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Ethics of Contemporary Challenges

Code: 106234
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Science, Technology and Humanities OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Xavier Roque Rodriguez
Email :
xavier.roque@uab.cat

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Lucía Ortiz de Zárate Alcarazo
Carmen Madorrán Ayerra

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are none.

Objectives

At the end of the course students should achieve the following objectives:
• Identify, analyze and critically evaluate problems derived from the scientific and technological activity as well as its relevant moral, ecological and social issues.
• Communicate in an effective way, both oral and written, the result of the analysis of the ecological, ethical and social dimensions of science and Technology (of both its research and develovpent, and its applications).
• Know the main moral challenges associated to research, the use and the consequences of science and technology in our contemporary societies.

Learning outcomes

  1. Know the principles of environmental (principle of precaution, etc.).
  2. Present reports on ethical dilemmas associated with specific scientific developments.
  3. Intervene in debates on ethical dilemmas associated with scientific developments.
  4. Know the biophysical limits of planet Earth.
  5. Know the concept of transhumanism.
  6. Know the directives on personal data protection.
  7. Assess possible alternatives to animal experimentation.
  8. Develop projects on the ethics of contemporary science and technology.
  9. Identify the functions of research ethics committees.
  10. Critically evaluate different ethical challenges in today's world.
  11. Know the basic principles of risk management.
  12. Produce papers as part of a group.

Contents

1. Fundamentals: environmental ethics and Third Culture
2. Bioethical Issues
3. Needs, capabilities and basic goods (in a finite planet)
4. Moral and political challenges of transhumanism
5. Moral challenges of scientific-technological research (robotics and AI)
6. Moral challenges of biomedical research (genomic edition, transhumanism)

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Lectures 33 1.32
Work on presentation 6.25 0.25
Bibliographic research 20 0.8
Learning exercises 16 0.64
Personal study 33 1.32
Writing of essay 35 1.4
Essay supervision 4.25 0.17

Lectures.
Text discussion seminars.
Team work and oral presentations.
Individual written essay.
Exam.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Participation 15% 0 0 3, 8, 10, 12
Oral grupal presentation 35% 0.5 0.02 2, 3, 8, 11, 12
Exam 50% 2 0.08 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11

Oral presentation of team work and assessable ppt.

Exam.

Participation.

There will be a reevaluation exam. To be reevaluated, the student must have been evaluated in a set of activities whose weight equals to a minimum of two thirds of the total grade of the subject (continuous evaluation) or have completed all the required assessment activities (single assessment). The student will be deemed Not avaluable if he/she has not submitted at least 30% of the assessment activities.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

Single assessment

This subject does not incorporate single assessment.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. In case of doubts regarding the authorship of assignments, presentations, and/or exams, the professors reserve the right to administer a 2-hour oral exam to resolve any doubts.

Bibliography

Diamond, J. Crisis. Como reaccionan los países en los momentos decisivos. Barcelona: Debate, 2019.
Harari,Y. N. 21 lecciones para el siglo XXI. Barcelona: Debate, 2018.
Martinez Alier, J. 2004. El ecologismo de los pobres. Conflictos ambientales y lenguajes de valoración. Barcelona: Icaria, 2004.
Martinez Alier, J.; Wagensberg, J. Solo tenemos un planeta. Sobre la armonía de los humanos con la naturaleza. Barcelona: Icaria, 2017.
Molles, M. 2006. Ecología. Conceptos y aplicaciones. Nueva York: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana, 2006.
Anders, Günther; Eichmann, Klaus. Nosotros, los hijos de Eichmann: carta abierta a Klaus Eichmann. Barcelona: Paidós, 2001.
Baggini, Julian. Breve historia de la verdad. Barcelona: Ático de los Libros, 2018.
Fernández Buey, Francisco. Para la Tercera Cultura. Barcelona: El Viejo Topo, 2012.
Garcés, Marina. Nueva Ilustración radical. Barcelona: Anagrama, 2017. Versión en catalán: Nova Il·lustració radical, Barcelona: Anagrama, 2017
Winner, Langdon. La ballena y el reactor: una búsqueda de los límites en la era de la alta tecnología. Barcelona: Gedisa,1987.
Jasanoff, Sheila. The Ethics of Invention. New York: Norton & Co, 2016.
Parens Erik; Johnston, Josephine, eds. Human flourishing in the age of gene editing. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
Hockfield, Susan. The Age of Living Machine. London: Norton & Co, 2019.
National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research U.S.A. El Informe Belmont. https://www.bioeticaweb.com/el-informe-belmont-principios-y-guasas-acticas-para-la-protecciasn-de-los-sujetos-humanos-de-investigaciasn-18-abril-1979/

Additional references
Blackburn, Simon. La verdad–guía de perplejos. Barcelona: Crítica, 2005.
Castoriadis, Cornelius. Sujeto y verdad en el mundo histórico-social. Seminarios 1986-1987. La creación humana, I. Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica de Argentina, 2004.
Castoriadis, Cornelius; Cohn-Bendit, Daniel. De la ecología a la autonomía. Barcelona: Mascarón, 1982.
Castro, Carlos de. Reencontrando a Gaia. Málaga: Eds. del Genal, 2019.
Illich, Ivan. La convivencialidad. Barcelona: Virus, 2012.
Mumford, Lewis. El pentágono del poder. El mito de la máquina (vol. 2). Logroño: Pepitas de Calabaza, 2011.
Naredo, José Manuel. Raíces económicas del deterioro ecológico y social. Madrid: Siglo XXI, 2006.
Riechmann, Jorge. Ética extramuros. Madrid: Ediciones UAM, 2016.
Riechmann, Jorge; Tickner, Joel y otros. El principio de precaución. Barcelona: Icaria, 2002.
Welsch, Wolfgang. Hombre y mundo. Filosofía en perspectiva evolucionista. Valencia: Pre-Textos, 2014.

Software

None required.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 20 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 20 Spanish second semester morning-mixed