Historical Aspects of Science, Engineering, and Technology

3 units

This discussion-based course aims to explore significant ethical issues which have arisen throughout the history of science and engineering. Students will review and discuss key moral dilemmas in science and engineering, contextualized within an exploration of philosophical moral frameworks including Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Existentialism. Students will explore a series of moral dilemmas throughout the history of science and engineering, with focuses in medical practice, human and animal experimentation, laboratory science, and experimental design and reporting. Each dilemma will include a historical event, as well as discussion of how similar moral quandaries occur today and how we attempt to address them (for example, animal cruelty during the war of the currents, followed by modern research animal use and IACUC approval systems). Students will then write a brief essay on the topic at hand, analyzing it through the frameworks discussed at the beginning of the semester. This will help students engage with the topic, think critically about moral issues in science, and prepare for the final project.