PHIL 216 - Philosophy, Technology, and Digital Life | GEKH

This course offers a range of philosophical concepts and methods for thinking about technology, especially its social, ethical, and existential implications. Topics may include the nature of technology and technological development; the nature of tools; the aesthetics of engineering design; human enhancement; social media and digital life; philosophical issues in information assurance and Internet security,

Credit 3 hrs May not be repeated for additional credit
Grade Mode Normal (A-F)

Class-Level Restriction Undergraduate standing

Using concepts and methods from philosophy, this course covers issues in technology and technical culture. Readings may include classics from the philosophic tradition, as well as more recent work in the discipline of ‘philosophy of technology, Topics will be drawn from the following: the nature of tools and machines, the nature of technology and technological development, engineering design, the social and existential implications of human interaction with technology, human enhancement, robotics, social media, and internet assurance. Students of engineering and technology will find much of interest in this course, but this course does not presuppose any knowledge of a particular discipline, and the course will be structured in such a way as to allow students to find their own way through the material. Throughout, emphasis will be placed on using concepts from the philosophy of technology and examples from technical and digital culture to practice philosophical methods of writing and exercise analytical and critical skills. As such, PHIL 216 meets the outcomes for a course in the Knowledge of the Disciplines: Humanities category of the General Education Program.
Updates Approved for GEKH 12/2016, New Course 10/2016, effective Fall 2017

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