Ethics and Technology thru Science Fiction

Catalog description

The primary goal of this course is to introduce the theories, concepts, and vocabulary of philosophical ethics and to apply these notions to contemporary moral issues of technology use including human enhancement, artificial environments, the treatment of non-human animals, personal identity, and artificial intelligence. The course investigates ethical topics through the prism of classic science fiction stories that raise ethical questions and engender discussion of modern philosophical views of human values, ideals, and morality as they relate to applied technology use. The course further provides a survey of current ethical dilemmas and problems that arise in technology use.