March 18, 2004

Medical ethics

Posted by Chris

In British universities and, I suspect, elsewhere, medical ethics has been one of the big growth areas in philosophy (well, quasi-philosophy, anyway). It seems, in fact, that the expansion has been so fast that universities are struggling to find qualified lecturers. How else to explain that a scientist who tried to poison his wife’s gin-and-tonics with atropine and tried to cover his tracks by spiking products at the local supermarket has been taken on by the University of Manchester to lecture in philosophy and medical ethics? Do as I say, not as I do? (Hat tip Mick Hartley )

Posted on March 18, 2004 09:46 AM UTC
Comments

This is a confirming instance of a wholly unfair pet theory of mine about people who specialize in ethics.

Posted by Kieran Healy · March 18, 2004 11:04 AM

Come on Chris, the guy has practical experience of a real medical ethical question (‘Is active euthanasia permissible, even when the patient is not ill and does not consent?’). I have very limited practical expereince of the kinds of moral question I teach. This is the new, relevant, university.

Posted by harry · March 18, 2004 12:09 PM

The students arrested for violent crimes and theft at the university I attended seemed to be primarily Criminology majors. Perhaps Keiran Healy’s pet theory has even wider applicability.

Posted by Rich Puchalsky · March 18, 2004 01:35 PM

As Lady Warwick, chief executive of Universities UK, said in the Barbara Diamond memorial lecture reported in today’s Groan:

“Academia cannot isolate itself from ‘the real world’ and pursue learning exclusively. It must legitimise itself by reflecting the society it serves.”

Posted by Jimmy Doyle · March 18, 2004 02:22 PM

Maybe he’ll be teaching the “Goofus” way. There is a magazine for kids called “Highlights”, and they used to have a cartoon that showed Goofus and Gallant. Goofus would illustrate how not to do things, then Gallant would show how wrong Goofus was.

Never mind, I think this person is an extremely poor choice to teach anything to anyone.

This reminds me of a situation at a local University, Central Connecticut State University. The President of CCSU was arrested 2 years ago for impersonating a police officer, and now has admitted to plagiarizing. But the faculty has voted against firing him because they fear a leadership vacuum. Apparently they don’t care what kind of leadership there is.

Students, who are subject to expulsion over even unintended plagiarism, are up in arms.

Posted by maurinsky · March 18, 2004 03:20 PM
Followups

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.