Ethics of technology and science I, 2 credits

Etik för teknologi och naturvetenskap I (obligatorisk)

Course information

Language of instruction: English
Course period: Spring 2025, one course
Autumn 2025, two courses
Course structure: One online for PhD students on other campuses or travelling, and two onsite

Recommended prerequisites

PhD student at the faculty of Technology and Science. No particular prior knowledge

Learning outcomes

After the course, the students should be able to:
• Account for research ethics guidelines from the Swedish Research Council
• Demonstrate an ability to make research ethical judgments
• Account for and discuss the ethical responsibility of researchers within Science and Technology
• Describe and analyze the ethical challenges affecting one’s own research field and research practice

Learning outcomes for doctoral degree

According to the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, to fulfil the degree objectives for a PhD degree, the PhD student should show intellectual independence and scientific honesty, as well as the ability to make research ethical judgments. Also, a degree objective is to show an in-depth understanding of the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and people’s responsibility for how it is used. This course directly addresses these objectives.

Course contents

The course offers knowledge and practical skills in research ethics within the field of technology and science and discusses the responsibility for how science and technology is used in society. Students are expected to use tools and develop practical skills that enhance their ability to address ethical issues in research, while also fostering ethical thinking and a sense of responsibility with the purpose of contributing to ethically aware action. The course consists of lectures and seminars where students relate their own research to issues of research ethics and the role of students’ research in society, and the responsibility for how it is used.

The lectures introduce research ethics as a practice for researchers and prepare the students for the assignments that are subsequently examined in the seminars. The lectures include interactive elements such as discussions and workshops. One of the main ideas is that there are always ethical values at stake and that the PhD student needs to train to handle, at times, conflicting values as well as to analyze the pros and cons of alternative actions. The pedagogical focus is therefore to cultivate competence and skills to handle ethical issues in science and research, not only during the phases of research and development, but also for the successful application and implementation of research findings. In addition to the focus on individual knowledge and skills development for solving research ethics issues, the lectures also discuss the role of science and technology (particularly in the fields of the students attending the course) in society and responsibility for how it is used.

In preparation for the first seminar, students read The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity by Allea and compare it with selected parts of The Swedish Research Council’s book Good Research Practice. In the seminar students present and discuss the topics covered by the texts. This covers the first learning outcome.

In preparation for the second seminar, students reflect on the ethical issues related to their own PhD projects using a framework for ethical decision-making. During the seminar, the students present and discuss those issues and receive feedback from the other groups. This covers the second learning outcome.

In preparation for the third seminar, students author an essay about the research ethics topics most relevant for their own research practice, the role of their research topic in society, and the question of responsibility for the use of science and technology in society. At the seminar, the students read and discuss each other's texts. This covers the third and fourth learning outcome.

Instruction

The course consists of two lectures and three seminars, and of individual and group assignments focusing on research ethics and the responsibility for the use of science and technology in society.

Assessment

Mandatory participation in all lectures; active participation in seminars; group assignments and an individual essay.

Course examiner

(Spring) Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos, Iordanis.Kavathatzopoulos@it.uu.se
(Autumn) Mikael Laaksoharju mikael.laaksoharju@it.uu.se

Department with main responsibility

Information Technology and Engineering sciences

Contact person

Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos, Iordanis.Kavathatzopoulos@it.uu.se, Per Fors, per.fors@angstrom.uu.se and Mikael Laaksoharju mikael.laaksoharju@it.uu.se

Application

Submit the application not later than: 2024-12-16 (course instance 1) Application


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