Cultures of the Life Sciences
| Module title | Cultures of the Life Sciences |
|---|---|
| Module code | SOCM039 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Sabina Leonelli (Convenor) Professor John Dupre (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
On this module, you will receive a thorough introduction to contemporary and historical practices in the biological and biomedical sciences. You will explore the ways in which biological knowledge is produced, from the collection and description of species in natural history to the use of models, computation, digital publishing and data-sharing in contemporary biotechnology. You will investigate the relation between the knowledge produced within the life sciences and the infrastructures, legal norms, instruments, institutions and socio-historical conditions under which such knowledge is generated. As a result, you will be able to critically assess the relevance of material, social and economic conditions for the production and future of biological and biomedical knowledge. There are no pre-requisites for entering this course.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- introduce you to contemporary and historical practices in the biological and biomedical sciences, by drawing on scientific, philosophical, historical and sociological literature;
- investigate the relation between the knowledge produced within the biomedical sciences and the infrastructures, legal norms, instruments, institutions and socio-historical conditions under which such knowledge is achieved;
- critically assess the relevance of material, social and economic conditions for the production and future of biomedical knowledge; and
- provide understanding of current and future working conditions, challenges and opportunities for professional researchers in the biological and biomedical sciences.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an understanding of many of the basic conceptual issues and challenges at stake in the life sciences
- 2. demonstrate in writing an ability to analyse the ways in which these problems have been and/or could be addressed
- 3. demonstrate in writing an ability to understand both contemporary and historical aspects of biology in a wide conceptual context and to think across discipline-specific boundaries
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate in writing a well-developed ability to understand and analyse the wider context of scientific theories and practice
- 5. demonstrate in writing an understanding of conceptual, material and institutional choices made during the development of biological knowledge and technologies, and the impact of those choices on society
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. demonstrate an independent ability to construct your own arguments and critically evaluate the ideas and arguments of others, both orally and in writing
- 7. demonstrate in writing you have acquired precision of thought and expression in the analysis and formulation of complex problems. You will also be able to identify and locate appropriate literature, and write a cogent and convincing essay.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will draw from the following:
- Natural history and classification in biology
- Experimental practices
- Modelling and big data practices
- Data sharing and intellectual property
- Publishing practices
- The role of concepts such as ‘gene’ and the ‘environment’
- The role of AI in biology
- Sociopolitics of biology
- Relations between biology and medicine, translational research
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning Activity | 11 | 11 x 1 hour lectures with accompanying PowerPoint presentations |
| Scheduled Learning Activity | 11 | 11 x 1 hour discussion/seminar participation |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | 11 x 10 hours of course readings |
| Guided Independent Study | 78 | Reading/research for and writing of essay |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay outline | 1,000 words | 1-7 | Written feedback from lecturer |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100 | 4,000 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (4,000 words) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 | Deadline is September 1st |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
2018. Handbook for Genomics, Health and Society. London: Routledge.
Bedau, Mark und Carol E. Cleland (Hrsg.): The Nature of Life: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives (Cambridge, 2010).
Dietrich, M., Borrello, M., Harman, O. (eds.) Handbook of the Historiography of Biology. Historiography of Science, volume 1. Springer, Cham.
Dupre, J (1993) The Disorder of Things. Cambridge University Press.
Dupré, J. 2012. Processes of Life: Essays in the Philosophy of Biology, Oxford University Press.
Grene, M. and Depew, D. (2004). The Philosophy of Biology. Cambridge University Press.
Griffiths, P. E. and Stotz, C. 2013. Genetics and Philosophy: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Griffiths, P. E., and Sterelny, K. 1999. Sex and Death: An Introduction to Philosophy of Biology. University of Chicago Press.
Hull, D.L., and Ruse, M. (Eds.). 2007. The Cambridge Companion to the Philosophy of Biology. Cambridge University Press.
Leonelli, S. (2016) Data-Centric Biology: A Philosophical Study. Chicago University Press.
Laubichler, M. D. and Jane Maienschein (Eds.) 2007. From Embryology to Evo-Devo: A History of Developmental Evolution. MIT Press.
Morange, M. 1998. A History of Molecular Biology. Harvard University Press.
Mayr, E. 1982. The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance. Belknap.
O’Malley, M. 2014. Philosophy of Microbiology. Cambridge University Press.
Mueller-Wille, S and Rheinberger, H (2012) A Conceptual History of Heredity. Chicago University Press.
Parry S. and Dupre, J. (Eds.) 2010. Nature After the Genome. Wiley-Blackwell.
Rajan, K.S. 2017 Pharmocracy. Duke University Press.
Ruse, M. (Ed.). 2008. The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Biology. Oxford University Press.
Rheinberger, H.-J. 2010. An Epistemology of the Concrete: Twentieth-Century Histories of Life. Duke University Press.
Sapp, J. 2003. Genesis: The Evolution of Biology. Oxford University Press.
Sarkar, S., and Plutynski, A. (Eds.). 2008. A Companion to the Philosophy of Biology. Blackwell.
Schaffner, K.F. 1993. Discovery and Explanation in Biology and Medicine. University of Chicago Press.
Stevens, H., and S. Richardson (Eds.) 2015. Postgenomics: Perspectives on Biology after the Genome. Duke University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Important Journals
Biological Theory
Biology and Philosophy
BioSocieties
History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences
Genetics and Society
Journal of the History of Biology
Studies in History and Philosophy of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 09/04/2020 |
| Last revision date | 09/04/2020 |
