Past projects

The main target groups of this project are the teachers, directors of schools, recreation leaders, school psychologists and pedagogues, juvenile workers and other specialists who are related to the youth. In addition to the above, the direct beneficiary of this program include children who study in primary schools and secondary schools.

The main aims of this project are:

(a)   to empower Estonian educationalists in handling the topics of migration and refugees as well as in supporting the educational path of the children with migration background;

(b)   provide children with interesting and juvenile opportunities that enable them to discuss and contemplate on the topics of migration and refugees;

(c)   continue supporting the schools and juvenile institutions in conducting values discussions with students.

This project is the continuation for the project ´The preparation of Estonian schools in handling the topics of refugees and supporting the educational path of refugees’ in 2016, which was funded by the Embassy of the United States of America in Estonia.

Please see the annex in here

This project is being managed by the Estonian Refugee Council and the University of Tartu Centre for Ethics in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, and it is being funded by Council of the Gambling Tax.

The concept of relativism includes an array of positions unified by the view that certain important aspects of thought, experience, judgment and reality are relative. Pluralism signifies a perspective that certain things (concepts, values, norms, discourses, views) exist in plurality. The project will critically analyze various forms of relativism and pluralism (moral, political, epistemic, conceptual) and their implications. The objective is to establish that denying monism—a view that there exists only one acceptable conceptual scheme or value system—does not necessarily lead us to relativism. A lot of inconsistency and incoherence exists within relativism. A relativist position might lead to a denial of objectivity, knowledge, communication and the possibility of progress in thinking, language, science, morality, politics etc. Critical analysis of relativism will indicate whether pluralism could suffice as an alternative - while opposing monism it can be combined with objectivism.

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a cooperation framework of Governments. Its aim is to organise research in disaster bioethics in the European level. During four years, two annual workshops and several conferences are organised. The University of Tartu organises the conference in the February of 2014.

The aim of the project is to create “Values Game for Doctors” - a methodological tool that can be used in the training of doctors and nurses, and in the training on medical ethics.

The values game is a serious and interactive tool for a successful dialogue. It develops the players’ self-reflection, ability to discuss and reason, and it motivates for cooperation and consensus even in case of different opinions.

The purpose of the game is to make one think about the role and responsibility of doctors and other medical workers, find out the values that form the basis of the health care system and bring these values from the abstract level to the context of the every day life of doctors and nurses. The game aims to enliven the dialogue about different behavior models and value conflicts between doctors and other medical workers. The “Values Game for Doctors” offers situations on different topics, for instance, the relations between medical workers and patients, relations with the family of the patient, relations with the colleagues, the board of the medical institution and media.

The Centre for Ethics leads the project in cooperation with Inscape OÜ who is responsible for the format and methodology of the game. In 2010, the Centre for Ethics and Inscape OÜ created “Values Game for Teachers” which is successfully used in teacher training and in schools.

In order to create the content for the “Values Game for Doctors”, a working group was established. The working group consists of the representatives of the Centre for Ethics, Inscape OÜ, Estonian Council on Bioethics, Ethics Committee of the Tartu University Hospital, Ethics Review Committee on Human Research of the University of Tartu, Estonian Doctors’ Union, Estonian Nurses’ Union, Estonian Hospitals’ Association and Estonian Medical Students’ Association.

The aim of this project is to understand in what sense and to what extent judgments of good and bad, right and wrong, obligation and prohibition form a uniformed idea and discourse category (which could be called ‘normative’). The research focuses on two main questions:

1. 1) is there common ground to the different types of normative judgments (e.g. judgments concerning values and obligation, moral and aesthetic judgments)?
2. 2) do moral decisions which arise from radically different moral perspectives have a fundamental common element? The first question explores the idea that different kinds of normative judgments could be connected to appropriate attitudes or attitude reasoning concepts.

The second question explores the idea that moral decisions are joined by peculiar responsibility which the actor takes when decisions are formed

 ACCOMPLISSH’s aim is to come up with an innovative valorisation concept together with 14 universities from 12 countries within three years. The concept is to be up-scaled on a European level. Analyzing co-creation processes in theory as well as in practice will develop the concept. Knowledge institutions, companies, governmental institutions and civil society, the so-called “quadruple helix”, will take part in the whole process. We will not only be looking at elements that make co-creation and valorisation possible, but we will also identify barriers that prevent these particular processes. 

We will examine how results from a Social Sciences and Humanities focal point, will largely effect companies, governmental institutions and civil society. Moreover we will examine the research concept: to what degree can we valorise the research question by not only looking at the scientific point of view but also looking at societal challenges. Identifying end users at an early stage is an important factor. Another key element is the role of the support staff within the universities. They can act as an intermediate between scientific institutions and society.

