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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 325"
COURSE NAME: "Ethics of Emerging Technologies"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Stefan Sorgner
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 7:30 PM 8:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous philosophy course or Junior Standing Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Technological advances continually create new ethical challenges, and even paradigm shifts in many disciplines. The main focus of this course is on selected contemporary topics in the fields of information technology, robotics and artificial intelligence, environment and technology, and artificial life. By exploring these topics, we will try to answer such questions as “can the use of autonomous robots in war be morally justified?”, “is geoengineering the right response to climate change?”, and “does in vitro meat solve the problem of non-human personhood?”.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course examines some of the most important contemporary issues in the field of ethics of emerging technologies to help you to develop a familiarity with the debates and your ability to discuss, reflect on, and defend your own views.

 

During the initial two sessions, a basic outline of key terms of the debates and their relevance will be introduced, including the relationship between ethical theories and applied ethical issues and the meaning and history of the field of ‘ethics of emerging technologies’. Then, we will focus on the specific moral challenges raised by particular types of emerging technology. Thus we will deal with the relationship between enhancement and therapy, moral challenges related to IT, robotics, and synthetic genomics, and ethical questions which deal with the relationship between emergent technologies and the environment. By considering the strongest arguments for and against a specific moral attitude, you will be able to form your own views and arguments concerning the questions which we reflect upon. The main focus of the assignments will be to show how well developed and consistent your line of arguments are for the claims that you defend.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

More specifically, by the end of the course you will be able to:

• recognize and analyze ethical issues raised by emerging technologies;

• analyze relevant recent cases, along with specific positions and arguments regarding them;

• analyze and employ broader theoretical approaches, debates, and concepts in the field;

• develop informed, reasoned positions regarding these issues, cases, and broader theoretical aspects;

• explain and analyze course material orally and in written forms;

• make appropriate use of original and academic resources and undertake guided research work.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Ethics and Emerging TechnologiesSandler, Ronald Palgrave, Basinstokes, 2014978-0-230-36703-6      
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
MidtermThe mid-term written assignment will be a ‘take-home’ assignment of 1000-2000 words (incl. bibliography), written in response to one of a selection of questions which I will provide. I will distribute the questions during week 6 and the assignment should be submitted by Friday of week 7. An electronic version of the project must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) A printed version must be given to the instructor. You will find your grade on your written mid-term assignment when it will be given back to you.30
PresentationsIn-class Presentation: Students are required to give two short individual presentations (5 - 10 minutes). The presentation will be well-organized, concise, and include (when opportune) audiovisual and electronic materials. An electronic version of the presentations must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) The deadline is the last class. No materials will be accepted past the deadline. Please ask your instructor about your grade immediately after the class, in which you will have given the presentation.10
Final examThe final exam will consist in an essay. All students will have to answer the same question.20
Final projectFinal Project: The final paper (1000-2000 words, incl. bibliography) will be on any topic of the student’s choice related to the class program. The topic should be precisely defined and worthy of investigation. An electronic version of the project must be uploaded on moodle. (Title of Course/Term/Year) A printed version must be given to the instructor. The deadline is the last class (session 28; the deadline is not the date of the final exam). No materials will be accepted past the deadline.30
Class participation 10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course. 94 to 100 A; 90 to 93 A
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments. 87 to 89 B+; 84 to 86 B; 80 to 83 B-
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings. 75 to 79 C+; 70 to 74 C; 65-69 C-
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail. 60 to 65 D+; 55 to 59 D; 50-54 D-
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant. 0 to 49 F
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Class schedule and topics









 Week 1:          Monday: Introduction to Ethics and Emerging Technologies

                        Wednesday: Introduction to Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2





Week 2:           Monday: Biomedical and Therapeutic Technologies 1

                        Reading: 10. Crossing Species Boundaries, by Jason Robert and Francoise Baylis

                       Wednesday: Biomedical and Therapeutic Technologies 2

                       Reading: 11. The Coming Era of Nanomedicine, by Fritz Allhoff

 

 Week 3:          Monday: Biomedical and Therapeutic Technologies 3

Reading: 12. Psychopharmacology and Functional Neurosurgery: Manipulating Memory, Thought, and Mood, by Walter Glannon

 

                       Wednesday: Human Enhancement Technologies 1

Reading: 17. Enhancing Justice?, by Tamara Garcia and Ronald Sandler

 

Week 4:          Monday: Information Technologies 1

Reading: 18. Bigger Monster, Weaker Chains: The Growth of an

American Surveillance Society, by Jan Stanley and Barry Steinhardt

 

                      Wednesday: Information Technologies 2

Reading: 19. Nanotechnology and Privacy: The Instructive Case of RFID, by Jeroen Van den Hoven

 

Week 5:          Monday: Information Technologies 3

Reading: 20. Intellectual Property: Legal and Moral Challenges of Online File Sharing, by Richard A. Spinello

 

                      Wednesday: Information Technologies 4

 Reading: 21. Virtual Reality and Computer Simulation, by Philip Brey

 

Week 6:          Monday: Information Technologies 5

Reading: 22. The Digital Divide: Information Technologies and the Obligation to Alleviate Poverty, by Kenneth Himma and Maria Bottis

 

                      Wednesday: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence 1

Reading: 23. Ethics, War, and Robots, by Patrick Lin, Keith Abney, and George Bekey

      

Week 7:          Monday: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence 2

Reading: 24. Ethics, Law, and Governance in the Development of Robots, by Wendell Wallach

 

                      Wednesday: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence 3

Reading: 25. What to Do about Artificial Consciousness, by John Basl

  

Week 8:          Monday: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence 4

Reading: 26. The Singularity Is Near, by Ray Kurzweil

 

                      Wednesday: Environment and Technology 1

Reading: 27. Risk, Precaution, and Nanotechnology, by Kevin C. Elliott

                                                      

Week 9:          Monday: Environment and Technology 2

Reading: 28. Avoiding Catastrophic Climate Change: Why

Technological Innovation Is Necessary but Not Sufficient, by Philip Cafaro

 

                      Wednesday: Environment and Technology 3           

Reading: 29. Ethical Anxieties about Geoengineering, by Clive Hamilton

                    

Week 10:        Monday: Environment and Technology 4

Reading: 30. Ecosystems Unbound: Ethical Questions for an Interventionist

Ecology, by Ben A. Minteer and James P. Collins

 

                      Wednesday: Agricultural Technologies 1

Reading: 31. Ethics and Genetically Modifi ed Foods, by Gary Comstock

 

Week 11:       Monday: Agricultural Technologies 2

Reading: 32. Women and the Gendered Politics of Food, by Vandana Shiva

 

                     Wednesday: Agricultural Technologies 3

Reading: 33. The Ethics of Agricultural Animal Biotechnology, by Robert Streiffer and John Basl

      

Week 12:       Monday: Agricultural Technologies 4

Reading: 34. Artificial Meat, by Paul Thompson

 

                     Wednesday: Synthetic Genomics and Artificial Life 1

Reading: 35. Synthetic Biology, Biosecurity, and Biosafety, by Michele Garfinkle and Lori Knowles

 

Week 13:        Monday: Synthetic Genomics and Artificial Life 2

Reading: 36. Evolution and the Deep Past: Intrinsic Responses to Synthetic Biology, by Christopher J. Preston

 

                      Wednesday: Synthetic Genomics and Artificial Life 3

Reading: 37. Social and Ethical Implications of Creating Artificial Cells, by Mark A. Bedau and Mark Triant

 

Week 14:         Review for final examination