The following courses are being taught by Ethics Center Faculty in the fall of 2025.
PHIL 360 Ethics
Dr. Kathryn Petrozzo
This class is designed to get you doing philosophy, not just learning about it. I want to get you asking important questions, reasoning clearly and capably, and sharpening your critical thinking skills鈥攄eveloping abilities, in other words, that will make a difference in your life long after specific content details have faded from memory. The first half of the semester we will focus on classical ethical theories in order to a) become familiarized with philosophical theories and arguments and b) lay the groundwork to apply moral reasoning in the second half of the semester. In the second half of the course, students will be provided with the opportunity to participate in team-based collaborative discussions about cases in applied ethics taken from the Ethics Bowl case set. This is a practical, dialogue-based and groupwork based pursuit, which prioritizes thinking within a community of inquiry, rather than individual philosophical thinking.
PHIL 830-01 Ethics of Tech
Prof. Sydney Harvey
This course surveys several central issues in moral philosophy through the lens of the modern technological world. We will focus particularly on the ethics of Artificial Intelligence through three distinct units that build on each other. Unit One, AI Minds: In this unit, students will develop an introductory understanding of the contemporary controversies surrounding the mental capacities of artificial intelligence systems. Unit Two, Generative AI: This unit will explore the various moral, political, and existential issues facing humanity with the development of generative AI, such as Chat-GPT and other Large Language Models. These include political propaganda, job insecurity, racial representation, mental health, the impact on human creativity, and the impact on the environment. Unit Three, Artificial Media: This final section will consider the ethical implications that algorithms have on the use of media and social media platforms (Netflix, Amazon, X, Instagram, etc.).
PHIL 380-2 Philosophy of Data Science
Dr. Clarissa Busch
In this course, we will investigate philosophical questions about data science such as "What is data?", "How can data serve as evidence?", as well as ethical questions related to data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the environmental impacts of computing.
PHIL 380-03 Animals and Philosophy
Prof. Bjorn Kristensen
This course considers philosophical questions focused on nonhuman animals and human interactions with them. Some key focus points include exploring the moral standing of animals, what and who animals are, and the diverse roles they occupy across societies. The class will consider the legacy of Western thought regarding animals, as well as feminist and Indigenous perspectives which challenge approaches still pervading many contemporary debates. Engagement will take place through philosophical approaches in applied ethics, political and legal philosophy, metaphysics, and the study of interpretation (hermeneutics). Topical areas include domestication, companion animals, working animals, animal agriculture, research animals, animals in entertainment, urban animals, and wild animals. These topics will intersect with considerations of conservation and species extinction, waste and pollution, public health, and climate change.
PHIL 380-04 Philosophy of Forensic Science
Dr. Kathryn Petrozzo
In the past few decades, there has been a meteoric rise in fascination with forensic science. The advent of true crime podcasts, internet forums, and the inundation of both nonfiction and fictional television depictions of forensic science have brought investigating crime scenes to the masses. The rise of new forensic technologies, such as DNA matching, facial recognition, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, are shaping this rapidly evolving field鈥攆or better and for worse. The aim of Philosophy of Forensic Science is to bring forensic science to trial and interrogate the scientific, legal, philosophical, and social dimensions of this practice. Primarily, we will be focusing on the ethical, social, and legal implications of good science, bad science, and everything in between.
PHIL 382/582 Bioethics
Dr. Elisabeth Hildt
How should researchers and society proceed with gene editing technologies, stem cell research, neurotechnology, human enhancement, and the challenges of climate change? In this course we will investigate ethical aspects and social implications of recent developments in the life sciences, biomedical engineering and biomedicine. The course introduces ethical theories, concepts and principles and the way ethical arguments are used in current debates relating to science and technology.