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Canyon College
online Naturopathic History, Philosophy, and Ethics course at Canyon College
COURSE SYLLABUS: Naturopathic History, Philosophy, and Ethics


Course Title: NH718 - Naturopathic History, Philosophy, and Ethics
Department: School of Naturopathic Health & Medicine
Instructor: Charlene Majersky - PhD, MPH E-Mail Vita
Phone Numbers: (619) 298-9770 (home); (619) 553-0569 (direct number at work)


INTRODUCTION: Welcome to NH718, Naturopathic History, Philosophy, and Ethics, a ten-week elective online Doctorate level course in the curriculum for the Degree, Doctorate in Natural Health Care. This is an exciting course!

In the first part of this course, the student will learn about the historical roots of naturopathy, a variety of natural therapies, and the modern applications and validations of naturopathic techniques. With regard to naturopathic philosophy, the basic foundations of the art, such as Premum no nocere (“First, do no harm”), Vis medcatrix naturae (“the healing power of nature”), and Tolle causum (“all causes,” or what makes people get sick) are reviewed. Additionally, the nine naturopathic standards adopted by the profession at the Golden Jubilee meeting in 1947 are discussed. Moreover, a variety of naturopathic modalities such as heliotherapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, homeopathy, massage, exercise, rest and sleep, and fasting are analyzed. Finally, the student will gain invaluable insights into the healing power of nature.

In the second part of this course, the student is presented with an interdisciplinary perspective to bioethics, relying heavily upon the teachings of economics, law, and public health within the context of the nature of the relationship between patients and clinicians, health care providers and the societies in which they live, and finally the relationship between the health care enterprise and the international community.

In the final part of this course, the student will examine medical ethics from either a Judeo-Christian approach or a Jewish perspective.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Majersky has been involved in the health care industry since 1992. Her doctorate degree is in health care administration from Capella University and her master’s degree in public health with a specialty in community health development & education is from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In addition to being a member of the Canyon College faculty, she is a member of the faculty at National University in CA and Southern Illinois University Carbondale in IL.

COMMUNICATION: You are encouraged to communicate with your instructor. Your instructor is available as a teacher, coach, and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. Primarily, communication is through email at charlene@canyoncollege.edu. If during your time in this course you change your email address, please be sure to notify me right away. I am also available for conversation by telephone; Monday through Friday, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., PST or on weekends to ensure each student has an adequate understanding of the course requirements and to offer assistance and suggestions.

TIME FRAME: This is a four-semester hour course. This course is allotted 10 weeks of time. Students must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the 10-week period. The first day of week one will begin on the day in which you notify me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame, as it is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless the student has good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be awarded 4 semester hours of credit.

TEXTBOOK INFORMATION:     Online Bookstore

(1) Combining Old & New: Naturopathy for the 21st Century, by Robert J. Thiel. Whitman Publications, 2000. ISBN: 1885653085

(2) Ethical Health Care, by Patricia Illingworth & Wendy Parmet. Prentice Hall, 2006. ISBN: 0130453013

(3) For the third textbook, the student will choose one textbook from the following list of three:
Hippocratic and Judeo-Christian Medical Ethics, by Patrick Guinan & John Brehany. Authorhouse, 2007. ISBN: 1425989071

Matters of Life and Death, A Jewish Approach to Modern Medical Ethics, by Elliot Dorff. Jewish Publication Society, 1998. ISBN: 0827607687

Christian Ethics in Healthcare, by James R. Thobaben. InterVarsity Press, 2007/2008. ISBN: 0830826734 (not available until 2008)

TOPICS:

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this course, the student will be able to: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: At the Doctoral level, the primary goal is for the student to exhibit critical thinking and scholarly writing. Accordingly, there are 3 papers required for this course that total 400 points. All papers must be typed, double-spaced, spell checked, and in APA style format.

