Philosophy 118S: Ethical Issues in Science and Engineering
Schedule


Date   Day         Subtopic      Reading       Due

Introduction/Orientation
Jan 15 M   What is technology?   no reading    

What Is technology?
Jan 17 W   essence of technology Ortega, pp. 87-134
Jan 22 M   moral problem of technology  pp. 134-161    
Jan 24 W   new concerns in technology   Longino   

Nuclear Technology 
Jan 29 M   introduction/videos   Badash, pp. 1-26 
Jan 31 W   Manhattan project    pp. 27-57    P1
Feb 5   M   escalation: H-bomb  pp. 57-79    P2
Feb 7   W   testing and fallout     pp. 80-114     P3
Feb 12 M   nuclear power and wastes     LWVs, pp. 34-128    P4

Genetic Research
Feb 14 W   introduction/video    Frankel&Teich, pp. x-9       Paper
Due
Feb 19 M   family issues         pp. 9-46      P5
Feb 21 W   privacy and control   pp. 47-98     P6
Feb 26 M   behavior and responsibility  pp. 103-172    P7

Animal Experiments
Feb 28 W   introduction/guest (xerox articles)
Mar 4  M   do animals have rights?     (xerox)    P8
Mar 6  W   does research need animals?       (xerox)    P9

Spring Vacation  Mar 11-15

Water Resources
Mar 18 M   hydro-power and fisheries    Black
Mar 20 W   veggies, cotton, cattle      Aiken     P10
Mar 25 M   pesticides and fertilizers   Jackson, pp. ??     P11
Mar 27 W   salination and loss   pp. ??        P12
Apr 1  M   overpopulation        Ehrlich, pp. ??  P13
Apr 3  W   overconsumption        pp. ??       

Computing Today
Apr 8  M   software theft        Forester, pp. 51-72   P14
Apr 10 W   hacking and viruses   pp. 73-104    P15
Apr 15 M   invasion of privacy   pp. 131-162   P16
Apr 17 W   artificial intelligence      pp. 163-192    P17

Presentation Period           Apr 22-26

The Professions
Apr 29 M   professional ethics   Davis         
May 1  W   ethics and education  Harris, et al.

           Research Paper Due, Wednesday, May 8th (Except for
seniors)

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Updated on January 12, 1996, by Tad A. Beckman (tbeckman@thuban.ac.hmc.edu ).