Design Ethics
Reflection Short course
Syllabus⇝
In these two sessions, we will tackle an introduction to the philosophy of technology from an analytical perspective and the central theme of our relationship with technology will be explored: are we determined by technology or do we determine it? And if that is the case, how? And to what extent? Or is this perhaps a false dichotomy and should the issue be explored in a radically different way? We will deal with current topics in ethics related to technology and design.
Keywords: Technology, Ethics, Design
Learning Objectives⇝
- To understand the nature of technology and its relationship with humans.
- To know the limits and potentialities of ethical reflection.- To be able to reflect and assess the ethical dimensions of one’s own work.
- Get a sense of doing ethics going beyond arm-chair ethics.
Methodological Strategies⇝
- Lectures
- Discussion of cases
- Practical exercises
- Peer learning
- Team-based learning
Schedule⇝
- Technology and “us”
- Technology and values
- The normative power of artefacts
- Perspectives on technological intentionality
- Exercise: ethical-constructive technology assessment
- Ethical frameworks and their integration into design
- Design, justice and just design
- Design as a professional practice and its connection to ethics
- Wrap-up exercise: VSD cards
Deliverables⇝
No special deliverables are expected.
Grading Method⇝
| Percentage | Description |
|---|---|
| 50% | Participation |
| 50% | Self-assessment |
Students should submit via email ariel@interacciones.org a one-page text or visual containing a numerical mark (0-10) as a self-assessment containing a reflection on the classes and the learning outcomes obtained as rationale for the mark.
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
2 ECTS
Additional Resources⇝
Baym, Nancy. (2015). Personal Connections in the Digital Age: Digital Media and Society. London: Polity.
Gertz, Nolen. (2018) Nihilism and Technology. London: Rowman and Littlefield.
Guersenzvaig, Ariel. (2021). The Goods of Design. London: Rowman and Littlefield.
Parvin, Nassim. (2023). Just Design: Pasts, Presents, and Future Trajectories of Technology. Just Tech. Social Science Research Council. February 1, 2023. DOI
Rosenberger, R. (2017). Callous Objects: Designs against the Homeless. 3rd ed. University Of Minnesota Press. Available online: Callous Objects: Designs against the Homeless 3rd ed.
Vallor, Shannon. Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.
Verbeek, Peter-Paul. Moralizing Technology: Understanding and Designing the Morality of Things. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2011.
Faculty⇝
Ariel Guersenzvaig is a lecturer at ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona (Spain). He combines his academic work with 20+ years of professional experience in the field of user experience and service design. He is the author of an upcoming book on design professional ethics (Rowman & Littlefield, April 2021). Besides professional ethics and design theory, another important locus of research is the ethical impact of machine intelligence on society, with a focus on autonomous weapons and algorithmic justice. He has published in academic journals such as ACM Interactions, SDN Touchpoints, AI & Society, Journal of Design Research, and IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. He holds a PhD in Design Theory from the University of Southampton (UK), an MA in Ethics from the University of Birmingham (UK).