The first paper, “Naturopathy in the 21st Century,” is due at the end of week #3 and is worth a total of 100 points. The student must answer all of the following questions from the Thiel textbook:
  1. Describe the significance of the history of naturopathy.
  2. Evaluate the two major views of naturopathy within the naturopathic profession and the attempts to change the profession through the legislative process.
  3. Describe the philosophy of naturopathy.
  4. Compare and contrast the writings of Drs. Cordingley, Lahn, and Tilden relative to the cause of disease.
  5. What are the causes of enervation?
  6. Describe the law of dual effect.
  7. What is the purpose of the ten rules of health by Armstrong and Thiel?
  8. Evaluate the various naturopathic assessment techniques presented by the author.
  9. What is iridology?
  10. Describe the effects of air and ozone on breathing.
  11. Is there a problem with magnets and electricity, as discussed by Dr. Kulkarni? Why or why not?
  12. Describe the role of rest, sleep, nutrition, exercise, fasting, and the use of clay and mud on health.
  13. Compare and contrast massage, acupressure, and reflexology.
  14. Is hydrotherapy a valid form of naturopathy? Why or why not?
  15. Discuss natural vs. synthetic vitamins.
  16. Comment on the statement, “synthetic poisons are sold as imitations of natural foods and drugs.” What is your position?
  17. What is pharmacognosy? What are the methods employed in pharmacognosy?
  18. Do you agree or disagree with the ten principles of homeopathy (aphorisms) presented in the text? Why or why not?
  19. Comment on the statement, “if naturopaths embrace allopathic medications as part of their modalities, not only will they betray their naturopathic foundation, they will cease to become naturopaths.” What is your position.
  20. The author’s opinion is that “those who believe synthetics are as good as natural nutrients are doing a disservice to the entire food supply.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?
The second paper, “Ethical Health Care,” is due at the end of week #6 and is worth a total of 100 points. The student must answer all of the following questions from the Illingworth & Parmet textbook:
  1. Compare and contrast the bioethical perspective with that of public health’s population perspective.
  2. Compare and contrast the different theories of distributive justice that have been advanced (i.e., egalitarianism, utilitarians, libertarians, and desert-based).
  3. Describe the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health, including the principal objections.
  4. Discuss what makes us healthy, as presented by the authors.
  5. Describe the economics of health care.
  6. Why is the concept of autonomy an important one for bioethics? Evaluate the concerns with individual autonomy.
  7. What is your position with regard to the questions posed by the authors about the Schiavio case (page 77)?
  8. Compare and contrast two cases contained in the text; In re A.C. and Ferguson v. City of Charleston that confront two different contexts in which the mother’s desire appear to be at odds with the fetus’ health.
  9. Describe the implications of autonomy.
  10. In the selection entitled, “Medical Professionalism in Society” by Wynia and colleagues, three core elements of professionalism are presented. Do you agree or disagree with these elements? Why or why not?
  11. Describe the obligations of physicians to provide quality care.
  12. Compare and contrast the different rationales for medical privacy, as discussed by the authors.
  13. Explain the role of the physician/patient relationship in the era of managed care.
  14. What are the ethical obligations of hospitals? The seminal case, Darling v. Charleston Memorial Hospital, found that hospitals have a duty of care to their patients. Answer the questions posed by the authors on page 297 with regard to this landmark case.
  15. Describe the ethical obligations of managed care organizations.
  16. Discuss the issues surrounding the obligations of the State with regard to whether or not Americans have a right to health care.
  17. Evaluate Americans’ global responsibilities with regard to providing for/aiding with health care for undeveloped nations.
  18. Are health care ethics culturally specific? Why or why not?
  19. Describe the emerging and reemerging issues with regard to individuals, society, and biomedical science.
  20. Describe the relationship among medicine, public health, ethics, and human rights.
MIDTERM: The midterm grade for this course will be the average of the grades for the first and second papers.

The final paper is due at the end of week #10 and is worth a total of 200 points. The student must answer all of the following questions from either the Guinan & Brehany or Dorff textbooks:

