22911125 - PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS ETHICS

The course aims to enable students to acquire awareness, comprehension skills, and independent judgement with respect to the ethical implications of interacting with physical and digital environments. The class will take a close look at some of the new ethical challenges that the environment around us -in all its complex dimensions- increasingly pushes us to rethink our views. In this light, topics such as our relationship with the Earth and Space, post-humanism, virtual reality and the morally controversial advances of Artificial Intelligence will be addressed.

Expected Learning Outcomes:
In terms of knowledge and comprehension skills, students will be able to understand the ethical dimensions and issues raised by developments in technology in the digital and environmental environment. In terms of ability to apply knowledge and understanding, students will be able to orient themselves in the complex world of environmental and digital ethics, identifying the most problematic aspects. In terms of autonomy of judgement, students will acquire critical capacities with respect to the different and at the same time similar world of physical and digital environments and will be able to discern the potentials and risks from an ethical point of view. In terms of communication skills, students will be able to manage and disseminate information regarding the critical ethical issues of our relationship with nature and artificial intelligence in its various forms. In terms of learning skills, classroom activities will be aimed at enabling students to develop their learning skills independently, while also providing a space for dialogue with the lecturer regarding different ethical approaches in digital and non-digital contexts.
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Programma

Introduction to Ethics

-Virtue
-Utilitarianism
-Deontology

Ethics of Physical Environments

-Work
-Nature
-New Worlds

Ethics of Digital Environments

-Artificial Intelligence
-Virtual Reality
-Communication

Testi Adottati

Mario De Caro, Sergio Filippo Magni, Maria Silvia Vaccarezza, Le sfide dell'etica, Mondadori Università, 2021


Additional photocopies of the articles on which the course will be based will be put online (on Moodle) by the lecturer.

Bibliografia Di Riferimento

Mario De Caro, Sergio Filippo Magni, Maria Silvia Vaccarezza, Le sfide dell'etica, Mondadori Università, 2021 and additional readings

Modalità Erogazione

The course is conducted in-person, with the ability to connect remotely if needed.

Modalità Frequenza

In presence (but with possible streaming in specific cases)

Modalità Valutazione

Oral examination The final assessment will take into account the student's ability to classify the sources studied during the course, the contemporary problems highlighted and to describe the main approaches present in current ethical debates. During the oral examination the lecturer will assess whether the student is able to go beyond what has been taught, dealing with new situations in a creative and original way. The in itinere assessment (option available for attending students only) will give the opportunity to accumulate up to 3 'bonus' points through a PowerPoint presentation of approximately 10 slides (10/15 minutes).