Science, Ethics, 
& Society
Honors 306G

updated 03/04/03  ees

 
Spring 2003 

Course ASSIGNMENTS


SCHEDULE OF CLASSES  AND ASSIGNMENTS
Jan 8 15 22 29 Feb 5 12 19 26 Mar 5 12 19 26 Apr 2 9 16 23 30



 
DATE AND TOPIC  CLASS ASSIGNMENTS RESOURCES
Jan 8
INTRODUCTION
ETHICAL REASONING
In class case studies
  • Ethics Updates 
  • Centre for Applied Ethics:Ethical and Moral Decision Making. 
  • AAAS Bioethics
  • Jan 15

    ETHICAL REASONING 

    INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY 

    PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS 

    Read Scientific IntegrityCh 1 (Methods, Manners and Mandates) &  2 (Ethics and the Scientist)
    • Prepare a brief outline of the different ethical schools of thought that have influenced western science
    • According to Macrina, why is there a need for research ethics training? 
    Read  Fundamentals of Ethics Ch 1-4 
    • Prepare case studies 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2 
    David Goodstein (1994)Conduct and Misconduct in Science
    Jan 22
    SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY
    Access, printout and read and  the following web sites.  Answer the following: What constitutes scientifc misconduct at NMSU?  What procedures should be followed to report misconduct? What protection is afforded the whistleblower and the accused?  Access the Office of Research Integrity  web site.  What is the purpose of this web site? 

    Go to the ORI case summaries site.  Download and summarize the findings for ONE case to discuss in class. 

    The following articles on web sites provide overviews of  important cases of scientific misconduct in biology and physics.  Read them and come prpeared to discuss.

    Codes of Ethics: Comparisons of student disciplines.  Bring the code of conduct for your professional society to class. What is your opinion of the code?

    Read Chapters 3, 11 in Scientific Integrity and make a note of the information that is new to you. 

  • For each chapter write down what you thought were the five  most important points made by the author. Come prepared to discuss the chapters. 
  • Bring your written responses to the following case studies to class for small group discussion. 
      • 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.10 
      • 11.2, 11.5, 11.9, 11.12 
    Codes of conduct  Philosophers.... David Goodstein (1995) Scientific Elites and Scientific Illiterates.
    Jan 29
    SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY 
    Read the following chapters  in Scientific Integrity. 
    10 minute presentations
    • Ch 4 (Authorship and Peer Review
    • Ch 7 (Managing Conflicting Interests)
    • Ch  8 (Collaborative Research) 
    • Ch 9 (Ownership of Data and Intellectual Property)
    Bring your written responses to the following case studies to class for small group discussion. 
    • 4.5, 4.9
    • 7.7, 7.12
    • 8.5, 8.9
    • 9.8, 9.11
    Access this link .  Does the article raise concerns for you regarding scholarship and student experiences? why or why not? 

    Access and read  the NMSU policy on intellectual property  What are your rights and obligations as a student researcher? any surprises here? Who are the "Originators?" 

    Do you have concerns about how technology transfer activites may affect students engaged in research? If so, what are they?

    10 minute presentations

  • How can the credibility of information on an internet site be assessed?
  • Who "owns" the information on an Internet site?
  • In class Internet exercise:  Browse and answer. What is available on the site? Who establishes, posts, and pays for these sites?Who contributes data? Are there student internship or research opportunities posted on the site?
     
  • Public databases:
  • Ethics websites
  • AAAS Science and Policy
  • NIH ELSI
  • Feb 5
    Assignment
    RESEARCH ECONOMICS AND OPPORTUNITIES

    Term paper sources and description due

    Research at NMSU: Access the NMSU research page and answer the following. You will be called on to answer ONE of the following in class.
    • what is the OVPR? what is its mission?
    • what are some research programs at NMSU?
    • what are some research units? visit one of the research unit links and be prepared to summarize what s posted
    • what is the purpose of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety? what is posted under responsibility and accountability?  what is the responsibility of the University president?  of supervisors? of ALL faculty students and staff?
    • browse helpful links and access a website of interest
    Government funding  and public policy development 
  • Go to the US budget website and browse the pdf file of federal government spending (Historical Tables, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2003 ). what information is posted on this report? 
  • Use information in Tables 2 and 3  for the year 1981 and 2001 to answer the following in TABLE form:
  • which superfunction  received the highest budget allocation? which function? which subfunction? how much were they?
  • how much of the fiscal year budget for 2001 was allocated for defense research?  for health and human services? to the national science foundation?  to general science space and technology? 
  • what was the biggest source of revenue for government spending ? who pays for federally funded research in universities? 
  • Download, print and read the citizens guide.  bring it to class. How is budget allocation determined? Check out the Mystery site: what can you find here related to budget for federal funding of research?

