As medicine advances and life expectancy increases, almost all of us will at some point encounter an ethical dilemma in dealing with our own health or the health of a loved one. And many of these ethical choices have ended up being debated in courts.
In a pluralistic, multicultural society, we are increasingly uncomfortable with the state being able to decide what is best for us. How can compelling societal interest to preserve life, or to distribute limited resources equitably, be reconciled with ethics regarding the sanctity of life and the autonomy to choose for ourselves the kind of care we want?
What parental rights do sperm donors have? If we can sell sperm, why not a kidney? Should one be allowed to pursue dangerous experimental treatment that is more likely to shorten life than to cure it?
Modern medicine creates many new quandaries as it continually pushes the boundaries of what is possible. And it has often fallen to the courts to decide how to respond to these new circumstances.
In this engaging course, we will examine contemporary case studies, and compare Jewish and secular legal approaches as a means of developing ethical understanding.