 

 

In the project "An expert opinion about the handling of personal data connected to the digital case history in the context of bioethics and medical ethics" the work group will:

1. Analyze the legislation concerning the handling of personal data connected to the digital case history.
2. Compile an overview of the ethical issues related to the handling of personal data connected to the digital case history in the context of bioethics and medical ethics and proposes a list of possible solutions.
3. Develop guidelines for good practice on informing the patients about collecting and using personal data in the digital case history system. This will be completed in cooperation with Estonian Association of Medical Doctors, Estonian Association of Nurses and Estonian Hospitals Association.
4. Presents an opinion as well as ideas for improvement on the code of ethics of Estonian medical doctors in relation to new health-care stations generated by digital case history.

Käesoleva projekti eesmärgiks on selgitada välja, mida tuleks teha, et Eesti ülikoolide õpetajakoolituse lõpetajad suudaksid ja tahaksid praktikas tõhusalt täita õpetajatele pandavaid väärtuskasvatuse alaseid ülesandeid. Kontseptuaalne väärtusalane arendustöö 2010/2011 õppeaastal rakenduva riikliku üldhariduskoolide õppekavaga toob endaga kaasa uued ootused õpetajakoolituse suhtes, mis peaks pakkuma vastavate kompetentside omandamist.

Lähtuvalt senisest tööst ainekavadega (HTM-i ja TÜ leping 28.11.2008-31.05.2009 - number 10.1-8.1/1644) peame vajalikuks uurida, kas ja mil määral tagavad praegused õpetajakoolituse õppekavad selle, et õpetajakoolituse lõpetajad:
1) oskavad käsitleda õppeainete sisus avalduvaid väärtusi kui tunnetus- ja arutlusobjekte (nt keskkond bioloogias, õiglus ajaloos jne);
2) valdavad väärtuskasvatuse erinevaid metoodikaid, mis võimaldavad kujundada positiivsetel väärtustel põhinevaid sisseharjutatud käitumiskalduvusi (nt ausus, töökus, täpsus jne);
3) toimivad reflekteerivate praktikutena ning suudavad oma kutsealast tegevust ja selle väärtuskasvatuslikku dimensiooni teadvustada ja mõtestada.

Töö toimub kolmes etapis: 1) õpetajakoolituse õppekavade analüüs; 2) õpetajakoolituse üliõpilaste väärtuskasvatuse alase pädevuse testimine koolipraktika käigus; 3) eelnevatest etappidest saadud andmete alusel ettepanekute kujundamine õppekavaarenduseks.

Uuringu läbiviimiseks on TÜ eetikakeskuse juurde moodustatud interdistsiplinaarne, teaduskondade- ja ülikoolidevaheline uurimisrühm. Projekti põhitäitjad on Margit Sutrop (TÜ praktilise filosoofia professor, filosoofia ja semiootika instituudi juhataja, eetikakeskuse juhataja, PhD), Halliki Harro-Loit (TÜ ajakirjanduse ja kommunikatsiooni instituudi dotsent, ajakirjanduse ja kommunikatsiooni instituudi juhataja, PhD), Jüri Ginter (TÜ haridusteaduskonna pedagoogika osakonna koolikorralduse lektor, haridusteaduskonna prodekaan, filosoofiakandidaat), Tiiu Kuurme (TLÜ kasvatusteaduste instituudi kasvatusteaduste osakonna dotsent, õppekava juht, PhD), Olga Schihalejev (TÜ usuteaduskonna religioonipedagoogika assistent, Dr).

Projekti väljundid

• Õpetajakoolituse õppekavade analüüsi raport (avalikustatud eetikaveebis).
• Kontseptsioon tuvastatud puudujääkide likvideerimiseks (sh visioon vajalikest õppeainetest ja tugimaterjalidest, soovitavatest kriteeriumitest õppeprotsessi korraldamisel) ja ettepanekud õpetajakoolituse täiustamiseks.
• Metoodikad ja juhendid koolipraktikaks, sh väärtuskasvatuse portfoolio koostamiseks.
• Praktika portfooliod, mis sisaldavad konkreetseid juhtumeid väärtuskasvatuse vallast, metoodikate rakendamiskatsete kirjeldusi ja koolikeskkonna analüüsi väärtuskasvatuse osas.

Konkreetsete materjalide kõrval tuleb aga vähemalt sama olulisena esile tõsta ka taotletavat inimressursi arengut kahel tasandil. Ühest küljest on projekt läbi õppekava arendamise suunatud selliste tulevaste õpetajate koolitamisele, kes suudavad ja tahavad ellu viia neile pandud väärtuskasvatusalaseid lootusi ning kujunevad tulevikus ise sellisteks praktika juhendajateks, kes koolipraktika käigus oskavad suunata noori õpetajaid väärtuste märkamisele, reflekteerimisele ja kujundamisele. Teisalt koolitatakse projekti tegevuste kaudu kraadiõppureid, kes on saanud väärtusliku rakendusliku uurimise kogemuse ning saavad omandatud teadmisi, oskusi ja empiirilist materjali kasutada oma edasises teadustöös.

