Philosophy of Technology and Ethics of AI: From Alan Turing to the Age of Algorithms

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping nearly every aspect of contemporary life—from how we work and communicate to how we understand creativity, responsibility, and even intelligence itself. This course introduces students from all disciplines to the ethical, social, and conceptual challenges posed by AI and modern technology. It combines perspectives from philosophy, media studies, and contemporary journalism to help students think critically about how these technologies influence both society and human self-understanding.

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In the first third of the course, we will trace the roots of AI through Alan Turing’s classic question, “Can machines think?” and explore how early conceptions of intelligence continue to shape today’s debates. We will then turn to Shannon Vallor’s The AI Mirror to consider how metaphors of mind and intelligence shape our ethical imagination, and to Karen Hao’s Empire of AI to examine the real-world conditions of AI production—its social inequalities, labor practices, and environmental costs. The remainder of the course focuses on contemporary ethical issues: trust and responsibility in AI systems, the role of bias and transparency, and how technology can both empower and constrain human agency. Weekly readings will include a mix of academic and public-facing texts.

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Each weekly theme will be explored in two 90-minute sessions. The first session, led by the instructor, will introduce the topic through a close reading and discussion of the assigned text. Students are not required to have completed the reading in advance of this session. The second session will be student-led, featuring a presentation and critical analysis of the text, followed by an open discussion of its central ideas and implications.

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