CASE STUDIES (100 POINTS) DUE DATE: OCTOBER 25

Assemble the following items and submit them typed (except notes) and in order.

• (30 pts) Prepare a 3-6 page essay that discusses the approach you used to analyze the case studies that you prpeared in depth.
• Preface. Describe how your approach to analyzing ethical dilemmas changed or evolved (if it did) as the course progressed. What role if any, did other students, class discussion, and the philosophical readings play in this process?
• Analytical approach. Describe your present approach to analyzing ethical dilemmas.

• (14 pts) Hand in a photocopy of your notes and preparation on all the case studies from class

• (56 pts) Using the analytical approach you presented in your essay, prepare a detailed analysis of the following case studies:
• 7 points each, 3 required case studies
• Scientific Integrity: 3.4, 8.5, 10.12
7 points each, 4 elective case studies you deemed difficult or especially interesting. Each of these should come from a different chapter or theme than the required case studies and from each other

Students will be required to maintain a journal during the course. The objective of this assignment is for students to explore their own values and ethics in the context of scientific issues that are raised by media articles, TV programs, science classes, lab exercises, research experiences etc. as well as reading and other class assignments.  It is hoped that the journal will be useful resource for students over the years as  they continue their own exploration of ethcial themes throughout professional life.

Format: Type all requested comments and mini-essays. Please use 1.5 - 2 lines for spacing. Organize it any way you wish to, but be sure to include a table of contents for easy access. Include copies of assignments you were asked to  print for your journal as an APPENDIX. A spiral notebook with dividers separating sections works fine.

Contents:

• History  Access, print, and read "Is University Life Any Different Today than it was "Yesterday"? How would you answer this question?

• Philosophy   Access the following websites and select and print ONE article for your journal. Prepare a brief (2-3 paragraph)commentary on the article. Some suggestions for discussion: why you chose the article, what you found informative and provocative about the article, what you gained from reading and thinking about it, links between the thoughts and opinions expressed by the authors and prevailing attitudes and assumptions about science and the scientific process among scientists you know.
• Rene Descartes (1637) Discourse on the  method of rightly conducting the reason and seeking for truth in the sciences
• Immanuel Kant (1785) Introduction to the Metaphysics of Morals
• John Stuart Mill (1863) Utilitarianism
• Thomas Kuhn   (1962)   The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
• Karl Popper Philosophy and impact   Link 2: Objective Knowledge
• Paul Feyerabend   (1975) Against Method:  Outline of an anarchistic theory of knowledge  Link 2

• Misconduct
• Access, read and printout the following web sites for your journal. Briefly answer the following: do you believe the policies are sufficient clear about what constitutes misconduct? do they provide enough information to (a) provide individuals with knowledge about how to proceed to report misconduct? (b) allow individuals to know how they will be protected if they report misconduct or if they are accused of misconduct?
• NMSU Policy on Scientific Misconduct (Researchers)
• NMSU Policy on Academic Misconduct (Students)
• ORI
• Read Scientific Integrity Ch 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?
•  What is the definition of scientific misconduct? what are the consequences for scientific misconduct?

• Mentoring of Students
• Xerox and complete the Predoctoral Mentoring Surveyin Scientific Integrity pp 264-267.
• Read David Goodstein (1995) Scientific Elites and Scientific Illiterates. Comment on the author's attitudes and opinions. Do you agree or disagree with what he writes?
• What ethical concerns do you have  regarding conflicts in the classroom and in teaching.  Are you concerned about plagiarism and cheating? What penalties, if any, should be imposed for these actions? Do you think students are willing to report  academic misconduct? Why or why not? Are academic and scientific misconduct different and if so in what ways?
• What ethical concerns do you have  regarding conflicts between faculty and graduate students?

• Professional ethics.   Include the code of conduct for your profession (Optional: provide your comments)

• Authorship.   Print the guidelines for authors from a major journal in your field and place this in your journal (Optional: provide comments)

• Collaborative Research Access the AAUP Statement on Corporate Funding of Academic Research  and write a brief (1-2 paragraph) comment on the information provided.  Does the article rasie concenrs for you regarding described in the article scholarship and student experiences? why or why not?

• Intellectual property
• Access, read, and printout the NMSU policy on intellectual property  for your journal. What are your rights and obligations as a student researcher? any surprises here? Who are the "Oriignators?"
• Do you have concerns about how technology transfer activites may affect students engaged in research? If so, what are they?

• Organims  in research
• Visit this website dedicated to Peter Singer and donwload an article that argues against the use of animals in research. Comment on Singer's views  as compared with the Chapter by Macrina.
• List  key arguments for the use of animals and against the use of animals in research.
• Read the article  Polio made from scratch    Do you believe the authors should  (a) have conducted the research (b) have published the research? Justify your position.
• Access this link.  What is required for human subjects work at  NMSU? What is the IRB? Does NMSU have a general Ethics Board or Committee ?
• List  key arguments for  and against the use of human embryonic stem cells  in research.

• Conflict Resolution: Access and browse the International Conflict Resolution: Information Sources web page . Download information from two websites that you find provocative or especially meaningful.  Write 1-2 paragraphs describing your impression of the area of conflict resolution.

• Biological Weapons Summarize what was presented by the group and write 2-3 paragraphs defending or refuting the statement: "It is possible to develop effective defense programs against biological weapons". Reference link

• Environmental Ethics
• What is biopiracy? What are some of the issues being debated in this area?
• Do you have concerns regarding the environment in the Las Cruces/El Paso region? Explain.

• Science and Society.
• Include materials you accessed for your debate topic and summarize your presentation
• Submit the clippings, articles etc you collected. These should include information from all kinds of sources about a scientific research area that grips you because of the ethical issues it raises. items: cartoon strips, newspaper articles, web sites, articles, films, books, music, poetry, painting etc

• Genetic Testing and Eugenics
• Write a 1-2 page essay addressing the issues raised by ONE of the case studies from the NHGRI GenEthics Consortium Case Literature
• List  key arguments for the cloning of human and against the cloning of humans in research.
• Write a 1-2 page commentary of the material presented on ONE of these URLs.

• Eugenics archive
• Tuskegee syphilis experiment
• Lynchburg forced sterilizations
• Human radiation experiments    Link 2

 Format: Type all submissions. Please use 1.5 - 2 lines for spacing.

 Contents:

Essay (65 points):

• Prepare a 5-10 page essay on a topic related to material covered in class.
• Submit the paper with a TITLE and 250 word ABSTRACT.
• Use the guide form the Weston text to prepare your essay.  Choose either the position or discovery fomat.
• The use of bold statements or quotes that you will refute or support may be a useful mechanism to around which to organize your paper.
• Include references as appropriate.

• Book critique (15 points).

• Prepare a 2 page critique on the book by Ramon y Cajal.. What were your impressions of the book?  What advice is dated? What advice is still pertinent after 100 years?  Would you recommend the book or parts of the book to other students?  to faculty? Do you think you would have wanted him as your advisor?  Why or why not?