PHIL3677: Semester 2, 2020

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Units PHIL3677 Semester 2 2020 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

PHIL3677: Philosophy of Medicine

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit examines the much-disputed distinction between the normal and the pathological, drawing on work from both continental and analytic traditions, from Georges Canguilhem and Michel Foucault to Ruth Millikan and Karen Neander. Related topics include: are illness or disability intrinsically harmful? What is the relationship between illness and personal identity? Is health more than the absence of disease? Note: Students should be aware that this is not a unit in clinical bioethics.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PHIL3677
Academic unit	Philosophy
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in Philosophy
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Kate Lynch, kate.lynch@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Kate Lynch, kate.lynch@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Paul Griffiths, paul.griffiths@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Kate Lynch, kate.lynch@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay Research Essay	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 20 Nov 2020 at 17:00	2000wd
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 1 Research Evaluation	30%	Week 06 Due date: 11 Sep 2020 at 17:00	1000wd
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 Essay plan and annotated bibliography	20%	Week 10 Due date: 16 Oct 2020 at 17:00	1500wd
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to evidence based medicine	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Causation	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Randomized Controlled Trials	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Meta analyses and Bayesian Inference	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Mechanistic and Observational Reasoning	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Models - animal, organoids, computational	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Bias - Industry, sex and gender	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Clinician judgement and applications to Covid19	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Normativism about disease	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Naturalism about disease	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Disease and Evolution	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Neo-Aristotelianism about disease	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Essay support and summing up course content	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Two core texts for this course are:

Stegenga, J. 2018. Medical Nihilism. Oxford University Press. and Howick, J.H. 2011. The Philosophy of Evidence Based Medicine. John Wiley & Sons.

Other required readings are on canvas. Both textbooks and all required readings are available online through the University of Sydney library service.

Schedule and readings are subject to change. Please see the course CANVAS site, and announcements for updates. Additional recommended readings will also be made available on CANVAS.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand classical and contemporary ideas in the philosophy of medicine and their significance
LO2. Be able to critically analyze theories, methods and concepts in the science of medicine and related fields.
LO3. Understand the close relationships between studying the content of science and the philosophical analysis of science.
LO4. Apply analytic skills to contemporary studies in philosophy and science.
LO5. Show an ability to consider applications of medicine thoughtfully, including in cross cultural contexts.
LO6. Analytical skills: being able to evaluate medical and scientific evidence using concepts and theories from the philosophy of medicine
LO7. Interpretative skills: reading and analysing source material from recent work in philosophy of medicine in its social and historical context.
LO8. Verbal skills: engaging in active and thoughtful contributions to seminars and tutorial discussions.
LO9. Writing skills: developing a well-reasoned argument and articulating it clearly.
LO10. Research skills: identifying material relevant for your argument by accessing databases and/or archives, and synthesizing the material in a coherent manner.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Changes to the course content now reflect an increased focus on the philosophy of medicine, with reference to the current Covid-19 pandemic. The later half of the course will continue to focus on the topics addressed previously in the course, focusing on an understanding of concepts of health and disease.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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