APP-20303 Ethics and Social Science

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

Topics that will be covered during the course are scientific theories/ history of scientific discoveries/ defining "good" versus "bad" science/ responsibility of scientists/ ivory tower versus responsibility to society/ scientific fraud and misconduct - what are the mechanisms that promote or prevent it?/ job or society, where should a scientist's loyalty lie?/ Research ethics in a practical perspective/ Research ethics as a continuous process in daily work/ Who "owns" ideas?/ Patent problems - public funding and private exploitation/ etc. The aim is to initiate a concern for issues of research ethics, to promote an awareness that these questions should be addressed throughout any scientist's career and to offer means to tackle these.
The analysis will be structured in themes like:
- applied - professional - research ethics;
- ethical dimensions in the relation between science and society;
- experimenting with animals-humans;
- role of scientist in Food, Foodethics;
- genetic research;
- experts and their responsibility including ethics of the researcher and teacher.

Learning outcomes:

- students will be acquainted with questions of research ethics;
- they will have acquired some basic concepts and principles for judgment and action regarding ethical questions in research and professional life;
- they will be able to apply concepts and principles in their own work .

Activities:

Active participation during the seminars (short papers discussing given assignments) will comprise 50 % of the course requirements and presentation of a paper 5-10 pages at the final meeting the rest of the requirements. The course consists of lectures and video seminars on a platform on Internet, reading/ discussion of books and articles and writing contributions to the cases/dilemmas individually and in groups.

Examination:

Requirements:
active particiaption (including short review): 50%
paper (5-10 pages): 50%

Literature:

Will be distributed.