Philosophy of Technology

Printable Syllabus

PHIL 343: Philosophy of Technology

Instructor: Jonathan Tsou

Iowa State University

Office: Catt Hall 429

Office Hours: Mondays 1-4 pm, or by appointment

Course Description: This course examines philosophical issues concerning the relationship between technology and society, with special emphasis on ethical issues that arise in connection with technology. The course addresses these issues by focusing on computers as an example of technology. The course is divided into two parts. The first half of the course introduces students to general issues in the philosophy of technology, and surveys some important twentieth century philosophical perspectives on technology (e.g., John Dewey and Martin Heidegger). The second half focuses on ethical issues that have arisen in connection with the computer and information revolution. Ethical issues addressed in this course include: (1) intellectual property rights and piracy, (2) computer crime and hacking, (3) privacy and public safety, and (4) censorship on the internet.

Course Texts:

  • Val Dusek (2006) Philosophy of Technology: An Introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell. (Required)
  • Peter Ludlow (ed.) (1996). High Noon on the Electronic Frontier: Conceptual Issues in Cyberspace. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Required)
  • Reading packet (Required)

Course Evaluation:

1) Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%

2) Exam 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20%

3) Exam 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20%

4) Final Writing Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . 30%

Participation includes attendance (20%), and in-class discussion and participation in class activities (10%). There will be two in-class exams (essay format – students will be given possible questions prior to the exams). The final writing assignment is a short essay (6-8 pages) on a topic in computer ethics, which is due after the last class. Plagiarism of any form will lead to failure in the class.

Course Schedule: Readings should be read prior to the date they appear

PT = Philosophy of Technology (Val Dusek)

HN = High Noon on the Electronic Frontier (Peter Ludlow, ed.)

Part 1: Philosophy of Technology

Week 1

  • Val Dusek, 2006, Introduction to PT (Recommended)
  • Val Dusek, 2006, “What is Technology?”/ Ch. 2 of PT

Week 2

  • Val Dusek, 2006, “Philosophy of Science and Technology”/ Ch. 1 of PT
  • Rudolf Carnap, Hans Hahn, and Otto Neurath, 1929, “The Scientific Conception of the World: The Vienna Circle” (PDF)

Week 3

  • John Dewey, 1931, “Science and Society” (PDF)
  • John Dewey, 1944, “By Nature and by Art” (PDF)

Week 4

  • Larry Hickman, 1990, “Locating Dewey’s Critique of Technology” and “Epilogue: Responsible Technology” (PDF)
  • David Cerbone, 2008, “Science and Technology”/ Ch. 10 of D. R. Cerbone, Heidegger: A Guide for the Perplexed (PDF)
  • Val Dusek, 2006, “Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, and Technology”/ Ch. 5 of PT

Week 5

  • Martin Heidegger, 1954, “The Question Concerning Technology” (PDF)
  • Joseph C. Pitt, 2000, “Technology and Ideology”/ Ch. 5 of J. C. Pitt, Thinking about Technology (PDF)

Week 6

  • * * * IN-CLASS EXAM #1 * * *

Part 2: Computer Ethics

Introduction to Computer Ethics

Week 6

  • Richard Spinello, “Regulating and Governing the Internet” (PDF)

Week 7

  • Richard Spinello, “The Internet and Ethical Values” (PDF)

Intellectual Property Rights

Week 7

  • Peter Ludlow, “Piracy, Property Rights, etc.: Does Information ‘Want to be Free’?” (pp. 3-7 of HN)
  • Simson Garfinkel, Richard Stallman, and Mitchell Kapor, “Why Patents Are Bad for Software” (Ch. 2 of HN)

Week 8

  • John Perry Barlow, “Selling Wine without Bottles: The Economy of Mind on the Global Net” (Ch. 1 of HN)
  • The League for Programming Freedom, “Against Software Patents” (Ch. 3 of HN)

Week 9

  • Paul Heckel, “Debunking the Software Patent Myths” (Ch. 4 ofHN)
  • Pirate Editorial, “So You Want to be a Pirate?” (Ch. 5 of HN)

Computer Crime and Hacking

Week 10

  • Peter Ludlow, “How Should We Respond to Exploratory Hacking/ Cracking/ Phreaking?”(pp. 125-129 of HN")
  • The Mentor, “The Conscience of a Hacker” (Ch. 7 of HN)
  • Julian Dibbell, “The Prisoner: Phiber Optik Goes Directly to Jail” (Ch. 8 of HN)
  • Dorothy Denning, “Concerning Hackers Who Break into Computer Systems; Postscript, June 11, 1995” (Ch. 9 of HN)

Week 11

  • Eugene Spafford, "Are Computer Hacker Break-Ins Ethical?" (PDF)
  • * * * IN-CLASS EXAM #2 * * *

Privacy and Public Safety on the Internet

Week 12

  • Peter Ludlow, “Encryptions, Privacy, and Crypto-Anarchism” (pp. 175-178 of HN)
  • Philip Zimmermann, “How PGP Works/ Why Do You Need PGP” (Ch. 11 of HN)
  • Steven Levy, “Crypto-Rebels” (Ch. 12 of HN)
  • Timothy May, “A Crypto Anarchist Manifesto” (Ch. 17 of HN)
  • “Introduction to BlackNet” (Ch. 18 of HN)
  • “BlackNet Worries” (Ch. 19 of HN)

Week 13

  • John Perry Barlow, “Jackboots on the Infobahn” (Ch. 13 of HN)
  • Dorothy Denning, “The Clipper Chip Will Block Crime” (Ch. 14of HN)
  • Dorothy Denning and John Perry Barlow, “The Denning-Barlow Clipper Chip Debate” (Ch. 15 of HN)
  • Dorothy Denning and William Baugh, "Hiding Crimes in Cyberspace" (PDF)

Censorship

Week 14

  • Peter Ludlow, “Censorship and Sysop Liability” (pp. 253-257 of HN)
  • Philip Elmer-Dewitt, “Censoring Cyberspace” (Ch. 20 of HN)
  • ACLU Letter to CMU on alt-sex Newsgroups (Ch. 21 of HN)
  • Mike Godwin, “Virtual Community Standards: BBS Obscenity Case Raises New Legal Issues” (Ch. 22 of HN)

Week 15

  • Jeffrey Shallit, “Public Networks and Censorship” (Ch. 23 of HN)
  • Mike Godwin, “Sex and the Single Sysadmin: The Risks of Carrying Graphic Sexual Materials” (Ch. 24 of HN)
  • * * * FINAL PAPER DUE * * *

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