Undergraduate Course: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (PHIL10167)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at an extremely rapid pace. We expect to see significant changes in our society as AI systems become embedded in various aspects of our lives. This course will cover philosophical issues raised by current and future AI systems. |
| Course description |
The aim of this course is to introduce students to a range of ethical issues that arise regarding current and future artificial intelligence (AI). No previous familiarity with the literature on AI will be assumed.
Topics covered in class:
- Robot rights
- AI existential threats
- Biases in learning algorithms
- Ethics of AI in warfare
- Ethics of AI in self-driving cars
- Moral harms to AI
- Falling in love with AI
- AI and future of human jobs
Questions we consider include:
- How do we align the aims of autonomous AI systems with our own?
- Does the future of AI pose an existential threat to humanity?
- How do we prevent learning algorithms from acquiring morally objectionable biases?
- Should autonomous AI be used to kill in warfare?
- How should AI systems be embedded in our social relations? Is it permissible to fall in love with an AI system?
- What sort of ethical rules should a self-driving car use?
- Can AI systems suffer moral harms? And if so, of what kinds?
- Can AI systems be moral agents? If so, how should we hold them accountable?
- Which ethical norms should we program into our AI, if any?
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) AND
Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their Student Adviser and the Course Organiser before enrolling. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that honours Philosophy courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Midterm essay (1,500 words) - 40%
Final exam (2 hours) - 60% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Ethics of Artificial Intelligence final exam | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of philosophical issues involved in ethics of artificial intelligence
- Demonstrate familiarity with relevant examples of AI systems
- Demonstrate ability to bring philosophical considerations to bear in practical contexts
- Demonstrate ability to work in a small team
- Demonstrate skills in research, analysis and argumentation
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Reading List
Representative reading list; specific readings change year to year:
- Bostrom, N. (2014), Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, Oxford University Press
- Dubber, M.D., Pasquale, F. and Das, S. eds. (2020), The Oxford Handbook of Ethics of AI, Oxford University Press.
- Liao, M., ed. (2020) Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Oxford University Press.
- Lin, P., Abney, K. and Jenkins, R. (2019) Robot Ethics 2.0, Oxford University Press
- Wallach, W., Allen, C. (2009) Moral Machines, Oxford University Press
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course will help to equip students with the skills to navigate current and future developments in AI. Students will learn how to contribute to the debates surrounding AI. They will be able to rigorously assess claims, evidence, and consider how to articulate and defend their own claims in this domain. In addition to engaging with key material in academic philosophy, they will learn to engage constructively with sources in computer science, economics, law, policy-making, the third sector, the commercial sector, and the media.
Core skills gained or developed on this course:
Adapting presentation or writing tone/style to audience; Being open to different perspectives; Challenging own perspectives and assumptions; Critical thinking; Critical analysis and evaluation; Ethics and research ethics; Formulating original arguments and justifying it; Group work (delegation, influencing, conflict resolution, motivating others, taking responsibility); Independence; Oral communication (discussion, debating respectfully, influencing); Preparation, planning and organisation; Presentation skills; Problem solving; Public speaking; Academic reading skills; Research skills; Resilience; Self-reflection; Taking initiative; Time management; Understanding broader perspectives; Workload management; Written communication; Writing clearly and concisely. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ben Schwartz
Tel:
Email: bschwart@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Claudia Kenyon
Tel:
Email: ckenyon3@ed.ac.uk |
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