Module Philosophy of science and ethics, Computer Science (Master) (ER 8)
After successfully completing this module, students are able to reflect, contextualize and evaluate the theoretical and methodological foundations of computer science and the ethical implications of their professional field. This gives them orientation for their scientific and everyday professional practice. They know different concepts, methods and goals of scientific research, can apply them and can deal with ethical questions of computer science. From these reflective thoughts they can develop their own standards of judgment and for responsible actions as aspiring computer scientists.
Information and digital technologies lead to fundamental change in society and the role of humans. This is accompanied by new and far-reaching ethical questions such as the handling of artificial intelligence, the future of human work in the context of advancing automation, the monitoring and manipulation of human behaviour, the creation of new habitats in virtual worlds, and the technical optimization of humans (trans/posthumanism). The course explores these ethical questions, discusses response options and evaluates ethical issues. Finally, the influence of computer science on these developments is reflected and ethical guidelines for the development of information technologies are discussed.
Lecture Script and Notes.
Julian Nida-Rümelin, Nathalie Weidenfeld: Digitaler Humanismus. Eine Ethik für das Zeitalter der Künstlichen Intelligenz, Piper Verlag
Sarah Spiekermann: Digitale Ethik: Ein Wertesystem für das 21. Jahrhundert, Droemer Verlag
Cathy O'Neil: Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, Penguin Random House
Michael Hauskeller, Mythologies of Transhumanism, Palgrave Macmillan
Guidelines for the ethics of Artificial Intelligence such as those formulated by the European Union, UNESCO or even by companies.
Depending on a chosen focus, further literature may be recommended.
The lecture will take the form of a seminar with exercises, presentations and discussions. Different semesters can focus on different areas of focus and address current issues.
Philosophy of science deals with methodologically gained scientific knowledge formulated in theories. It investigates the formation of scientific concepts and structures of theories and the methods used.
In particular, we clarify questions such as: "What is knowledge, science, a theory, a description, an explanation, a justification, a confirmation, doubt?", "What are the main currents of the philosophy of science: realism, empiricism, naturalism, critical rationalism, constructivism, philosophy of language, structuralism, holism?", "What is information, a computer, a program?", "How can one methodically acquire knowledge: conceptual, theoretical, logical-deductive, empirical, inductive, simulative, hermeneutic, discursive?", "What is the relationship between scientific theories, reality and the real world?"
Lecture Script and Notes.
Stephan Kornmesser, Wilhelm Büttemeyer: "Wissenschaftstheorie", Springer Verlag.
Alan F. Chalmers: "Wege der Wissenschaft", Springer Verlag.
Wolfgang Stegmüller: "Probleme und Resultate der Wissenschaftstheorie und Analytischen Philosophie", Springer Verlag.
Klaus Mainzer: "Gehirn, Computer, Komplexität", "Computernetze und virtuelle Realität", "The Universe as Automaton", "Künstliche Intelligenz", "Wie berechnebar ist unsere Welt?", "Quantencomputer", "Philosophisches Handbuch Künstliche Intelligenz", "Grenzen der KI", "Zukunft durch nachhaltige Innovation", Springer Verlag.
William J. Rapaport: "Philosophy of Computer Science", Wiley.
Luciano Floridi: "The Philosophy of Information", Oxford University Press.
Depending on a chosen focus, further literature may be recommended.
The lecture will take the form of a seminar with exercises, presentations and discussions. Different semesters can focus on different areas and address current issues.