The course shall equip the attendants with
competences and skills in basic research methodology and its philosophical
foundations on the one hand, and in overseeing, understanding, evaluating and
assessing contemporary ethical and social issues arising from scientific and
technological activity and progress on the other hand. The course is designed
and planned in particular for chemistry students and their related fields,
requiring no philosophical or ethical background knowledge. The course content
is strongly related to the students' daily research activity: Science conduct,
logic and theory of science, experimentation, writing publications, dealing
with uncertainty, social impact of scientific activity. Applying the
fundamentals in philosophy of science and research ethics to the particular
conduct of science and its internal and external domains of responsibility is
expected to sharpen and solidify the students' awareness for the theory of
research practice, their knowledge of ethics and their ability to exploit
ethical thinking for the application in the social sphere science and technology as a field of human activity that impacts
the quality of life of people all over the planet. As a major field in applied ethics, science and technology ethics
touches the domains of bioethics, medical ethics, environmental ethics, profession
ethics and business ethics. With the help of countless examples from chemistry,
science in general, research, engineering, R&D, etc. in the history of
societies worldwide, the students will get a sense for the ethos of science conduct on the one hand, and of the ethical and
social implications of S&T on the other hand. While the former is a matter
of internal responsibility of
individual researchers and their institutions, the latter topic will address
risk issues, responsibility for outcome of S&T progress, and the social
construction of technology. The overall objective of this course is to
contribute to a more "complete" education of young researchers and
scientists as important enactors of progress and influential decision-makers in
the future. It shall provide them with the skills to reflect on and deal with
the major contemporary challenges in society and environment with a higher
degree of sustainability.
- Teacher: Iwona Maciejowska
- Teacher: Jan Mehlich