University of Penn | High School Bioethics Project


CURRICULUM MODULE: Are Animals One Of Us?: Thinking Critically About the Ethics of Animal Use in Biomedical Research Non-human animals are obviously living, breathing, complex beings much like we are, but are at the same time different from us in many ways. Some of the crucial questions with regard to how animals should be treated are: Are animals one of us? If so, are they deserving of the same rights and respect as humans? If not, how and in what ways are they different from us? Are they so different from us that we should treat them just like...well...animals? Download the module

CURRICULUM MODULE: Psychopharmacology & the Self The development of psychotropic drugs has stimulated a renewed interest in questions about what constitutes "the self" and one's personality. Does an authentic, static, and incorrigible self exist? Do antidepressants alter, enhance, or corrupt the authentic self? Is cognitive enhancement possible and desirable, and if so, is it ethical? These are not new questions, although the philosophical underpinnings of such questions are now better informed by cognitive science. In this module, such questions will guide an exploration of the impact psychotropic drugs have had on our understanding of the self. Students will critically examine the ethical dimensions of so-called lifestyle drugs that make people "better than well." A careful examination of the use of stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall - drugs often used in schools and colleges as study aids- will be particularly relevant to future(undergraduate) students. Download the module

CURRICULUM MODULE: Conceptual Foundations of Bioethics Although bioethics has been around for more than four decades, the field of neuroethics is in its infancy. Philosophers have developed several conceptual frameworks that contain valuable insights concerning the analysis of questions of right and wrong, good and bad. These ethical theories can help us as we struggle with the moral dilemmas presented to us by advances in brain science. Download the module

CURRICULUM MODULE:
What is Ethics? Key Distinctions
When is the last time you turned to your best friend or your parent and asked: “Hey, can we chat about ethics? Unless you are a rare exception to the rule, the answer to this question is never. This may be due, in large part, to the reputation of ethics. It is often regarded as an abstract topic of debate discussed in a religion or philosophy class. Furthermore, not many people seem to believe that a discussion of ethics has any practical value or relevance in our everyday lives.
Download the module

CURRICULUM MODULE:
The Case of Terri Schiavo: Critical Thinking, Ethical Decision Making, and Philosophical Analysis
Some of the questions students will explore in the course of this unit are: How can we distinguish between good and bad arguments used in ethical claims? Why is it important for an honest and productive debate to be clear about the concepts used? What, for example, do we mean by "life" and "death"? Are there cases where this distinction gets blurred? What exactly do we know about Terri Schiavo's condition, and what are the limits to what we can know about her mental state? Can recent advances in neuroscience and technology improve our ability to know what a person in PVS or a coma might be thinking?
Download the module

ethical reflection, critical thinking, respectful debate...

Welcome to the High School Bioethics Project at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics.

networking & media

features

bioethics tweets

bioethics briefs