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Unit of study_
OLET5618: History of Human Research Ethics
2022 unit information
During the twentieth century, significant and influential debates about the ethical requirements for conducting scientific research have been conducted, specifically in medicine, biology, and physics. After the horrors of Nazi medical experimentation and the global projects of eugenics, scientists started to discuss the social responsibilities they had and the principles that should govern research. In this OLE, we trace the history of these debates and the way they shaped current ideas about research ethics. Special attention will be paid to the protections that should be given to vulnerable populations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to individuals and populations in developing nations. In this unit you will reflect on the ethical responsibilities of scientists and other researchers and how the current principles of research ethics are influenced by this history and, in turn, what it means to be an ethical researcher.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 2 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Students should have a basic understanding about current methods for conducting scientific and medical research, the ethical challenges that could potentially affect investigators while they are conducting their research, presenting their research publicly, or advising government bodies or private business about the outcomes of their research |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. develop a critical understanding of the historical development of research ethics and its ramifications for medical and biological experimentation
- LO2. apply insights from debates on the social responsibilities of scientists to specific research projects
- LO3. analyse the ethical dilemmas that are present in specific research projects
- LO4. evaluate a case study which is characterised by one or more ethical dilemmas
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