Philosophy of medicine, including medical ethics, is a subject that has developed greatly in the international arena during the last three decades. With regard to the Nordic and Baltic countries research is pursued on a great number of topics, such asbasic medical concepts, priorities in medical care and the care of the elderly. There are similarities but also great differences between the Nordic and Baltic centres with regard to research and research education in philosophy of medicine. The conditions for doing research in the subject also vary. The subject has no natural place in the university system. It appears in either the philosophical, the medical or the theological faculty. It recruits researchers from different basic disciplines, not only from philosophy but also from theology, medicine and jurisprudence. This means that the focus in research can differ greatly between different scholars and different centres. The time is ripe for creating a network of scholars in the Nordic and Baltic countries in order to define and strengthen the identity of the subject in our countries.

The aim of this planned network is to establish the identity of philosophy of medicine in the Nordic/Baltic countries by considering both institutional and academic conditions for research and the education of researchers. We will encourage the initiation of new joint research projects and by making the subject more visible we hope to increase the number of doctoral students. Our intention is that the network shall after the three year period be converted into a permanent Nordic/Baltic society for philosophy of medicine.

The main task of the project is to provide historical origin and ways of manifestation of normativity in thinking, science and society for a complex study of the philosophical foundations. The critical verification and analysis of a widely shared view that such concepts as knowledge, truth, meaning, virtue, justice, good and right have a normative dimension, is planned. A still open question, to be addressed by the project, is: where does this normativity arise from? The starting point of the research is a philosophical-anthropological hypothesis that the sources of normative thinking and acting are in human nature. We engage in normative thinking because we are reflective creatures who have the capacity to reflect on our beliefs and desires, and ask, what one should do and how one should live. The project has three aims: firstly, it aims to find out the historical sources of normativity, secondly, to understand the nature of normative thinking and thirdly, to analyse its different forms of manifestation (science, morality, religion, politics, law, and art) both in history and in modern times.

The current projectdeals with normativity in three different fields:

• normativity of historical and contemporary thinking (research group at the Chair for History of Philosophy led by prof. Ülo Matjus);
• normativity in science and scientific knowledge (research group at the Chair for the Philosophy of Science led by prof. Rein Vihalemm);
• normativity in morality, politics, religion, law, and art (research group at the Chair for Practical Philosophy led by prof. Margit Sutrop).

Population-based medical and genetic databases are present in various stages of construction in Iceland, Sweden, Estonia and the U.K., and in recent years Finland has been the site of some controversial population-based genetic research. The network will study ethical and legal problems concerning genetic and medical information with a specific focus on issues raised by population-based databases containing medical and genetic data. The network will be concerned with issues raised by the databases themselves, as well as research connected to such databases and potential applications.

The network will pull together resources and expertise of ethicists and law researchers in Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and the U.K. to deal with the many ethical and legal problems arising in this context. The research groups consist primarily of research students and young researchers, supported by established researchers within the field.

In the first year, the emphasis will be put on bringing researchers together at two workshops and a research training seminar. In the subsequent years, there will be an increasing emphasis on exchange of students and faculty, in particular research students’ visits, in addition to one research training seminar in the second year and a conference in the third year.

The aim of the project is to rise environmental awareness in Estonia. By publishing the ground texts in environmental ethics, we wish to contribute to a better understanding of environmental problems and start and develop a public discussion.

The environmental experts are at first to choose 4-5 articles to be translated. The collection must be introductive and understandable for the students at the beginning of their studies. The collection will also be used during the extension service for philosophy teachers at the University of Tartu inorder to give advice how to use the reader in teaching.

The objective of the project is to explore the philosophical-ethical questions that have emerged alongside the speedy developments in science and the new technologies. The focus is foremost on the ethical aspects of genetic databases and the related, the so-called new technologies (pharmacogenetics, gene technology etc). The project is divided into three research fields:

• Analysis of risks related to development of science and new technologies and the elucidation and justification of the values that are seen as being threatened by these risks. Methodologically the history of ideas and the systematic approaches are applied.
• Analysis of values prevalent in bioethics. The aim is to disclose the practices of justification for values like privacy, autonomy, justice and solidarity. In relation to genetic databases, the dilemmas arising from the conflict between liberal individualism and communitarianism that stresses the common good (solidarity versus privacy, contradictory principles of justice, altruistic versus egoistic participation motivation) will be examined.
• Sociological research „Estonian attitudes towards science and technological developments - perceived risks and values“ and the philosophical analysis of the results. Research will focus on questions like which values prevail in relation to technological development? What do the Estonians mean under privacy, do people feel threatened as the amount of genetic information is growing? How are privacy and solidarity, individual and common interests balanced? The purpose of the sociological study is to provide supporting data for the theoretical analysis of the other fields of the research project.

