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Unit outline_

BMRI5001: Neuroethics

Semester 2 Early, 2020 [Block mode] - Mallett Street, Sydney

This unit of study synthesizes and critically scruitinizes our models and concepts of brain and mind through a neuroethics lens. Neuroethics is sub-field of bioethics that is concerned with the ethical, legal and social impact of the neurosciences. Beginning with a module on the historical development of modern neuroscience, students will learn about the beliefs, experiements and discoveries that have led us to recognise how the brain contributes to the human experience in unique ways. Throughout this unit, students will examine how advances in neuroscience have shaped how we conduct research, treat clinical conditions, make individual and collective decisions, and live together as a society. During the class discussions and assessments, students will grapple with the issues that arise when we intervene in the brain and how those interventions modify our concepts of health, illness, identity and morality. The scope of these issues is enormous and speaks to the importance of students developing a clear framework to contextualize developments in neuroscience within the scientific, ethical, cultural, social and legal environments in which they arise.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Central Clinical School
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Eryn Werry, eryn.werry@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Position paper 2
Written response to scenario
35% Formal exam period 1700 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Participation Participation in class discussions
Tutorial discussion
5% Ongoing n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Open peer commentaries
Written response to journal articles
25% Week 04 1,100 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4
Assignment Position paper 1
Written response to scenario
35% Week 10 1700 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4

Assessment summary

  1. Participation in class discussions: Each class, discussion activities will be integrated into the lectures in order to further engage with the material presented and readings.
  2. Open peer commentaries: Two academic journal articles will be assigned to students for reading. Students will then be asked to prepare a 550 word response to each article.
  3. Position Papers: Students will choose one of the scenarios prepared by the unit coordinator that present an application of neuroscience that is ethically, socially or legally challenging. Paper 1 will define and defend an initial stance, while Paper 2 will defend the opposite stance. 

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

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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:

Students should refer to the Canvas site for actual due dates and times. Late assignments that have not been granted extensions and are of a standard to receive a pass or higher mark will attract a penalty of 5% of the maximum mark per day (or part thereof) late including weekend days (e.g. if the assignment is worth 40 marks, the penalty is 2 marks per day late) until the mark reaches 50% of the maximum mark (e.g. 20 marks if the maximum is 40 marks). Assignments that are not of a pass standard will not have marks deducted and will fail regardless. Assignments submitted more than 10 days late without prior approval will not be accepted and will be given a zero (0) mark.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 02 1. Welcome and background; 2. Introduction to ethics; 3. Introduction to neuroethics: an overview of the definitions, goals and underlying principles of neuroethics scholarship and practice; 4. How to write an essay Workshop (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 06 1. Neuro-concepts, neuro-assumptions, neuro-explanations; 2. Neurolaw; 3. Sociological and Ethical concerns presented by neuroscience; 4. History of Neuroscience in Australia; 5. When Neuroscience takes on philosophy Workshop (8.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 10 1. Ethical and social issues with improving cognitive performance; 2. Personality change and advanced directives; 3. Addiction and Responsibility; 4. Public understanding of neuroscience: representation of neuroscience in the media and examples of hyped neurotechnology Workshop (7 hr) LO4 LO5 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: Attendance requirements have been waived for Semester 2, 2020.
  • Requirements for passing the unit of study: Students must submit a genuine attempt for every assessment and earn an average mark of at least 50% for the unit as a whole. If a student has attempted and failed an assessment they may be given the opportunity for resubmission typically within a week of receiving their mark. This resubmission may be the same or an alternative task to the original and the maximum mark obtainable for a resubmission is 50%. Academic honesty must be demonstrated in all forms of assessment. Similarity detection software (i.e. Turnitin) will be used for all submitted written work.
  • Referencing guide: Scholarly referencing is required for all assignments along with a complete reference list (bibliography) in the same format. Some suggestions may include Harvard, APA, and Vancouver. You must use one specific style, and state what is in your reference list sub-heading e.g. “Reference List in Harvard Style”.

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

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

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.

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

  • LO1. discuss brain and mind function within a historical, philosophical and ethical context
  • LO2. explain the impacts of key neuroscience innovations of the last century on concepts of brain and mind function
  • LO3. critique claims regarding the benefits and harms of neuroscience for understanding brain and mind function, and psychological capacities
  • LO4. examine how society and culture influence central concepts in brain and mind sciences
  • LO5. determine ethical issues that arise from the use of neurotechnology in research and clinical contexts
  • LO6. analyse broader implications of neuroscience in social and legal contexts
  • LO7. debate appropriate uses of neurotechnology in clinical, social and legal contexts.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

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.