Tech/Ethics

What would it mean to program a technology--like a self-driving car or a facial recognition program--to behave ethically? What responsibilities do engineers, programmers and entrepreneurs have for the (un)ethical uses of the tech they create? In this course, we will look at major theories of ethics and apply them to practical problems arising from new technologies. Such problems include: what it means to program a machine to be ethical; how tech changes (and does not just mirror) social networks; the meaning of "free speech" in new technological environments; technologies that exacerbate racial or gender discrimination; and much more.