Rising pan-European and International Awareness of Biometrics and Security Ethics (RISE) is a 25 month CSA, which aims to promote pan-European and International Awareness on Ethical Aspects of Biometrics and Security Technologies. In particular the project aims to, to deepen, enlarge, and ensure continuity to transnational (European) and international dialogue already instigated by the international conferences on ethics and biometrics organized by the EC DG Research and the US DHS Privacy Office respectively in Brussels and Washington DC in 2005 and 2006.

RISE's framing point is the new political landscape created by the Treaty of Lisbon of the European Union. The EU is now on the verge of multifaceted reform of its decision-making rules for security, which may have deep ethical and political implications. RISE will address these issues.The project is based on three main ideas: dialogue must be global, policy must be ethically informed and conversation must me ongoing.

Partners: Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy;
Regional Bioethics Information Centre (RBIC), Lithuania, University of Vilnius;
Abteilung Ethik und Geschichte der Medizin und Informations- und Dokumentationsstelle Ethik in der Medizin (IDEM) (UMG-GOE), Germany, University Medical Centre Göttingen, University of Göttingen;
Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBMI), Slovenia, University of Ljubljana;
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Scientifique (INSERM), France;
Centre for Applied Ethics (CAE), Romania, University of Bucharest;
Epson Foundation Institute of Technoethics (FunEPSON), Spain;
Cardiff Centre for Ethics, Law and Society (CCELS), United Kingdom, University of Wales;
Interdepartmental Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities (IZEW), Germany, University of Tübingen;
Ethics Institute (UU-EI), The Netherlands, University of Utrecht;
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), France;
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Italy;
Karolinska Institutet (KIB), Sweden, University of Stockholm;
Centre for Ethics and Law (CEL), Denmark;
Department of Health Care Studies (CAPHRI), The Netherlands, University of Maastricht

It is the overall aim of ETHICSWEB to stimulate an enhanced democratic debate on ethical issues of science and to promote a more engaged and informed public. Therefore, existing information and documentation systems will be connected to allow and ensure an easy access to comprehensive information on science and ethics. At the same time sophisticated tools, both technical and semantic, will be applied or – if necessary developed – to make the huge amount of information available for all parties involved. ETHICSWEB will be a common, decentralized European access point for information that is made available in different European member states, by various regional providers and centres as well as by international organizations.

ETHICSWEB strives for the documentation of different sources which include information on ethics and science like

• literature;
• laws, regulations and guidelines;
• training materials and training programmes;
• academic exchange programmes;
• centres, projects and experts;
• events and news (such as conferences, calls for papers and new initiatives)

Generally, medical ethics, and more recently bioethics, have largely in the West been guided by values of liberal individualism thus stressing every person's voluntary decision-making capacity as the supreme value in research and medical practice. Both traditional medical ethics and bioethics promised to pay the highest respect to the autonomy, privacy and equality of each person. However, the developments in genetics and the initiatives to set up population based genetic databases during the last decades of the 20th century increasingly questioned the applicability or rather the sufficiency of the individual-centred value discourse as the sole ethical framework of guidance in these areas.

Challenges raised by genetics and both its actual and potential applications pointed towards the relevance of other values, of more communal and collective type, in guiding our moral reasoning in topics as diverse as cloning, genetic testing and pharmacogenetics. The same kind of movement took place in public health. The initiatives for improvign public health care, such as e-health projects (the aim of which is to make all medical records available in internet (such as Estonia's e-health project which will be launched in 2008) also showed the limits of the liberal individual-centred ethical frameworks and made clear that public interest may be a strong argument for moving towards more communal ethical decision-making.

In this project we will study this change in ethical frameworks. We will elaborate on the following questions: Is there a clear need for new ethical frameworks for genetic and health sector databases? What kind of ethics will be most suitable to meet the needs of science and new challenges of public health care? Do new advances in science and technology force medical ethics towards a more communitarian ethics or towards an ethics of care, going beyond that of individual autonomy and private interest. Will this new ethics be more suitable to encourage civic participation for the public welfare?

And will it be still able to respect the individual liberty and autonomy and protect the individuals against breaches of confidentiality and discrimination. With the help of the current grant we would like to promote cooperation between the researchers of the Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu, Centre for Ethics at the University of Iceland and Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities, University of Bergen, Norway.