Can ethics lessons prepare us for life choices?

This week's BioNews reports on research conducted by the Institute of Education into the teaching of ethics in science at school. According to the Wellcome Trust, which commissioned the research, the results suggest that children are leaving school without an understanding of ethical issues in science, making them 'ill-equipped to deal with new life choices presented by the genetic revolution'.

Part of the problem is a familiar separation between science and the humanities: one teaching facts and the other analytical thinking. But the separation is more to do with educational tradition, rather than teachers' reluctance to cooperate with colleagues from other disciplines. The divide means that humanities teachers feel ill-equipped to answer questions of science fact, whilst science teachers feel ill-equipped to help their students think philosophically.

The latter problem of failing to teach philosophical concepts (rather than simply presenting opposing arguments) is unsurprising. Science teachers aren't taught to do it and such a structured approach to ethical issues rarely comes naturally. Teaching philosophical concepts will encourage students to think about their approach to ethical problems in science, rather than just their attitude towards a particular issue. The ability to think critically and rationally is certainly a valuable tool to acquire. But it will never fully prepare people for decisions in later life.

Whilst pre-existing moral frameworks might help some facing decisions thrown up by the 'genetic revolution', for many they are overtaken by more practical or personal considerations. Faced with a challenge, prompted perhaps by a diagnosis of some kind, people seek scientific or medical facts, rather than philosophical concepts, to help them reach a decision that works for them.