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    Selling the line: Access this web site. what do you think? 
    http://www.the-aps.org/press_room/eb03symp.htm

    Privatization: 
    New Mexico.What is the NMBBA?
    Pharmaceutical Industry

  • Browse here to view a list of pharmaceutical companies.
  • Choose a company  and go to the websites for either Quicken or the Motley Fool.  How much was the company's revenue in 2002? in 1998?

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    30 min team presentation: Lucrative drugs. Your team should prepare a 30 minute presentation that provides information about the following drugs or medications: 

  • Prozac, Zoloft, Viagra, Depo-provera, Ritalin, Medline Plus has helpful info....
    • what is the chemical formula?
    • what are the modes of action and contraindications of the product?
    • who makes the drug and how much are yearly sales?
  • Anabolic steroids. summarize key points from this NIDA website 
        •  
    EXAMPLE:SMALL RESEARCH (R03) GRANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH IN INFECTIOUS
    DISEASES AT NIAID INTERNATIONAL SITES (IRID-NIAID)
    (PA-03-062) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases INDEX: ALLERGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES
    <http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-062.html>
    NIH Grant application INSTRUCTIONS PHS 398
    Assurances (human subjects etc)
     

    In class Internet exercise
    Access the web site for your team and answer the questions.  Some of these web sites have a search engine. They vary in the ease of access of the info. 

    Federal funding of research.

  • What is the "mission" of this agency? 
  • What kinds of research projects do they fund? Are they funding genomics research? defense research? 
  • Do they have an ethics site? describe . Is there an ethics component that this agency funds or is interested in? 
  • What is the overall yearly budget? How much goes to Johns Hopkins? To Harvard? To UCSF? UNM? to NMSU? Try searching using keywords such as: budget, university, research, award, New Mexico, NMSU
  • Does NMSU hold grants from this agency? 
  • Summarize the thrust of two  grants that catch your attention. 
  • Government agencies: 
  • Private funding of research: Pharmaceutical Industry
  • What is the style of the company home page? 
  • what messages are being delivered to the public? 
  • what are their products? 
  • are there student work opportunities? 
  • do they have an ethics or public service component? 
  • is there information regarding use of animals for testing?
  • what were company revenues in 1994? 1998? 2002?
  • Feb 12
    Assignment
    ORGANISMS IN RESEARCH
    Read the following chapters  in Scientific Integrity. 
     10-15 minute presentations
    • Ch 5  (Use of humans in biomedical experimentation)
    • Ch 6  (Use of animals in biomedical experimentation)
    Complete survey form VIII p 270. bring to class without your name!

    Bring your written responses to the following case studies to class for small group discussion. 

    • 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 5.11
    • 6.1, 6.5, 6.9 6.12
    Humans in research. 10-15 min presentations (2)
    Instructions for prepping papers: link
  • Summarize key points from these articles from Who owns life?
    • Falling from grace: science and the pursuit of profit (Hotz)
    • Propriety and property: The tissue market meets the courts (Andrews and Nelkin)
    • Property rights and human bodies (Ossorio)
  • Summarize key points from these articles from  Racial Hygiene 
    • The destruction of lives not worth living
    • The politics of knowledge
    AAAS Science and Public Policy
    Film: The Lynchburg Story
    Stem cell research (DEBATE)
    Feb 19
    Assignment
    Portfolio 1 Due
    GENETICS 1
    Read the following chapter  in Scientific Integrity. 
     10-15 minute presentation
    • Genetic Technology and Scientific Integrity
    • Bring your written responses to the following case studies to class for small group discussion.: 10.1, 10.8, 10.11, 10.12
    Overview of NHGRI, Human Genome Project and genetic discrimination
    10-15 minute presentation

    Eugenics: historical perspectives
    10-15 minute presentation

    Read and be ready to discus from Sandra Harding: Racial Economy of Science:

