Duration
15h Th
Number of credits
| Master in journalism, professional focus in investigation multimedia | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course provides an introduction to the philosophy of medicine, by exploring some of the key philosophical debates that arise in medicine, such as the nature of health and disease, the ethics of medical practice, and the social and political dimensions of healthcare.
Some central questions of the course:
- Can something be considered a disease if it doesn't cause harm to the person?
- Are ADHD, obesity, and depression genuine diseases?
- Are mental illnesses fundamentally different from physical illnesses?
- Should we focus more on treating diseases or preventing them?
- What exactly is death, and why do we fear it?
- Is an individual in a permanent vegetative state dead?
- What are the underlying causes of a disease?
- Should doctors treat the disease or the patient?
- Is homeopathy effective?
- Should medical innovations be protected by patents?
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Correctly use key concepts in the philosophy of medicine.
2. Clearly present the main conceptual, metaphysical, epistemological and sociopolitical questions raised by medicine.
3. Outline and compare the different philosophical positions regarding these questions.
4. Evaluate and discuss the arguments in favour of these different philosophical positions.
5. Formulate and defend individual viewpoints.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course consists of 15 hours of ex cathedra lectures.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
Although the course will primarily be in person, some sessions may be held online.
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
- MyULiège
Further information:
There is no syllabus.
The slides presented during the lectures will be made available to students (in PDF format on eCampus) throughout the semester.
Compulsory readings
Each class will be based on one or two chapters from the following textbook:
Care and Cure: An Introduction to Philosophy of Medicine, by Jacob Stegenga (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2018, 248 p.)
Students are required to purchase the book in order to deepen their understanding of the subject.
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Further information:
Components of the evaluation
Final grade = attendance (mandatory, ungraded, 0%) + written assignment (100%).
Class participation
Students must actively participate in class discussions. Therefore, attendance at each session is mandatory.
Written assignment
The written assignment will consist of an in-depth analysis of a concept or problem chosen by the student, and approved in advance by the professor. The assignment should be submitted to the professor on the day of the exam.
Particular attention will be given to the student's ability:
- to present the key theses and concepts related to their topic in a clear and concise manner,
- to develop them by drawing on the relevant philosophical literature, and
- to highlight the issues and significance for their specific field of study.
Detailed instructions for completing this assignment will be provided and explained in full during the first class.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The course takes place in the second semester (February-March), on Fridays, from 15:15 to 17:15.
Schedule and course plan: A detailed course plan is available below or under the "course support" tab.
Contacts
Prof. Pieter THYSSEN
Department of Philosophy
Building A1, 2nd floor
Place du 20-Août, 7
B-4000 Liège
p.thyssen@uliege.be