PHIL 248 - Ethics of Technology

Unit(s): 4

This class introduces students to the ethics of technology. Our first aim is to investigate four classic philosophical theories that seek to explain what makes an action morally right or morally wrong: consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics and moral relativism. We then use this information to critically analyze a variety of case studies across the fields of software engineering and computer and data science. Our second aim is to explore three contemporary moral problems about recent technological innovations, including ethical issues regarding algorithmic bias, lethal autonomous weapons, and big data, privacy, and online manipulation.

College of Arts and Sciences