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IDST-012-01 Science and Society: Philosophy of Biology
Fall only
The Science and Society Seminar (SSS) combines instruction in the humanities and the sciences to examine themes that define contemporary life. The seminar is for students who seek novel perspectives on the sciences, a deeper appreciation of the principles governing natural systems, and insight into the role those systems play in daily life. The theme for the Fall 2009 semester is “Philosophy of Biology: Drugs and People.”
The SSS will focus on philosophical and ethical issues involved in the use and misuse of drugs for medical and other purposes. For example: What, if anything, is wrong with drug enhancement for athletes? Why shouldn't people be allowed to use drugs recreationally? When are placebo treatments morally permissible? Who should be making decisions about these matters? Part of the course will focus on more foundational issues. For example: how can we properly model the complexities of the human system? What role does evolutionary thinking play in attempts to develop stronger drugs without at the same time making stronger diseases? What is a disease? What, for that matter, is a drug as opposed to a dietary supplement or nutritional additive? We will investigate these and other important questions at the intersection of science, philosophy, and society.
The science part of the SSS focuses on the biology of drugs with some attention to the legal, political, economic, and environmental factors associated with drug use, abuse, and development. We will study pharmaceutical, over the counter, and street drugs to explore how drugs are developed and how they work. Our main goal is to understand what “responsible patienthood” means. Everybody in class has or will face decisions about drugs—ranging from whether to enter a clinical trial to selecting an over the counter remedy to deciding whether their antidepressant has stopped working to, yes, whether to risk taking a street drug. The class is designed to help all participants to make informed decisions, especially on biological bases. To practice such decision-making we will work on finding, evaluating, and applying information on a host of drugs. We will struggle with the idea that no matter how solid our information is and how well we understand it, the bio-variability of humans means drugs do not necessarily work the same in every one of us. We will consider how this knowledge will guide us in making future choices.
The Science and Society Seminar stresses active learning, close engagement with faculty, and extra-curricular activities in Washington, DC.
Student must register for IDST 012 and IDST 014.
Credits: 4
Prerequisites: None
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