Course syllabus for Ethics and technology

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-15 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameTeknikens etik
  • CodeTEK571
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMTS
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • ThemeMTS 7.5 c
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 99119
  • Maximum participants50
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsNo

Credit distribution

0120 Take-home examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		 7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level studies

Aim

The course aims to develop students’ understanding of the ethical problems that arise when technologies are developed and implemented. Students train to be able reason in a systematic and nuanced fashion so that they can come to a well-informed response to questions regarding how society and the individual should act when it comes to the development and application of various technologies. The emphasis of the course is to analyze a variety of cases using among other normative theory.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

-    Identify and critically discuss both orally and in writing, ethical problems that occur in the technological field.
-    Apply basic ethical theories and concepts adequately on existing ethical problems.
-    Assess the sustainability and relevance of the arguments put forward in the debate on ethics and technology, arguing for different possible positions in these debates, and consideration of these issues in an informed and transparent way.
-    Describe the generally accepted research ethics and professional ethical approach and guidelines.
-    In a nuanced way reflect on their future profession from an ethical perspective.

Content

Ethics and technology is simply put the study of the ethical problems and opportunities arising from the development and application of technologies. During the course, students develop their knowledge of what society and the individual should do when faced with the possibility of preparing and implementing new technology. By examining the positions available in different societal debates on the technologies and what they imply, students are trained to recognize and formulate ethical problems, finding problems in the current proposed solutions, and formulate preliminary answers to the problems. In the course we are going to use normative theories such as the right ethics, deontology, virtue ethics and consequence-based ethics but also by other tools for analyzing and to understand and develop the reasoning adopted. The ethical problems involved are specified by we use concrete examples from topical debates and research.

Themes that special attention will be given during the course are:
-    Responsibilities: society and the individual.
-    Professional ethics and research ethics.
-    Classic normative ethics, the ethics of risk, and applied ethics.
-    Moral preconditions, moral methodology.

Organisation

The course consists of lectures, group work and seminars.

Literature

See course home page.

Examination including compulsory elements

The course is examined through diagnostic tests, seminars, group work, peer reviews, and a take home exam.

The grades are: F, 3, 4, 5

For 3, an approved result is required for all diagnostic tests, all group work, all peer reviews and an active presence at all seminars.
For grades higher than 3, a grade higher than 3 on the home exam is required.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.