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2009/10 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
PHIL2729 Ethical Issues in Nanotechnology
10 creditsClass Size: 300
Module manager: Dr Christopher Megone
Email: C.B.Megone@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2009/10
This module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
On completion of this module, students should:1. have a good grasp of the main ethical issues raised by nanotechnology.
2. understand some of the key ethical concepts to be deployed in considering these issues.
3. have some appreciation of possible differing perspectives on the central topics.
Syllabus
I. The ethical responsibilities of the scientist.
II. Relevant case studies: ethics and genetics, ethics and GM crops, ethics and the bomb.
III. Taxonomy of risk assessments for nanotechnology; ethical models of risk; ethics and the intersection of robotics and cybernetics, genetics, nanotechnology. Experts and deliberative democracy. Nanotechnology: utopia or dystopia.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Seminar | 10 | 2.00 | 20.00 |
| Private study hours | 80.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100.00 | ||
Private study
- 55 hours preparatory reading, revision, and writing notes (5.5 hours per seminar)- 25 hours essay preparation.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Seminar attendance, individual seminar presentations, writing of seminar revision notes.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 2,000 words - Resit by 2 hour exam, covers essay and tutorial performance | 80.00 |
| Tutorial Performance | . | 20.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 09/07/2010
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