Course Syllabus HIS 290: Special Topics- Jews in the History of Medicine Class Number/Name:NSC 290 Jews in Medicine Instructors: David Lennartz, Ph.D,.Joseph B. Michelson, M.D., F.A.C.S. Class Meeting Days: Tuesday, Thursday 09:30 am-10:45 am with observed holidays as per the course schedule. Instructor Office Hours: By arrangement: Email: doctorjoby@yahoo.com (Michelson); dlennartz@ajula.edu (Lennartz) Date and Time of Final Exam: As specified in the schedule of classes AJU Mission Statement Learning and Scholarship: We believe in the principle of Torah learning as an intellectual and inspirational endeavor that embraces both academic scholarship and the efforts of all Jews to explore their shared heritage through the formal and informal study of Judaism and the other great civilizations of the world. Culture: We acknowledge that Judaism is a flourishing civilization with a culture that is fundamental to modern Jewish identity. We strive to advance that culture by encouraging artistic endeavor in all of its many forms. Ethics: We recognize that ethics is the language of Judaism and its most important link to the world at large. Leadership: We understand that the future of Jewish life depends on the careful preparation of dedicated and impassioned individuals who are called to leadership. Pluralism: We are a pluralistic institution that embraces diversity within Judaism and values the contributions of all groups to the growth of Jewish Civilization. Students with Disabilities American Jewish University is committed to assisting our students with documented disabilities to have a successful career at AJU. Contact the Office of Student Affairs to request accommodations and begin the documentation process. (See Enhancing Accessibility and/or AJU website for complete policy.) Standards of Academic Integrity The Honor Code of American Jewish University was written by a committee of
undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and administrators. Under the Honor Code, students have a two-fold obligation: individually, they must not violate the code, and as a community, they are responsible to see that suspected violations are reported. Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited, to the following definitions: A. Examination Behavior:Unless expressly permitted by the instructor, the use of external assistance during an exam shall be considered academically dishonest. Inappropriate exam behavior includes but is not limited to: (1) communicating with anyone in any way during an exam, (2) copying material from another student s exam, (3) allowing a student to copy from one s exam, (4) using unauthorized notes, calculators, or other sources of unauthorized assistance. B. Fabrication:Any intentional falsification, invention of data, or citation in an academic exercise will be considered to be academic dishonesty. Fabrication involves but is not limited to: (1) inventing or altering data for a laboratory experiment or field project, (2) padding a bibliography of a term paper or research paper with sources one did not utilize, (3) resubmitting returned and corrected academic work under the pretense of grader evaluation error when, in fact, the work has been altered from its original form. C. Plagiarism:Plagiarism is the appropriation and subsequent passing off of another s ideas or words as one s own. If the words or ideas of another are used, acknowledgement of the original source must be made through recognized referencing practices. Use of another s ideas or words must be properly acknowledged as follows: (1) Direct Quotation: Any use of direct quotation must be acknowledged by footnote citation and by either quotation marks or proper indentation and spacing. (2) Paraphrase: If another s ideas are borrowed in whole or in part and are merely recast in the student s own words, proper acknowledgement must, nonetheless, be made. A footnote or proper internal citation must follow the paraphrased material.
