Courses Taught at Notre Dame

Digital Technology, Society, and Ethics (Fall 2017)

​Course Description: Digital technologies now play a role in almost every aspect of our lives.  Computers of all shapes and sizes have been integrated into our daily routines – from laptops, tablets and smartphones, to smart watches, Fitbits, and Amazon Echo.  We now socialise, shop, do our banking, get our news, and even meet potential dates online.  In this course we will explore how digital technologies transform the world we live in and how ethical issues arise through these interactions. We will be guided by questions like: Is all technology neutral, or can it be infused with the values of those who produce and exploit it?  Do digital technologies make life better or worse (and for whom)?  To what extent do we control technology and to what extent is it controlling us?  Some topics that we will cover include:  social media and online identity; the internet and politics; privacy and big data; cybercrime and computer security; gender and race issues in computing; intellectual property; and artificial intelligence.  This course will provide students with a philosophical basis for reflection upon the ethical issues raised by digital technologies. Drawing from a range of literature, this course will engage students in interdisciplinary discussions about the opportunities and pitfalls of life in the digital era.

Robot Ethics (Summer 2018, Online)
​​Co-taught with Jude Galbraith

Course Description: This course investigates ethical issues in both the development and application of robot technologies. Through a combination of selected readings and films, interviews with experts, and an innovative use of media, you will develop critical thinking and reasoning skills applicable to this domain and beyond. Topics covered: Introduction to Robot Ethics; Frameworks for Ethical Judgment; Cost-Benefit Analyses; Autonomous Weapons; Self-Driving Cars; Asimov’s Three Laws; Ethics; Programming for Robots Healthcare and Robotics; Prosthetics and Human Enhancement; Robots as Friends and Lovers; Privacy; Technological Unemployment; Robot Rights; Will there be an AI Singularity?; Technological Virtue; Religious Perspectives on Robot Ethics

Courses Taught as Teaching Assistant

Introduction to Philosophy

University of Notre Dame, Spring 2017
Instructor: Jeff Speaks

Summer Leadership Seminar: Science, Ethics, and Responsibility (Pre-College Program)

University of Notre Dame, Summer 2016
Instructors: Jessica Baron and Don Howard