After successful completion of the course, students are able to...

…name core historical and current-day definitions and concepts of ethical conduct
…demonstrate awareness of a range ethical issues on layers of meta, normative, applied and micro-ethics
…analyse and discuss the potential effects and impacts of technological design in a nuanced way 
… formulate and argue ethical positions towards technological designs …critically reflect on different positions shaping the values defining ethical conduct in context
…evaluate and communicate socio-technical aspects and technological parameters to technology and societal stakeholders

This course introduces ethical theories and deliberations as they relate to the design and development of modern technologies. It deals with a range of ethical deliberations at different stages in design processes and puts them into practical contexts. Within the course, students will engage with different axes of ethical considerations relevant to complex algorithms, modern artifacts and the differentiation between intents and effects. The first session will introduce basic terms and concepts, whereas for the remainder of the semesters students will directly work with existing literature and present them to colleagues.  It will be possible for students to shape parts of the course along their individual and collective interests. 

Successful completion of the course counts for 3 ECTS, relating to 75 hours of work. These are expected to be allocated as follows: 30h  In-class attendance 30h  Individual and Group Work 15h  Final Essay (or alternative) 
Individual and Group Work includes preparatory reading for the seminar, reflective blogging and preparation of seminar presentations as well as continuous development of a personal reference booklet. 

Students can propose individualised forms of assessment or write an essay to pass the class.