Duration
24h Th
Number of credits
| Bachelor in bioengineering | 1 crédit |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Relevant ethical issues for the bioengineer are addressed by a diversity of lecturers from various disciplinary backgrounds. Methods and resources for the ethical analysis of the major issues of bioengineering are presented, in the contexts of the construction of knowledge and techniques, the environmental crisis and dialogue with society on planetary issues, the governance of organizations, links with living organisms and ecosystems.
All the lessons are introduced and followed by a closing session, to ensure the link between the different subjects.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
- Identify the philosophical, epistemological and ethical questions raised by bioengineering practices.
- Understand fundamental philosophical and epistemological concepts, relevant to bioengineering practices.
- Understand the main approaches to ethical analysis - deontological, consequentialist, procedural, etc. -, their differences and complementarities.
- Apply philosophical, epistemological and ethical reflection to practical cases involving the relationships between human beings and their human and non-human environments, through technology and corporate and institutional governance in particular, using appropriate tools.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The lesson program, subject to change from year to year, is as follows:
- Lesson 1: Thibault De Meyer and Patrick du Jardin (ULiège, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech respectively) - Introduction
- Lesson 2: Florence Caeymaex (ULiège, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters) - Bioethics, foundation of ethics for the life sciences
- Lesson 3: Thibault De Meyer (ULiège, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters) - Environmental philosophy and ethics
- Lesson 4: Patrick du Jardin - Genetically modified organisms in agriculture: from precaution to ethics
- Lesson 5: Marc Vandenheede (ULiège, faculty of veterinary medicine) - Animal welfare and animal ethics
- Lesson 5: Quentin Hiernaux (ULB) - Plant philosophy and status of non-animal life
- Lesson 6: Virginie Xhauflair (ULiège HEC) - Corporate Social Responsibility in the Anthropocene
- Lesson 7: François Mélard (ULiège, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Sciences) - Citizen participation and committed research
- Lesson 8: Conclusions
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
Face-to-face teaching, with the use of interactive digital tools and discussion time
Recommended or required readings
Each lecturer provides his/her slides and reading advice.
General introductory books on the ethics of bioengineering:
- DUBOIS M., et BRAULT N., 2021. Manuel d'épistémologie pour l'ingénieure. Editions Matériologiques. Paris
- MEPHAM T.B., 2008 - Bioethics, an introduction for the biosciences. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
- METAYER M. et FERLAND G. , 2018 - Philosophie éthique - Enjeux et débats actuels. 5ème edition. Pearson ERPI. Montréal.
Continuous assessment
Out-of-session test(s)
Other : Original tiered approach based on the participation to the course
Additional information:
There is no compulsory exam strictly speaking but a "tiered grading" system is put in place, aiming to measure the active participation of the student:
Tier 1, participation score: based on attendance at all lessons (10/20 is obtained when no unjustified absence, with no other requisites),
Tier 2, consolidation score: based on voluntary response to an online questionnaire;
Tier 3, advanced training score: based on the voluntary presentation of a personal work, the form of which is specified at the start of the year.
The scores of the successive tiers are incremental, which means that the score acquired at each tier cannot be reduced by those of the higher tiers(s). For example, the 10/20 acquired at tier 1 cannot be diminished by the scores that would be acquired at tiers 2 and 3.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Pr. Patrick du Jardin Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Contact by email (patrick.dujardin@uliege.be) or telephone (081 622456)