TEACHING
Syllabus may be downloaded here
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Technology and Human Values
The Philosophy of Robots
As robots and autonomous systems step out of the sci-fi page and into real life we are faced with several important questions. Could robots and AI ever think or feel the way humans can? What effect will more advanced automation and AI have on human production, labour, and science? At what point should a robot or AI be given rights or equal standing to humans? What types of decisions should we trust to autonomous systems? This course examined these questions, and others like them, through the lens of philosophy, thinking about both the modern world and what the future may bring.
As a large part of this we read and watch science fiction. Sci-fi as a genre helps us identify and isolate interesting questions about humanity and technology, and sci-fi writers have important and interesting perspectives on the academic debates considered here. For each class we read a mix of academic and non-academic papers, and consuming at least one piece of fiction which offered an interesting perspective on the topic. The syllabus includes optional readings, both academic and fiction, however, and students are encouraged to explore some of these if they find a topic particularly interesting. |
Syllabus may be downloaded here
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Topics in Bioethics
Nature in Crisis
The environment is in crisis and humans are the central cause. In this class we ask questions like What moral obligations do students have to change their habits to help with climate change? Should we genetically modify species to help them survive global warming or to eliminate diseases? What counts as an invasive species? Should we resurrect extinct animals to try and restore natural ecosystems? Are we relying too heavily on the promise of future technologies to fix current environmental crises?
This course provides students with a grounding in applied ethics. Each reading and lecture focuses on a different environmental crisis, aiming to provide students with practical guidance to both their own, and broader humanity's, moral obligations in each case. By the end of this course students will have informed, well articulated and well argued opinions on the various topics, and will be better prepared to engage with these questions as they continue on to future careers. |