    • Washburn, The study of race
    • Livingstone On the non-existence of human races
    • Lewontin et al.  IQ, the rank ordering of the world
    Guest lecturer: Dr. Dan Howard, NMSU, Biology
    Film: The Lynchburg Story
    Feb 26
    Assignment
    GENETICS 2
    Guest lecturer: Dr. Michele Shuster, NMSU, Biology
    General references (please skim before class)
    www.pbs.org/fredfriendly 
    Explore "making better babies" and "who gets to know". Also read the "real stories"
    Www.mayoclinic.com read 
    "Genetic Testing: Weighing its Benefits and Risks
    "Prenatal Testing: What's involved and who should consider it"
    Specific References (for use with discussion groups in class)
    Www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/fragileXtoc.org
    Www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/downsyndrome.html
    Www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html
    Www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prentaltesting.html
    Www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/genetictestingcounseling.html
    Www.cancer.gov(Look for the article: Presymptomatic Genetic Testing for Heritable Breast Cancer Risk
    Mar 5
    Assignment
    ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRICULTURAL ETHICS
    Team presentation Andrew, Becky
    Natural Resource management and Global Water Resources
    • National Geographic Sept 2002 challenge for Humanity: Water pressure
    • From Environmental Ethics
      • Taylor, Ethics of respect for nature
      • Katz, Is there a place for animals in the moral consideration of nature?
      • Holmes Ralston: Value in nature and nature in value
    Guest lecturer: Dr. Eric Votava, Senior Research Specialist, Chile Pepper Institute, Agronomy and Horticulture
    • Chile Tour , NMSU!
     Funstuff: From Fast Food Nation by Schlosser, Global Realization
    Mar 12
    Assignment
    Term paper draft due
    INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE 1
    No background reading required
    Graduate student team presentation 
  • Bryce, Krueger, wildlife
  • Shannon Manuelito, Biology
  • Jennifer Randall, Molecular Biology

  • Themes:
    • Social and environmental justice
    • Biopiracy Link
    • First World/Third World priorities and conflicts 
      • Genetic Engineering 
      • Pharmaceutical Industry
      • Impact on developing nations 
      • Medicinal Plants 
         

    http://www.twnside.org.sg/
    http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~twas/TWAS.html
    http://www.panasia.org.sg/
     
    Mar 19
    Assignment
    INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE 1
    Team presentation  Dan, Elizabeth, Steve
    Disease, medicine, and populations
    • Diamond, Guns. Germs and Steel, Lethal gift of livestock
    • McNeill, Plagues and People, Ecological impact of medical science and organization since 1700
    • Global HIV http://www.unaids.org/
    • Global Tuberculosis http://www.stoptb.org/
    Access to scientific knowledge: 
    Who gets to "do" science? who benefits? 
     
    SPRING BREAK    
    Apr 2
    Assignment
    NUCLEAR WEAPONS 
    Team presentation  Christi, Nick
    The group should present  information regarding nuclear weapons:
    • types of nuclear weapons link
    • effects of detonation (climate/health)
    • manufacture, storage, decontamination
    • summarize pros and cons of dropping the bomb on Hiroshima
    • global weapons distribution
    • case studies: US, N Korea, Iraq, China, Russia, Brazil Country information
    • impact of detonation of a nuclear bomb (CLASS exercise: simulations)
    RESOURCES
    Information Warfare  
    Apr 9
    Assignment
    CHEMICAL,  BIOLOGICAL, 
    WEAPONS 
    Team presentation  Carmela, Jason, Josh, Sarah
    The group should present  information regarding biological and chemical  weapons: RESOURCES
    Articles
    • From National Geographic 

    • Weapons of mass destruction
    • From Journal of Military Science/MIlitary Review

    • Chem weapons Iran/Iraq (1990)
      Biowarfare Model 1967 (1966)
      Ethnic Weapons (197
    Web pages
     
    Apr 16
    Assignment
    RIGHT TO LIVE/RIGHT TO DIE
    Team presentation  Jennifer, Marcos, Sita, Xavier
  •  Prepare a list of the issues you find most ethically controversial or troubling regarding Right to Life (Reproductive Technologies/Human Cloning) and Right to Die (Life Support/Euthanasia) issues.
  • Read the article Heart Advice on Helping the Dying.
  • Read the PBS guide  ON OUR OWN TERMS: Moyers on Dying.

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    Access and read from the following URLs

     
    Apr 23
    Assignment
    Term paper due
    Portfolio 2 due
    DEBATES
    Suggested topics:
    • Physican assisted suicide should/shouldn't be legalized in the US
    • Human cloning should/shouldn't be permitted
    • Genetically modified crops will/won't benefit the third world
    • Research findings that may be used to develop biological weapons should/shouldn't  be published in a censored format.
    • Embryonic stem cell research should/shouldn't be encouraged
    • The major consideration in environmental resource allocation should/shouldn't be the benefits to humans not to plants or animals
    • Submit other topics!
     
    Apr 30
    Assignment
    TERM PAPER ORAL PRESENTATION
    FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
    LOTTERY FOR PRESENTATION
    May 7  TERM PAPER ORAL PRESENTATION (contId)
    LOTTERY FOR PRESENTATION
    FINAL EXAM 1-3 PM