PHL413H1S - Seminar in Applied Ethics -
Ethics of Emerging Technologies (Spring 2020)
This discussion-driven seminar will examine the moral and epistemic dimensions arising from the emergence of new technologies like social media, AI, and massive data collection. Topics will include fake news, conspiracy theories, and internet hoaxes; the role of algorithms in extremism and radicalism; autonomy, the digital self, and online privacy; big data and surveillance; and more.
Readings will be drawn from contemporary philosophy—including bioethics, social epistemology, feminist philosophy, philosophy of language—as well as adjacent disciplines, such as media studies, sociology and critical race theory. Assessment will include seminar participation and essays.