Ethics and Philosophy in Life Sciences

Researchers in the life sciences generate the knowledge that builds the future of our society and those abroad. Therefore, professional academics should be accountable for their decisions, experimental designs and presentation of results. In this short intensive course, the principles of justification will be illustrated with cases and invited lectures by experts from the fields of ethical committees (DEC) and  Developing countries and Food.

It is all about your competences (knowledge, skills and attitude), which implies that we work in a small group (max 15 students) during 4 days at a remote place. Theoretical and conceptual background is provided and directly applied in group assignments related to your own projects. Discussion and reflection is an important activity during the whole course. Various training forms will be used, for example the way an ethical review committee on animal research works, is simulated by a role play exercise on an actual research protocol.        

General Information

Programme

• Structures of argument: fallacies, fact&value divide, simulation game Animal Experimentation Committee.
• Structures of ethical argument: consequentialistic & deontological arguments, ethical matrix, reflective equilibrium, discussion on science and food problems.
• Ethical assessment of one’s own and one’s other project: ethical evaluation/assessment frames: professional code of conduct, precautionary principle, sustainability, triple P, process & product, virtues, political correctness. Civil society. 

Provisional course programme:

day	time	subject	teacher	activity
Tuesday	10.00	Introduction + Understanding pitfalls in  moral arguments	TdCB	Workgroup Video analysis
	12.00	Tracing fallacies in text	all	Assignment (couple)
	12.30	LUNCH
	13.30	Feedback fallacies	TdCB	workgroup
	14.30	Analyses of your project	all	Intervision (couple)
	15.30	BREAK
	16.00	Ethical radicalisation	TdCB	documentary
	17.00	End day 1
Wednesday	09.00	Consequentialism  vs deontology Answers from philosophy I. Kant	TdCB	Lecture + discussion Assignment (solo)
	10.30	BREAK
	11.00	Playing with ethical conflict	TdCB	workgroup
	12.30	LUNCH
	13.30	A serious matter (DEC)	ES	Role play + discussion
	16.00	Analysis of your project	all	Individual
	17.00	End day 2
Thursday	9.00	Who is right in moral theory ?	BG	recap
	10.15	Ethical Matrix	BG	Lecture + Assignment
	11.30	Tools: reflective equilibrium	BG	workgroup
	12.30	LUNCH
	13.30	Scientific Integrity	BG	Lecture + Interactive Video
	17.00	End day 3
Friday	9.00	For the better planet Triple P & sustainability	BG	Lecture
	11.00	Cultural Values & differences	all	Individual Assignment + discussion
	12.30	LUNCH
	13.30	Peripatic walking	all	Outdoor exercise
	14.30	Grand finale: Moral dialoque in action	all
	17.00	Closing

Participants have to send in a 1-2 pages ethical justification of their research project. Consisting of 2 parts: summary of their project comprehensively written for an outsider, and an ethical justification of their project for the same outsider. Deadline: 10 days before the start of the course.

Objectives

The aim is to develop your professional competence to analyze and make accountable decisions on complex ethical issues related to life sciences:

1. To provide a toolbox of ethical instruments to analyze properly moral problems related (to one's own) research in the life sciences.
2. To acquire conceptual knowledge of the central concepts in applied philosophy and professional ethics.
3. To challenge an ethical reflection on one owns life science specialization and to open it for an impartial and constructive discussion.
4. To acquire the necessary skills to handle ethical issues in an accountable manner, as a professional academic beyond one's own inclinations and prejudgments.

 Fee

The fee includes study and training material, coffee/tea, lunches;   

Cancellation condition

Until four weeks before the start of the course, you can cancel free of charge. After this date you will be charged with the “Full Fee”. 

Exemption of payment:

• When there is a replacement (who you can propose, in this case please inform the course coordinator) you will only be charged with €100.
• For PhD’s and post-docs of Wageningen University: when you have a valid reason (circumstances beyond your control) to cancel, you will be charged the reduced fee. In this case a written statement of the supervisor/superior is required.

Note: When you do not have a valid reason to cancel or do not show up at courses that are free of charge you will be charged with €100.

Information

Marianne Bruining (Marianne.Bruining@wur.nl, tel: +31 (0)317-483442, Graduate School WIAS)