BIOSCIENCES TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

PHI2BTS

2020

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

The biosciences and biotechnology have come to play important roles in human lives, especially as they reach into both the psychological and social sciences. The focus of this subject is on philosophical issues that arise in the biological sciences, including the medical and health sciences, and the technologies they employ. The subject may cover 4-6 of the following topics: (1) race, science, and human nature; (2) eugenics as a project aimed at intergenerational human improvement; (2) ideas of normalcy in the biological and social sciences; (4) the Human Genome Project and its successors; (5) historical and contemporary debates over the measurement of intelligence; (6) socio-biology and evolutionary psychology; (7) health, disability, and human variation; (8) contemporary technologies that facilitate reproductive choice; (9) bio enhancement and transhumanism; (10) biological conceptions of psychiatry and psychiatric illness.

School: Humanities and Social Sciences (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Richard Heersmink

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 2 - UG

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: No

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Learning resources

Various

Resource Type: Book

Resource Requirement: Prescribed

Author: Various

Year: N/A

Edition/Volume: N/A

Publisher: Various

ISBN: N/A

Chapter/article title: N/A

Chapter/issue: N/A

URL: N/A

Other description: N/A

Source location: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Adaptability and Self-Management
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Leadership and Teamwork

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Demonstrate knowledge about of the ways in which biological sciences embody social values and inform individual and societal decisions.
02. Develop critical thinking skills that allow you to probe beneath the surface of what you read and grapple with to interrogate issues concerning biology, society, and values.
03. Examine social dimensions to biological theories, practices and technologies.
04. Critique the ways that science both reflects and impacts the societies we live in.
05. Implement active learning strategies to act as self directed learners.

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2020, Semester 2, Blended

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Richard Heersmink

Class requirements

LectureWeek: 31 - 43
One 1.50 hour lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.

TutorialWeek: 31 - 43
One 1.50 hour tutorial per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via face-to-face.

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle%ILO*

Short essay (1200 words). Students will write a research essay on the material from weeks 1-6.At least three topics will be assigned by the instructor; each student will choose one of these to write on.

N/AN/AN/ANo25SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4, SILO5

Long essay (2000 words). Students will write a research essay on the material from weeks 7-12.At least three topics will be assigned by the instructor; each student will choose one of these to write on.

N/AN/AN/ANo50SILO1, SILO2, SILO3, SILO4, SILO5

Reading logs, class quizzes, and weekly exercises (800 words equivalent)Full grade here will be a function of the grades for each individual component.

N/AN/AN/ANo25SILO1, SILO2, SILO4, SILO5