PHL D05: Technology Ethics (Advanced Seminar in Ethics)

Winter 2022 • University of Toronto

Course Description

This course will explore several contemporary topics in the area of technology ethics, including the ethics of big data, biological enhancement, and the ethical status of robots and AI.

Required Texts

There are no required books for this course. All readings will be made available electronically on Quercus.

Course Mechanics

Lectures and Discussion: I lecture with slides. The slides will be used to focus discussion and organize complex material; they are not a substitute for the readings. The slides will be made available on Quercus a few days after lecture. Students are expected to take careful notes and will be held responsible for the material discussed in class not found on the slides or in the readings.

Reading Assignments: Students are required to read each selection prior to class. You should take notes while reading, keeping track of questions or issues that arise. You should bring both the reading and the notes/questions to class.

Grading

• Participation: 15% (see below for details on how this is determined)
• Writing Assignments 1 and 2: 20% and 30% (see below for explanation)
• Writing Assignment 3: 35%

To receive participation credit, you are required to come to each lecture with two questions prepared, based on the readings listed for that lecture. These will be turned in at the beginning of each class (there will be a place to turn them in on Quercus at the beginning of class when we are meeting on Zoom; when meeting in person you should turn in a hard copy). These will be graded based on how well they provide clear evidence that you have thoroughly completed and seriously thought about the readings. They will also be used during in-class group exercises. To receive participation credit, you must also participate actively with your group during the group exercises. In-class writing assignments that were not completed while attending class will not be accepted.

If the student performs better on assignment 1 than on assignment 2, then assignment 1 will count for 30% of the final grade, and assignment 2 20%. Otherwise, assignment 1 will count for 20% of the final grade, and assignment 2 30%.

Course Policies

Lateness: The 3 writing assignments must be submitted to Quercus before the date/time they are due; otherwise they will be considered late. A late assignment will immediately result in a reduction of 1 full letter grade. For each additional 24 hours it is late, the grade will be reduced by 1/3 of a letter grade (B reduced to B-, C+ reduced to C, etc.). In fairness to students who make sacrifices to ensure that their work is turned in on time, no exceptions can be made to this policy unless you discuss it with me well in advance of the due date.

Academic Integrity: All suspicions of academic misconduct will be reported in accordance with university policy. Academic misconduct is not just blatant cheating (e.g., copying off another student during an exam), but includes copying other students’ essays; copying or using old essays; forgetting to cite material you took from an outside resource; turning in work completed in total or in part by another. This is an incomplete list; if you have questions concerning academic misconduct it is your responsibility to ask me for advice.

Tentative Reading Schedule (subject to change)