Critical Writing Seminar: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

From Grammarly's A.I.-based writing help to the recent announcement that SEPTA is going to use A.I. to detect potential danger on Philadelphia's trains, artificial intelligence is already all around us. Yet, one place where its growth has been particularly notable is in science. As such, Bioethics, which explores the ethics of scientific thought and application, is growing increasingly concerned (even alarmed) by A.I.'s adoption, prevalence, and speed of development in various scientific fields, raising questions about our position as human beings in relation to machines, especially as those machines start to make decisions about our healthcare, our worth, and, perhaps, our lives. In response, this course will cover some of the biggest ideas that will shape our century: What does (or will) it mean to be human, and what are the ethical implications for our bodies and dignity when A.I. begins to self-consciously think some thoughts of its own?