Georgetown University Catholic Medical Ethics Fall 1990 Phil. 724 Prof. J. Bryan Hehir I. Course Description and Objectives This course is designed to provide an historical and analytical review of the substance of Catholic teaching on medical ethics, the style of moral reasoning used in the Catholic tradition and a survey of specific cases as they are debated and decided within the church. The objectives of the course are to provide students with the background and contemporary positions of Catholic teaching on medical ethics, with an understanding of the dynamic of decision and dissent within the tradition and with a review of the public and social positions taken by the Catholic church on biomedical questions. Assigned readings will review magisterial teaching, theological commentary and public policy analysis of selected biomedical issues. Aug. 29: INTRODUCTION Part One: Catholic Tradition - Style and Substance Sept. 5: Sept.12: Sept.19: Sept.26: Sources of Moral Argument and Historical Development Style of Analysis and Application of Principles: Magistarium, Academy and Parish Relationship of Social, Sexual and Medical Ethics Contraception: Case Study in Development of Doctrine Part Two: Catholic Tradition - Principles and Cases Oct. 3: Oct. 10: Oct. 17: Oct. 24: Oct. 31: Nov. 7: Nov. 14: Debate on Fundamental Norms of Morality (I) Debate on Fundamental Norms of Morality (II) Taking and Preserving Life: From War to Euthanasia Sexual and Medical Ethics (I): Abortion - Principles, Pastoral Care and Public Policy Sexual and Medical Ethics (II): From Contraception to New Technologies of Birth Social and Medical Ethics (I): Sterilization and Catholic Hospitals Social and Medical Ethics (II): Social Teaching and Access to Health Care
Nov. 28: Dec. 5: Social and Medical Ethics (III): The Cruzan Case CONCLUSION III. Required Readings 1. Purchase from Bookstore: (1) V. MacNamara, Faith and Ethics: Recent Roman Catholicism, Georgetown Univ. Press, 1985. (2) R. McCormick, Health and Medicine in the Catholic Tradition, Crossroads Publishing Co., 1987. (3) Theological Studies, March 1989, vol. 50, #1. (4) U.S. Catholic Conference, Ethical Guidelines for Catholic Health Care Institutions, USCC, 1971. (5) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and On the Dignity of Procreation: Replies to Certain Questions of the Day (Vatican, 1987). (6) Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Euthanasia (Vatican, 1980). 2. Package from Kinkos. IV. Requirements for Course 1. Preparation of assigned readings and participation in seminar discussion (15 pts.). 2. Critical book review of one of the following: -J. Noonan, Contraception: A History of Its Treatment by the Catholic Theologians and Canonists (Harvard University Press). -J. Connery, Abortion: The Development of the Roman Catholic Perspective (Loyola Univ. Press). -R. McCormick, The Critical Calling: Reflections on Moral Dilemmas Since Vatican II (Georgetown Univ. Press). -C. Curran, Toward An American Catholic Moral Theology (Univ. of Notre Dame Press.) -G. Grisez, Abortion: The Myths, the Realities and the Arguments (Corpus Books). Book Review Due: Nov. 7, 1990 (25 pts.). 3. Seminar paper on a topic drawn from the course (15-20 pgs.) (60 pts.). Due: Dec. 19, 1990.
V. Assignments Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 1. Theological Studies 50 (1989): Articles by McCormick (p. 3-24) and Langan (p. 25-43). 2. McCormick, Health and Medicine in the Catholic Tradition, ch. 1-3 (p. 1-74). 1. MacNamara, Faith and Ethics, ch. 1-3 (p. 1-94). 2. Instruction on Respect for Human Life. 1. Theological Studies 50 (1989): Articles by Hollenbach (p. 70-94); Sulmasy (p. 95-119) and Cahill (p. 120-150). 2. McCormick, Health and Medicine, p. 75-85. 3. J. B. Hehir, Religious Pluralism and Social Policy: The Case of Health Care, in E. D. Pellegrino, J. P. Langan and J. C. Harvey, eds., Catholic Perspectives on Medical Morals: Foundational Issues (Dordrecht, Frg: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1989) p. 205-222. 1. Paul VI, On Human Life (Humanae Vitae) 1968 (On Reserve). 2. Reports of the Majority and Minority Views of the Papal Commission for the Study of Population, Family and Birth (1967), The Tablet (April 22, 29; May 6, 1967); vol. 221) and R. G. Hoyt, ed., The Birth Control Debate (Kansas City: National Catholic Reporter, 1968) p. 17-111. 3. R. Springer, Theological and Episcopal Reaction, Theological Studies 30 (1969) p. 264-288. 4. G. Grisez, Contraception and the Natural Law (Milwaukee, Wis: Bruce Publishing Co., 1964) p. 76-106. 5. C. Curran, Moral Theology in the Light of Reactions to Humanae Vitae in Transition and Tradition in Moral Theology (Notre Dame Ind: University of Notre Dame Press, 1979) p. 29-50.
Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 1. J. Mangan, An Historical Analysis of the Principle of Double Effect, Theological Studies 10 (1949) p. 40-61. 2. R. McCormick, Ambiguity in Moral Choice, in R. McCormick and P. Ramsey, Doing Evil to Achieve Good (Chicago: Loyola Univ. Press, 1978) p. 7-53. 3. C. Curran, Ongoing Revision in Moral Theology (Notre Dame, Ind: Univ. of Notre Dame Press, 1975) p. 173-209. 4. L. S. Cahill, Teleology, Utilitarianism and Christian Ethics, Theological Studies 42 (1981) p. 601-629. 1. C. E. Curran and R. A. McCormick, Moral Theology, No.1: Moral Norms and Catholic Tradition (N.Y: Paulist Press, 1979): Articles of: Knauer (p. 1-40); Fuchs (p. 94-137); Connery (p. 244-266). 2. P. Keane, The Objective Moral Order, Theological Studies 43 p. 260-278. 1. T. Aquinas, Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 40; q. 64; esp. art. 7. 2. J. Ford, The Morality of Obliteration Bombing, Theological Studies 5 (1944) p. 261-309. 3. G. Grisez, Toward a Consistent Ethic of Killing, American Journal of Jurisprudence 15 (1970) p. 64-96. 4. G. Kelly, The Duty of Using Artificial Means of Preserving Life, Theological Studies 11 (1950) p. 203-220. 5. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Euthanasia (Vatican: 1980) (On Reserve). 6. T. A. Shannon and J. J. Walters, The PVS Patient and the Forgoing/Withdrawing of Medical Nutrition and Hydration, Theological Studies 49 (1988) p. 623-647. 7. L. S. Cahill, Notes on Moral Theology, Theological Studies 48 (1987) p. 105-123.
Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 1. J. Noonan, An Almost Absolute Value in History, in The Morality of Abortion: Legal and Historical Perspectives (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1970) p. 1-59. 2. D. Callahan, The Roman Catholic Position in Abortion: Law, Choice and Morality (N.Y: Macmillan Co., 1970) p. 409-447. 3. R. A. McCormick, The Abortion Dossier, Theological Studies 34 (1974) p. 312-359. 4. G. Grisez, The Catholic Tradition in Abortion: The Myths, the Realities and the Arguments (NY: Corpus Books, 1970) p. 165-185. 1. R. A. McCormick, Ethics and Reproductive Interventions, in How Brave a New World? (Washington, D. C: Georgetown University Press, 1981) p. 306-335. 2. E. Vacek, Vatican Instruction on Reproductive Technology, Theological Studies 49 (1988) p. 111-130. 3. C. Krauthammer, The Ethics of Human Manufacture, New Republic (May 4, 1987) p. 17-21. 4. J. Boyle, An Introduction to the Vatican Instruction on Reproductive Technologies, Linacre Quarterly 55 (1988) p. 20-28. 1. C. Curran, Sterilization: Exposition, Critique and Refutation of Past Teaching, in New Perspectives in Moral Theology (Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press, 1976) p. 194-211. 2. K. O'Rourke, An Analysis of the Church's Teaching on Sterilization, Hospital Progress 57 (May 1976.) p. 68-75. 3. R. A. McCormick, Sterilization and Theological Method, Theological Studies 37 (1976) p. 471-477. 4. J. Boyle, The Sterilization Controversy: A New Crisis for the Catholic Hospital? (N.Y: Paulist Press, 1977) p. 71-95. 5. G. Kelly, Pius XII and the Principle of Totality, Theological Studies 16 (1955) p. 373-396.
Nov. 14 Nov. 28 1. National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice for All: Pastoral Letter on the U.S. Economy (Washington, D.C: U.S. Catholic Conference, 1986) ch. 1, 2 and 5. 2. Catholic Health Association, No Room in the Marketplace: The Health Care of the Poor (St. Louis: Catholic Health Association,1986). 3. C. Curran, The Right to Health Care and Distributive Justice, in Directions in Catholic Social Ethics (Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press, 1985) p. 251-282. 1. T. A. Shannon and J. J. Walter, The PVS Patient and Forgoing or Withdrawing of Medical Nutrition, Theological Studies 49 (1988) p. 623-648. 2. P. Singer, "Right to Die": Seven Tough Questions, Washington Post. 3. Different Viewpoints, Issues in Law and Medicine 5 (1989) p. 165-196; articles by G. Grisez and K. O'Rourke. 4. Text of U.S. Supreme Court Opinions in the Cruzan Case, The United States Law Week (June 26, 1990) (On Reserve).