Ethics in an Age of Technology: Winter 2025

The term paper

Your paper is to be based on either a book or a topic. Here is a list of possible books. Please note that this list is not meant to be exhaustive: you are free to pick another book that you like, as long as it is related to ethics and technology. I will not give a list of suggested topics so that you can decide what you want to talk about. Again, topics only need to be related to ethics and technology. Be careful not to pick a topic that is too broad. I suggest that you discuss your topic with me early on.

The paper should be no less than 2000 words (about 8-pages). The paper should be written with an intended audience of me and your classmates. Write something that you yourself would want to be given to read.

Your paper should be carefully written: it will be graded for writing quality. Make sure to give full references in the bibliography (eg., author, title, journal, publisher, pages, date; a URL alone is rarely a reference by itself). Include all necessary citations and footnotes. Please number all pages. Follow standard stylistic conventions (any fixed set of conventions you select). I like left-and-right justified text, but this is not an obligation. Use a pleasant-to-read font (not Arial or any other sans serif font).

Think, organize, think, and organize. Write and rewrite.

A team project

You will work in a team of up to two on your project (term paper + oral presentation). Your partner needs to be in the same section as yours. Larger teams will not be permitted unless you make a good case for it. Each team will submit one paper and do one presentation. All team members get the same grade.

Organization

There will be two optional milestones:

• Milestone 1: The paper proposal. In it you will identify the book or topic you want to cover, and with whom you will work. Submit Milestone 1 to Canvas. Feedback will be minimal: either I like your book/topic, or I don't. If I don't like your proposal, you will have to find another topic. The most common reasons for my rejecting a proposal: (a) the book or topic is already taken; (b) the topic is unclear or too broad; and (c) the topic or book is not related to ethics and technology.
• Milestone 2: A rough draft of your paper. The draft should be most of your paper - any omitted portion should be modest in breadth and the unfinished portion clearly circumscribed. Please upload Milestone 2 on Canvas. Include a word count at the top of your Milestone 2.

Due dates

Deadlines for turning in the milestones and final version:

Rubrics for grading term paper

The term paper will be graded over a total of 100 pts, with the following rubrics:

• Overall presentation / spelling / grammar / style / references: 30 pts
  
  

  Fits with the requirements (i.e. between 1800 and 2200 words; needs to provide word count on first page)	5 pts
  Grammar /spelling (1 pt off for each error detected, until down to 0)	10 pts
  Organization / style	5 pts
  References at the end of document: at least 5, 3 of which need to be reviewed, and published in a scientific journal	10 pts

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Presentation of the technology/topic and ethical problems: 20 pts
  
  

  The technology/topic is presented clearly enough that it can be understood by a non specialist	10 pts
  The ethical questions are clearly outlined	10 pts

  
  
  
  
  
• What the "experts" say: 25 pts
  
  

  Covers range of opinions (at least 3 different experts, out of which at least one should oppose the others)	20 pts
  Depth and breadth of research (i.e. beyond a single book)	5 pts

  
  
  
  
  
• Analysis and thesis: 25 pts
  
  

  Analysis of what the "experts" say	15 pts
  Your point of view / own voice	10 pts

  
  
  

Rubrics for grading the oral presentation

The presentation will be graded over a total of 100 pts, with the following rubrics:

• Attendance to the oral presentations 10 pts
  
  The maximum point for attendance is 10 pts; 2 points will be removed for each absence (with lecture and discussion section counted separately). Note that you may lose a total of 16 points if you do not come to any lectures / discussions!



• Overall presentation / support slides 30 pts
  
  

  Clarity and quality of the slides	10 pts
  Slides do not repeat what is said orally	10 pts
  Presentation is smooth	10 pts

  
  
  
  
  



• Presentation of the technology/topic and ethical problems: 30 pts
  
  
• Analysis and thesis: 30 pts