PHIL 315 is Biomedical Ethics. I took this course as an elective because it sounded interesting. It’s about the ethics behind different medical issues that are controversial in today’s day and age. The first part of the course was about learning different ethical theories. Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics is the theory that I found the most interesting. Aristotle believed that there is a moral middle ground in every situation, so what is morally right for one person is not necessarily right for another person.
While we began with learning about ethical theories, we continued with biomedical, controversial topics. Abortion was the issue that catch my attention. Pro-choicers and pro-lifers often times don’t listen to their opponents full argument. In class, we were able to get a full understanding of this complex issue. We did readings to inform ourselves about the issue at hand and form our of opinions on the topic. By informing myself on the topic completely, my views changed slightly and I was able to support my opinion with facts.
My biggest take away from this course was that I learned how to support my opinions with facts and listen to the other side of the argument. The topics that we discussed in class were controversial, so listening was essential. In this day and age, listening to others is hard, but this class made it easier.