Syllabus
HUMN-205 TECHNOLOGY and ETHICS
Fall 2002
Faculty Information:
Dr. Al Campbell
E-mail:
campbell@wolverton-mountain.com
Web Site:
www.wolverton-mountain.com
Phone: (219) 928.5598 or (219) 874.1338
Course Identification:
Credit hours: 3
Contact hours: 3
Days/hours course meets: Mondays at 1:00-3:50pm
Prerequisite: ENGL-209
Co requisite: ENGL-209
Course Description:
This course explores ethical and other
issues associated with current technology and seeks to develop critical thinking
skills as a basis for ethical choice. Such concerns as workplace safety and
diversity, whistle blowing, copyright protection, environmental impacts, and
professional codes of ethics are evaluated in a cultural, social and historical
context. The course culminates in a research report and presentation on issues
arising from the development or implementation of a current technology.
Text:
Kallman and Grillo, Ethical Decision
Making and Information Technology, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill,
1996.
Student Withdrawal Policy:
Students who wish to withdraw from this
course must do so by Friday of Week #11.
Course Evaluation:
Midterm, Term Paper, Class Presentations,
and Final Exam—each weighted at 25% of Final Grade.
Terminal Objectives:
1. Given a controversial technological topic, research the controversy and
defend one side in a team debate against
students representing an opposing view.
2. Given a case study describing a technology whose introduction has substantially altered society (e.g., automobiles the ordinary worker can afford), write a brief report identifying social and ethical problems created by the new technology, and the extent to which these problems have been resolved.
3. Given a scenario involving an ethical problem arising from technological development, diagnose the probable cause(s) of the problem and offer solutions in a brief essay or oral presentation.
4. Given a recent, or anticipated, technological breakthrough, apply the general principles learned in the course in a one-page written analysis of the ethical problem(s) potentially or actually arising from that breakthrough.
5. Given a controversial application of technology (e.g., a proprietor's electronic monitoring of private telephone use in an office vs. office workers' right to privacy in a confidential telephone conversation), role-play the viewpoint of a proponent or opponent of the application, either alone or with an antagonist.
6. Given an industrial process, provide descriptions of several alternative ways to perform the process, and develop a justification for the recommended approach that includes both technical and ethical considerations.
7. Given an example of a conflict between a technological or scientific development and an established belief structure (e.g., Galileo and the Copernicans vs. the Catholic Church, or Christian Biblical fundamentalism vs. Darwin and evolutionary theory), participate in a panel discussion exploring the ethical and doctrinal aspects of the conflict.
8. Given a case study of a legal decision involving new technology for which no explicit law existed to cover a resulting ethical problem (e.g., Lotus Corp. vs. Paperback Software, 1989--or Illinois vs. J.S. & A. Services, 1981), identify how existing law was interpreted to render justice in the case, or how it failed to do so.
9. Given a case study of a technological problem related to safety, evaluate the contrasting responses to the problem of a "whistle-blower" and the organization itself.
10. Given a series of cases involving similar or related ethical problems grounded in technology, deduce a personally meaningful general rule of ethics that applies to all the cases given.
11. Given a specific technology related change that would alter
employment conditions or lifestyles (e.g., electronics becoming obsolete for
computing by being replaced by optical and photonic technology), assess the
responsibilities of private businesses and government agencies in helping
workers make transitions to the new conditions.
Student Responsibilities:
Students are required to attend all
classes. Group discussion is an integral part of this course; students will be
asked to contribute and ask questions. Most graded assignments will be done in
class.
30% Absence: DeVry’s Attendance Policy
allows a Professor to withdraw a student from a course when a student has been
absent 30% of the class hours of the course. If I drop you from the class,
you must then appeal to me to be reinstated. If you are not reinstated,
this can affect your eligibility for financial aid and will result in a “W”
grade for the course. (Don’t forget to use the automated attendance system, ATS,
starting 10 minutes before the hour and closing 20 minutes after the hour.)
Late assignments will be accepted with a one grade level reduction.
Diversity:
Students, faculty, staff, and all other
member of the DeVry community are expected to respect diversity, which includes,
but is not limited to age, disability, gender, marital status, national origin,
race, religion, and sexual orientation. Students engaging in discriminatory
behavior will be subject to the consequences established in the Student’s Code
of Conduct in the Student Handbook. Student grievances involving charges of
discrimination and sexual harassment should be taken to the Student Services
Office.
Academic Integrity:
All students are expected to follow the
standards of academic integrity and conduct as detailed in the Academic
Integrity Policy found in the DeVry Student Handbook. The Policy specifically
prohibits dishonest acts, such as copying, plagiarism, and prohibited
collaboration. Please review the Policy so that you understand your rights and
obligations.
November 11, 2002 Ethics and Information Technology
(pages 21-32)
Presentations: Whistle-blowers, Galileo
and the Copernicans vs. the Catholic Church, and Christian biblical
fundamentalism vs. Darwin and evolutionary theory
http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issues/0500/medicine_media/173.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/1998/07/13/smallb8.html
http://www.jimloy.com/history/galileo.htm
http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/index.html
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scopes/scopes.htm
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/inherit/1925home.html
November 18, 2002 Solving Ethical Dilemmas: A Sample Case Exercise (pages 33-56)
November 25, 2002 Cases 1-3 (pages 59-68)
December 2, 2002 Cases 4-6 (pages 69-74)
December 9, 2002 Class Presentation: Manhattan
Project
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/baoppe.html
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Bios/Oppenheimer.shtml
http://www.doug-long.com/oppie.htm
December 16, 2002 Class Presentations: Poverty/Wealth Nationally and Internationally & Worldwide Value Systems
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/inequal/indinq99.htm
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/art545.html
http://www.unesco.org/education/poverty/index.shtml
January 6, 2003
MIDTERM
January 13, 2003 Class Presentations: Bush,
Cheney, Martha Stewart
http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/52245.htm
http://www.public-i.org/story_01_080200.htm
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/local/3538984.htm
January 20, 2003 No Class: Martin Luther King Holiday
January 27, 2003 Class Presentation: Enron,
Global Crossing
http://www.enron.com/corp/
http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/special/01/enron/index.html
http://www.thedailyenron.com/
February 3, 2003 Class Presentations: Stanley, Tyco
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0522/p01s01-uspo.html
http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/taxREVENUES.htm
http://www.riahome.com/estore/detail.asp?ID=WJIT
February 10, 2003 Class Presentations: Andersen, AOL Time Warner
http://www.andersen.com/
http://www.nptimes.com/fme/apr02/fme_1.html
http://www.acton.org/research/comment/archives/020403.html
February 17, 2003 Class Presentation: WorldCom
TERM PAPER DUE
http://www.usatoday.com/money/telecom/2002-05-09-worldcom-junk.htm
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/14871.html
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/17546
February 24, 2003 FINAL EXAM
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