D. Other Types of Academic Dishonesty:Other forms of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: (1) Submitting a paper written by or obtained from another person. (2) Using a paper or essay in more than one class without the instructors expressed permission. (3) Obtaining a copy of an examination in advance without the knowledge and consent of the instructor. (4) Altering academic records outside of official institutional procedures. (5) Using another person to complete academic assignments such as homework, take-home exams or using another person posing as oneself to take classroom examinations. Course Description: This course offers an historical overview of the contribution of Jewish ideas, themes, and religious concepts to the development of modern medicine. Included will historiographies of the Jewish trailblazers dedicated to the cure of disease and the end of physical suffering, as well as a chronological unfolding of Jewish precepts in medicine from the Bible to the present day. To further the students understanding of the importance of Jewish themes to the historical development of medicine, this course will develop notions of Jewish agency within the fields of medical ethics, medical experimentation, and the actual practice of tried and tested medical principles. Moreover, this Jewish agency will be explored through a a study of a variety of Jewish practitioners and circumstances motivated by ethics, sensitivity, and devotion, and this will often be posed in direct comparative relation to non-jewish practitioners of medicine across the previous two millennia. Course Goals and Objectives By the end of the semester students should expect to have accomplished the following understanding and historical perspective and appreciation: To underscore the importance of this agency, the course will promote student appreciation of the unique history of Jewish medical scholarship. This will illuminate the means through which Jewish religious training ensures the intellectual freedom for Jewish physicians and researchers to treat patients beyond any denominational and/or scientific constraints, thereby allowing Jewish medicine to be practiced with bravery, intelligence, and without unnecessary fears. More precisely, our historically prevalent Jewish temperament of inquisitiveness and independence fostered the betterment and progress of worldwide medicine. A mighty contribution has been made to global medicine by a relatively minute percentage of the world s population, namely in the form of Jewish practitioners of medicine from the time of the Bible to today. In quantitative terms, Jewish trailblazers have earned a remarkably disproportionate number of the world s most prestigious
awards for science, and this will be enumerated in lectures on these continuous and continuously astonishing achievements. Through a series of lectures, students will engage the historic flow of ideas and events in medicine relative to Judaism. This will deepen students insights into the continuum of historic dilemmas in medicine and science, and the intersection of different notions of religion, customs, and progress. Of special importance, students will focus upon the inherent kinship of Judaism to the evolution of concepts of purity, cleanliness, and health, which foment the stunning depth and breadth of Jewish contributions to the shape and direction of medical progress. Students will demonstrate their freshly developed understanding of such concepts through three exams and a final, individual presentation accompanied by a ten page paper. Required Texts and Readings: Prepared materials available in library (on reserve) plus powerpoint based presentations available via the course website (on Moodle) Grading: (Method of Student Performance Evaluation):: Levels of student achievement will be signified by a letter grade assigned at the end of the course (A--F system inclusive of plus/minus grading as appropriate) based on total points earned. Unit Examinations: 3 X 50 points = 150 points Final Presentation (oral with 10-12 pages, topic to be arranged between student and professors =100 points Attendance and Participation= 50 points Total Points = 300 A standard grading scale will be used in this course as follows: 270 to 300 points = A 240 to 269 points = B 210 to 239 points = C 180 to 209 = D 179 or less = F
1/20 2 1/25 1/27 3 2/1 2/3 4 2/8 2/10 5 2/15 2/17 6 2/22 2/24 7 3/1 3/3 Schedule of Course Topics and Events: Week Dates Course Topic/Event Readings 1 1/18 Course Introduction. Begin Module I:Torah and Readings on Talmud:Evolving Jewish Medicine Reserve in AJU Science of Torah and Talmudic Teachings Library 8 3/8 3/10 9 3/15 3/17 Leviticus: the Home Health Guide of the Torah Leviticus: evidential basis for sound science Deuteronomy: Laws of Kashruth Deuteronomy: How did they know so much? Principles of Medicine in Jewish Law Science of Early Jewish Medicine Biblical Basis of Healing: Overview Science sneaks into Religion Healing and Atonement Healing and Improvement Teachings of Talmud parallel Greek Medicine Much Humor in the Humours;Biblical Modesty v.hedonism Evolving Jewish Practice of Medicine Jews with more science than Greeks Begin Module II: Darkness descends over the purview of Europe; Yet Jewish scholarship still seeks Light Maimonides, a shining child of our Light The brilliance & foresight of Moshe Ben Maimon 10 3/22 3/24 11 3/29 3/31 12 4/5 4/7 13 4/12 4/14 14 4/19 4/21 15 4/26 4/28 16 5/3 5/5 Shameful AntiSemitism, the Black Plague, and the Rise of the Cosmopolitan Jew TBA Quasi-Acceptance of the Jews Hypocrisy: Jewish medicine-yes; Jewish life-no Begin Module III: The War Against Contagion Paul Ehrlich and his times Paul Ehrlich and his Science Module IV: The Darkness ebbs, the curtain lifts: power of ideas prevails Jews in the Medical and Life Sciences: our modern Era Our Modern Era of Medical Science Jewish Biomedical & Life Scientists: an overview Our Evolving of Life Science: from Life to Death Ignatz Semmelweis: the death of birth; the birth of life The simple biology of Puerperal Fever: Wash your hands! Joseph Goldberger, M.D. A larger fight among colleagues than to extinguish Pellagra The biology, ecology, and cruelty of Pellagra
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