Grad & Undergrad Philosophy Programs Focusing on Science/Technology
Earlier this month I reported on a new MA program in philosophy and computing at the University of Bayreuth and another in philosophy and data science at Marche Polytechnic. Since then, a few other new or recently developed programs that bring philosophy together with science and/or technology—both at the masters and undergraduate levels—have come to my attention.
Below are descriptions of four of them.
The Department of Philosophy at the University of California, Merced, has launched new major and minor programs in “Science, Technology, and Ethics”. Here’s some information about the program, via Carolyn Dicey Jennings:
The mission of the B.S. and Minor in Science, Technology, and Ethics (STE) is to impart an understanding of the ethical and political dimensions of science and technology. STE students will develop skills for ethical reflection and assessment of both scientific research and technological development, preparing them for careers in a variety of sectors, including government, non-profits, and NGOs. Along with courses in ethics, majors will gain depth in a particular area of science and technology, such as biology or data science. The STE program structure allows for both specialization and flexibility to accommodate students with interests in a variety of STEM fields.
The STE major offers students a distinctive combination of STEM and humanities. On the one hand, students gain nearly the equivalent of a minor in a STEM field of their choice, with 12 upper division units and an additional 8–24 units of lower-division prerequisites (depending on the STEM field chosen). On the other hand, students take 24 upper-division units (6 courses) in “broad sense STS,” courses in the humanities and social sciences that analyze the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) raised by novel technologies and scientific developments. In the final year, for the senior capstone experience, students develop a case study of ELSI in their chosen STEM field, synthesizing the two sides of their training.
Michael Nagenborg of the Philosophy Section at University of Twente informs me that they are starting a new undergraduate minor in “Environmental Values and Sustainable Transformations.” It is an interdisciplinary minor in environmental philosophy and critical social sciences designed to give students “the necessary tools to be an integral part of transformative change towards a sustainable and just future” and develop their “ability to translate these values and visions into concrete options for research, policy, and design.”
Twente’s Philosophy Section has also added to its existing science and technology-oriented philosophy programs at the graduate level by creating a new track for its philosophy masters students in “AI in Science and Society.” Aimed at preparing its graduates for both academic and non-academic work in artificial intelligence, the track will have students “deep-dive into the Ethics and Epistemology of Artificial Intelligence applications,” Professor Nagenborg says.
In a comment on an earlier post, Dimitri Mollo of the Department of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at Umeå University shares that they will soon be offering a Bachelor’s degree in “Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence.” Students in the program will take courses in philosophy, computer science, and other subjects. The program aims to teach students how to “analyze and evaluate AI applications scientifically, ethically and politically” and have the competencies needed “to communicate and collaborate on AI issues with technologists, politicians, companies and organizations.”
Samantha Brennan, Dean of the College of Arts and a member of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, noted that they now have a “Philosophy and Data Science” MA program. The program “brings together philosophical and computational methodologies that will provide students with the capacity to address the pressing problems [arising from] society’s increasing reliance on data-driven technologies in so many aspects of modern life.”
If you’re institution is offering similar graduate or undergraduate programs, tell us about them. It would be useful to get a sense of how big a trend this is. Discussion is also welcome on ideas for new programs that bring philosophy together with science and technology, as well as the tasks and challenges involved in making these programs a reality.
Northeastern has several undergrad programs at the intersection of technology and philosophy, mostly philosophy and computation. We have a combined major in philosophy and computer science (different from a double or dual major in that there are a set of integrative requirements that serve to connect to the two majors). In the combined major students take foundational courses in both disciplines alongside a number of courses in AI, data, and information ethics and then advanced logic and computation courses. We also have an information ethics minor which is fully within the philosophy department but most of our faculty teaching the courses in the minor are jointly appointed or affiliated with computer science. We also have a program for embedding ethics content within computer science courses (both as modules within existing courses and soon embedded throughout full intro level CS courses).
I think one of the primary challenges institutions face in building such programs is staffing them. The demand for AI ethics work is very high and there are seemingly many jobs in the space, but there are very few graduate programs where students can get robust training in this space. Despite this, the best talent in this space is, in my view, at the junior level. This presents another challenge: junior scholars are in the best position to partner with faculty in technical fields and make the case for and develop shared curriculum and programs, but that’s a lot to ask of junior faculty given how time consuming that work can be.
San Francisco State University also has a Certificate in Ethical Artificial Intelligence, which combines philosophy, computer science, and business ethics to portray a full spectrum on growing field of AI.
My institution (Ashoka University) has a Philosophy and Computer Science (PHICS) undergraduate degree. It’s relatively new (I think this is its second year). I think a degree like this is low hanging fruit for any university that teaches both subjects. They go together naturally in lots of ways, and practically speaking it can be easier to convince one’s parents of the value of a degree with “computer science” in its name, so it can be a nice way of attracting students who would otherwise have to major in something “practical.”
The Division of Philosphy and Applied Ethics at Linköping University is starting up a new master’s program in Ethics, Science, and Policy this fall: https://liu.se/en/education/program/f7mep. The program is designed to combine the philosophy of science with applied ethics, and to have a focus on policy development. It has courses on modelling, risk and the philospohy of science, as well as on the philosopy of education, medicine and education, so it is in a sense wider than a program on that focuses on science/and technology. But these issues are at the core of the program and it takes place at a department that starts three new AI Ethcis courses next semester and includes a semester where the students are free (within bounds) to choose what courses they will take. It will open for late applications in the European admissions round shortly.
San José State also has an Advanced Certificate in Ethics of Science and Emerging Technologies (CESET). Note that this certificate can be completed as part of our Philosophy B.A. or M.A. (without requiring extra credits).
Description: The Advanced Certificate in Ethics of Science and Emerging Technologies (CESET) enables matriculated SJSU students and industry professionals (via the Open University) to gain advanced knowledge of the goals and methods of scientific inquiry and ethical decision-making, and then apply this knowledge to pressing contemporary social issues. By engaging with ethical theory, philosophy of science, epistemology and applied philosophy and ethics, students will acquire practical skills which are increasingly valued on the global job market and can help them advance their career.
More info: https://catalog.sjsu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=14&poid=9006&returnto=5107
We have a concentration at Cal Poly SLO called Ethics of Science and Technology. The course requirement are here.
The NEH humanities connections grant I was just awarded is going to fund something like this: a BS that focuses on the intersection between humanities and Data Science. I’m super excited to see all of these other programs (and to get ideas from them!).
Tilburg University offers a 1-year MA program in Philosophy of Data and Digital Society. This degree covers the ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics of digital technology in all its facets, but the focus is on the ethics and philosophy of artificial intelligence.
https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/education/masters-programs/philosophy-data-digital-society
I wonder about the relationship between these kinds of programs and STS (Science & Technology Studies) programs? The latter is a well-established interdisciplinary field that includes philosophy as well as history, sociology, anthropology, etc., united by a shared interest in science & technology. As the current director of the Brown University STS program, I’m curious what philosophers think about this. Are there benefits to programs that focus exclusively on philosophy of science & technology? Or is there value in joining an interdisciplinary conversation with colleagues in other fields, who might not share all of the assumptions and norms of communication / argumentation one typically finds in philosophy?
Agreed that this is worth considering. We teach philosophy of science and technology in a Science and Technology Studies Department at University College London. I love the interdisciplinary input to our programmes.