Technical Computer Science

Technical Computer Science

Modules 11 & 13: Philosophy and Ethics of Science and Design
Module 11 is an introductory course on the ethics of technology, computer science, and design. The goal is to give the student an operational toolkit to be able to make use of and apply ethically oriented concepts and arguments to technological methods, practices, and systems. We will look at such questions as: What is ethics and how it is different from morality and law? What are values and why it is important to talk about them? What are some of the ethical problems that arise in the design and use of technology? What, if anything, is wrong with violations of privacy? Will robots take our jobs? Why are people worried about algorithms and bias? We will look at concrete examples of ICTs and other technologies and try to understand their ethical and societal dimensions. The course is connected to a design project and helps students critically reflect upon its ethical dimensions and anticipate the impact of a design on users, the environment, and society.
Module 13  is an interactive introduction to philosophy for students of computer science and information technology. We examine fundamental topics in philosophy, including minds and brains, autonomy and agency, language and epistemology, identity and recognition, aesthetics and replication. At each stage, we explore how these topics intersect with questions about technology and computing.

RESTS Teachers: Dina Babushkina, YJ Erden and Dominic Lenzi (Section Philosophy)