Teaching

Courses sponsored by SEPP

Study Abroad Winter 2013 (MSEG/PHIL)

Profs. Tom Powers and Ismat Shah

Courses offered are MSEG 302 (Materials Science for Engineers), MSEG 443 (Ethics in Nanoscience), PHIL 448 (Environmental Ethics). With Genoa as the base, we will explore Italy through industrial and exploratory tours to Florence, Venice, and Milan.  Click here for more information.

RAISE-Responsibility and Integrity in Science and Engineering (PHIL 667/UNIV 604)

Profs. Bill Ullman, Mark Greene, and Tom Powers

Ethical issues associated with the integrity of science and engineering include the falsification of experimental results, fabrication of data, conflicts of interest in industry-funded research, plagiarism, vulnerability of whistleblowers, misuse of intellectual property, and improper attribution of authorship for collaborators.  Participants in this seminar will study these issues in depth.  The seminar is part of the Responsibility And Integrity in Science and Engineering (RAISE) program which funds and trains graduate students and post-docs as “ethics educators” across the science and engineering fields to provide peer instruction.  This training emphasizes the pedagogy of problem-based learning.  Admission to the seminar is by prior permission only.

Students admitted to the course will be expected to participate in one activity outside of class that is related to research ethics, such as a peer discussion, a discussion session with selected undergraduates, or a lab-group meeting on topics in research ethics.  In addition, all RAISE students will be eligible for additional support for related activities, e.g., conference travel, workshop funding, or publication funding.

Ethics in Nanoscience (PHIL 467/PHYS 467)

Profs. Thomas M. Powers & Ismat Shah

This course investigates the societal, environmental, and ethical issues that come out of rapid advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In analyzing these issues, we will present a broad picture of the current status of nanotechnology and introduce some basic concepts and theories of ethics. We will then overlay the two to critically reflect on the future of responsible technological development in this area. There are no pre-requisites to the course.

Environmental Ethics (PHIL/UAPP 448)

Prof. Thomas M. Powers

This course surveys well-known theories of environmental ethics and values. In addition, we will discuss contemporary science and policy issues related to environmental ethics such as pollution, climate change, land use, endangered species, habitat preservation, new technologies, human population dynamics, future generations, and large-scale agriculture. The course will require an original research paper that integrates environmental science and ethical theory.

Ethics and Impacts of Engineering (ELEG 491)

Prof. Thomas M. Powers

This course presents a survey and analysis of a range of social, ethical, and political issues that arise because of the power and pervasiveness of computers and information technology, including privacy, free speech, intellectual property, cybercrime, safety and risk, and professional ethics. These issues will be discussed from the standpoint of those designing and implementing the technologies—for the most part, engineers. By focusing on the societal and global impact of engineering solutions, team dynamics, and communications, the course will also provide guidance for life-long learning for developing engineers.

Medical Ethics (PHIL 444)

Prof. Mark Greene

An examination of some of the most controversial issues in medical ethics. Through discussion of specific, highly influential cases, this seminar will join ongoing debates on the ethics of euthanasia, human experimentation, reproductive rights, human cloning, genetic engineering, mental disease and other topics.

course website

Other Courses at UD

Computers, Ethics and Society (CISC-355)

Explains relationships among information technology, society and ethics by examining issues raised by increasingly widespread use of computers. Topics include ethics for computer professionals, computer impact on factory work, office work, personal privacy and social power distribution.

Ethics and Issues in Sport Management (HESC-439)

Examination of the importance of sport in society as a transmitter of values, including major ethical theories in sport and ethical perspectives on current issues in sport.

Ethics (PHIL-203)

Study of moral value, moral obligation and moral virtue through comparison of notable schools of ethical theory, including utilitarianism, existentialism, Kantianism, classical Greek eudaimonism, pragmatism and Thomism.

Ethics in Psychology (PSYC-409)

Focuses on ethical issues, codes, principles, and dilemmas relevant to experimental and applied fields of Psychology.

Contemporary Moral Problems (PHIL 202)

The application of philosophical techniques to contemporary moral problems such as abortion, punishment, biomedical ethics, reverse discrimination and sexual morality.