Guinan & Brehany textbook:
Title of paper: “An Analysis of Hippocratic and Judeo-Christian Medical Ethics”
  1. What is the significance of the Introductory Prayer for the health care professions?
  2. Is there a correlation between spirituality, medicine, and the world? Why or why not?
  3. Evaluate the logic that health care professionals engage in healing, prayer, and memory.
  4. The authors state that “Christian health care professionals are called to cultivate a spirituality of medical practice.” Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why or why not?
  5. Describe the history of medical ethics.
  6. Compare and contrast Jewish medical ethics with that of Christianity’s contribution.
  7. Discuss the developments that gave rise to bioethics.
  8. Compare and contrast the two basic ethical orientations - deontological and teleological.
  9. What makes an ethical action good or bad?
  10. Compare and contrast the primary stages of the virtue theory.
  11. What is the significance of the Principle of Double Effect (PDE)? Evaluate the four steps in PDE analysis.
  12. Evaluate formal cooperation, material cooperation, and scandal.
  13. Describe the four key contributions of the Hippocratic Oath.
  14. Compare and contrast classical oaths and modern oaths.
  15. What is the significance of the Hippocratic Oath?
  16. Discuss the importance of compassion in medicine.
  17. Evaluate the humaneness of Christianity and its influence on Greek and subsequently early Western medicine.
  18. Describe Byzantine medicine.
  19. Explain why the clinical decision-making role of the physician has been overshadowed by ethical theories and ethical specialists.
  20. Compare and contrast the Utillitarianism Era with that of the Era of Ethical Autonomy.
  21. Judeo-Christian ideologies portray the healthcare industry as a physician-directed coterie of charitable professions that operate outside of the laws of economics. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  22. The long prevailing model of biomedical ethics can be traced to the Hippocratic and Judeo-Christian traditions. The common thread of this idealized model is that the provision of healthcare is rooted in ideal altruism. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  23. In Judeo-Christian ethics, one’s primary responsibility is to serve and be faithful to God. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  24. Some individuals believe that there are no Judeo-Christian ethics. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  25. Jewish and Christian religions base their ethics on covenants with God. However, this is not unique only to Judaism and Christianity. The covenants that these religions adhere to are too different to be considered similar enough to exclude other religious systems in any significant way. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
Dorff textbook:
Title of paper: “An Analysis of the Jewish Approach to Modern Medical Ethics”
  1. The author states that “… moral issues can be profitably treated by using Jewish law, but only if the law is applied intelligently…” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?
  2. Compare and contrast the fundamental Jewish beliefs relevant to health care, as presented by the author in Chapter 2 of the text.
  3. Explain the two primary purposes of sex, according to the Jewish tradition.
  4. Compare and contrast the four sources within the Jewish tradition with regard to insemination of a woman without sexual intercourse.
  5. What is the significance of the legal objections to donor insemination that have been raised by rabbis?
  6. Describe the moral and psychological issues involving egg donation.
  7. What is the difference between modern American adoption practice and Jewish law with regard to adoptive parents?
  8. State the social, religious, and personal matters that affect decisions to use birth control.
  9. Compare and contrast the four general approaches to homosexuality – the textual, the historical, the biological, and the moral.
  10. In Chapter 6 of the text, Rabbi David Golinkin restricts the Jewish legitimate use of gene therapy for the prevention or cure of diseases. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  11. Compare and contrast the Jewish stance on suicide, assisted suicide, and active euthanasia.
  12. Describe the three main principles with regard to how Jews should treat the body after death.
  13. Why does Jewish law prohibit cremation?
  14. What are the psychological factors that impede organ donation?
  15. What is your position on personal measures to preserve health?
  16. The author discusses social steps to preserve health. Do you agree or disagree with the information presented? Why or why not?
  17. What is the difference between the social plane and the religious plane with regard to the spiritual elements of recovery?
  18. Compare and contrast the five classical criteria for triage, as presented in Chapter 12.
  19. According to Jewish tradition, who is responsible for paying for medical care?
  20. Describe the moral issues with regard to cloning.
  21. The author’s position is that “human cloning should be regulated, not banned.” Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  22. In Jewish ethics, moral responsibility is determined by the power of self and community. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  23. In Jewish ethics, moral standards are left to interpretation by various rabbis and individuals in each Jewish community. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  24. The Jewish approach to medicine is the opposite of the secular approach. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
  25. The Jewish approach to any ethical question relies on two important concepts: that good ethics start with good facts and that in Judaism, there is no distinction between Jewish law and ethics. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Why or why not?
GRADING: The grading scale for this course, based on a total of 400 points, is as follows:

360-400 points = A
320-359 points = B
280-319 points = C
Below 280 points = F