Philosophy of Technology

Full course description

Technology is everywhere. From care robots to GMOs, from the internet to genome sequencing – it impacts every aspect of our lives, from how we care for each other, to what we eat, what we know and how we age. Technological innovations usually come with a series of bright promises: robots will reduce tedious manual labor; medical innovations will help eliminate disease; the internet will democratize society and foster peace. But history teaches us that well-intentioned scientific and technological developments rarely do only what they set out to do. They often have unforeseen consequences and contribute to far-reaching transformations of our scientific and social worlds. Can we try to anticipate these transformations? Are there recurrent promises and societal impacts that we can identify? Can we steer technological development in a certain direction? What is the relationship between technology, society and the good life? This course offers an overview of the main themes and approaches in the philosophy of technology, to help you learn to reflect critically on how techno-scientific innovations impact society. We will study key classic and modern philosophers of technology and apply their work to new and emerging science and technology, including: the use of genetic screening and psycho- pharmaceuticals for enhancement purposes, the role of artificial intelligence in the automation of work, and the use of the smart technologies in medical and other types of surveillance.