Philosophy 265 - Controversies in Public Health

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the discussion of public health issues. The class will be co-led by a philosopher and a biologist, with additional guest experts offering a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives on some of the most complex and vexing current public health issues. Topics may include: the hazards and benefits of vaccination programs; effective responses to and prevention of natural disasters; obesity, food policy, nutrition, and health; the controversy over hygiene and the rise of allergic and chronic diseases; or the impact of public policy and ethics on reproductive rights. Selected topics will be scrutinized through both a biological and a philosophical lens, with the intersections and divergence of those perspectives highlighted.