| CODE | MSS3008 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Ethical Issues in Science | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Mathematics and Science Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit introduces students to the underlying principles in ethics, metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. The study-unit will then consider ethics within the scientific community (as professional standards, the norms for scientific discovery, scientific misconduct as misrepresentation and falsification of data, methodological issues, etc.) and examines ethical issues raised by science and scientific activity (as in case studies from medical, environmental, animal ethics, etc.). It will also consider and discuss cases of ethical dilemmas and ensuing legal and policy issues, and consider issues arising from technological creations and devices, AI, transplants, “robot” cars, etc. The influence of beliefs on ethical deliberations will also be evaluated. Study-Unit Aims: The aims of this study-unit are: - to introduce students to ethics, metaethics, normative and applied ethics. - to discuss ethics within the scientific community (as professional standards, the norms for scientific discovery and scientific misconduct as data falsification, methodological issues, misrepresentation of data, etc.). - to examine ethical issues raised by science and scientific activity (as issues involving medical, environmental, animal ethics, etc.). - to provide examples of ethical dilemmas and ensuing legal and policy issues. - to consider issues arising from technological creations and devices, AI, transplants, “robot” cars, etc. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify the principles underlying ethics, metaethics, normative and applied ethics; - discuss and evaluate ethics within the scientific community; and - examine ethical issues raised by science and scientific activity. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - apply ethical principles to examine and evaluate critically science, scientific activity and their effects; - assess and evaluate behavioural aspects of and within the scientific community; and - evaluate the influence and the extent of external sources, as religious beliefs, on ethical considerations themselves. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Rollin, B. E., Science and Ethics, Cambridge University Press, 2006. Resnick, D. B., The Ethics of Science An Introduction, Routledge, 1998. Hench, L. L., Science, Faith and Ethics, Imperial College Press, 2001. Haught, J. F., Science and religion From Conflict to Conversation, Paulist Press, 1995. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Christopher Caruana Mark Sultana |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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