entertain questions during or at the end
of the presentation. The presentation should highlight critical facts of the
topic/case, with particular attention to both facts and arguments that have
engendered ethical debate.

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 Note the prevailing norms of that period with reference to the ethical and
legal issues in the casethis will require a search of the literature of the period;

Be prepared to answer the question: Why is this case/topic debatable in the

history of bioethics and Church, in other words, why does this case/topic have
enduring significance in ethical and legal debate?

Resources:

A variety of resources may be used, including journal articles from the

legal and medical literature, other topic/issues that preceded and followed it, and
contemporary media coverage that will explain the social/cultural reaction to the
case. Audio visual aids, including video/audio tapes, power point presentation
may be used to elucidate elements of the case/topic. Depending on the time at
which the case/topic occurred and the amount of commentary (of various kinds)
it may have generated, each student may use different types of resource material,
and may choose a different disciplinary perspective from which to present the
case.
Research for the presentation should range from popular & professional
books and articles that elucidate the case/topic and its impact to information
found on the Internet.
Students will be expected, as part of the class session, to provide
handouts with copies of a detailed outline of their presentation. A bibliography (1-
2 pages) of sources must accompany the materials.

THE NEXT 5 MINUTES WILL INVOLVE

There will be a discussion with assistance from other students and the
Professor, to place the case in the current ethical and legal context. What are the
contemporary ethical issues with which the case is now associated? What is at
stake ethically in the debate and what is your position on the case?

RESEARCH PAPER

Each group will pass their research: November 8, 2014

Each group will be required to write a research paper of significant size and
substance on a topic that expands on or relates to the case presented in class.
The paper will provide an in-depth exploration of issues raised during the class
discussion or in conference with the Professor, and will incorporate reference
material discovered during research. The paper should be no less than 10 pages,

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and should demonstrate familiarity with the scholarly literature in the relevant
areas.
Reminder each group member will make one-page reflection about their
assign topic/case.

Format: 1 inch on all sides margin

1.5 spacing
Arial font
Short bond paper
CASE SEQUENCE:
Group 1 INTRODUCTION; THE RULE OF
CONSENT
Research this Legal case
Schloendorff v. Society of New York
Hospital (1914)

Group 2 EUGENIC STERILIZATION

Research this Legal case
Buck v. Bell (1927)

Group 3 Withdrawal of treatment

Research this legal case
In the Matter of Karen Quinlan (1976)
Group 4 REFUSAL TO TREAT
Research this legal case
Matter of Baby K (1994)

Group 5 SURROGATE PARENTING

Research this legal case
In the Matter of Baby M (1988)

Group 6 Research this legal case

CASE: Rebecca Riley (2006)

Group 7 PROXY DECISIONMAKING

Research this legal case
Bush v. Schiavo (2004)

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