Syllabus for Technology, Ethics, and Society Textbooks: “The elements of moral philosophy” (5th edition) by James Rachels and Stuart Rachels. (required) “Society, Ethics, and Technology” (4th edition) by Morton E. Winston and Ralph D. Edelbach. (recommended) Days 1‐2 3 4 7‐8 Topic Introduction to the technology topic of the course. Social issues relating to the technology topic. Searching the Internet and literature databases for information on technology. The quality and reliability of different kinds of research sources. How to do citations in a research paper. How to cite Internet URLs. Ethical problems relating to the technology topic. 9 10 What is morality? Ethical reasoning. 11 12 13 Cultural relativism. Subjectivism. Egoism. 14‐15 16‐17 18 19 20‐21 22‐24 Utilitarianism. Deontology. Kant’s categorical imperative. Social contract theory Virtue ethics, Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics Review for midterm, midterm exam. Applying ethical concepts and theories to case studies in the technology topic of the course. Preliminary presentation of term projects. 5 6 25‐27 28‐33 35‐40 Applying ethical concepts and theories to case studies in the technology topic of the course. Final presentation of term projects. 41‐42 Review and wrap‐up. Assignments Research paper assigned. Research paper due. Students choose topics for term projects. Argumentative essay 1 assigned. Essay 1 due. Argumentative essay 2 assigned. Essay 2 due. Class discussion. Preliminary term project write‐
up due. Class discussion. Class discussion. Class discussion. Final write‐
up of term project due.