Ethics and ICT

lfsa2202  2020-2021  Louvain-la-Neuve

Ethics and ICT
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information below is subject to change, in particular that concerning the teaching mode (presential, distance or in a comodal or hybrid format).
3 credits
30.0 h
Q2
Teacher(s)
Gosseries Axel; Pereira Olivier;
Language
English
Prerequisites
No specific prerequisites. An interest for ICT issues and a curiosity for their ethical/policy dimensions are perfectly sufficient.
Main themes
The themes change from year to year, and may include:
- net neutrality and freedom of expression
- intellectual property
- privacy
- crowdsourcing and the "sharing economy"
- cryptocurrencies
  • - e-democracy
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 Contribution of the course to the program objectives (N°)
3.2, 3.3
4.2, 4.3
5.2, 5.5, 5.6
6.2, 6.3, 6.4
Specific learning outcomes of the course
a.      Disciplinary Learning Outcomes
Students having successfully followed this course will be :
  • understanding why ethical reasoning is relevant for their specific disciplinary domain and more generally ;
  • ble to identify within an ICT ethical/policy question which parts of the debate have to do with factual questions and which parts belong to a properly ethical dimension and how they should be articulated ;
  • able to formulate an ethical question when facing a technical choice with an ethical dimension, and dare stating and arguing for their own view on the question ;
  • grasping the spirit of a method in ethics to answer a given question, in relation to ICT ;
  • aware of the content of the central arguments and rationale on issues such as, for example, freedom of expression, intellectual property, privacy, e-democracy and how they lead to specific challenges in well defined ICT contexts.
b.     Transversal Learning Outcomes
 Students having successfully followed this course will be :
  • able to access the relevant sources on the topics seen in class and on other related ones ;
  • able to work both individually and in group
  • able to answer a question in a short well-structured written format, in non-technical language ;
  • able to present their work orally.
 
Content
The content will be adapted depending on the themes investigated in the class.
Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

a.    Process organization
The course will contain a mix of:
- Lectures focusing on background and methodology,
- Sessions during which students will be requested to debate and elaborate a position on a specific issue, which they will present either in writing or orally.
It may be offered to some students to make an in-depth study of a specific theme, and to report on their work either as a presentation or in writing.

b.    Media

Students will be provided for each specific theme with a short reading list. They will also be provided with a short general bibliography on the theme.
Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

The students will be graded, based on the learning outcomes described above, from oral examination and from essays that they will submit individually or in small groups. This may take the form of a short draft essay benefiting from a detailed feedback from the professors and from an oral discussion with colleagues before being handed-in in final version.
This may also take the form of a written exam during the exam session and/or of a long writing session in class during term time.
Online resources
http://moodleucl.uclouvain.be/enrol/index.php?id=4833
Bibliography
Supports de cours, ouvrages de références, ...
Faculty or entity
EPL


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Master [120] in Political Sciences: General
SPOL2M
3
Master [60] in History
HIST2M1
5
Master [120] in Linguistics
LING2M
5
Master [120] in Ancient and Modern Languages and Literatures
LAFR2M
5
Master [120] in Computer Science and Engineering
INFO2M
3
Master [120] in Computer Science
SINF2M
3
Master [120] in Physical Engineering
FYAP2M
3
Master [120] in Civil Engineering
GCE2M
3
Master [120] in Electrical Engineering
ELEC2M
3
Master [120] in Information and Communication Science and Technology
STIC2M
5
Master [120] in Chemical and Materials Engineering
KIMA2M
3
Master [120] in History
HIST2M
5
Master [120] in Electro-mechanical Engineering
ELME2M
3
Master [120] in Mathematical Engineering
MAP2M
3
Certificat d'université en éthique économique et sociale
ETES9CE
3
Master [120] in French and Romance Languages and Literatures : French as a Foreign Language
FLE2M
5
Master [60] in History of Art and Archaeology: Musicology
MUSI2M1
5
Master [120] in Interpreting
INTP2M
5
Master [120] in Multilingual Communication
MULT2M
5
Advanced Master in Visual Cultures
VISU2MC
5
Master [120] in Data Science Engineering
DATE2M
3
Master [120] in Data Science: Information Technology
DATI2M
3
Master [60] in History of Art and Archaeology : General
ARKE2M1
5
Master [120] in Ethics
ETHI2M
5
Master [120] in History of Art and Archaeology: Musicology
MUSI2M
5
Master [120] in Translation
TRAD2M
5
Master [120] in History of Art and Archaeology : General
ARKE2M
5
Master [120] in Philosophy
FILO2M
5
Master [120] in Biomedical Engineering
GBIO2M
3
Master [120] in Mechanical Engineering
MECA2M
3