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Ethical Questions of Modern Science

* Exchange students do not have to consider this information when selecting suitable courses for an exchange stay.

Course Unit Code711-0199/05
Number of ECTS Credits Allocated2 ECTS credits
Type of Course Unit *Optional
Level of Course Unit *Second Cycle
Year of Study *First Year
Semester when the Course Unit is deliveredWinter, Summer Semester
Mode of DeliveryFace-to-face
Language of InstructionCzech
Prerequisites and Co-Requisites There are no prerequisites or co-requisites for this course unit
Name of Lecturer(s)Personal IDName
FEB40prof. PhDr. Jaromír Feber, CSc.
HAU40prof. Dr. Mgr. Tomáš Hauer
ZEM0106Mgr. Tomáš Zemčík, Ph.D.
Summary
The subject Ethical Questions of Modern Science considers an introduction to the problematic of humanitarian and ethical principles in contemporary science. It acquaints with basic ethical conceptions, theories and critical standpoints. It offers summary of present ethical positions and put an attantion to controversial ethical topics of present world and science. This subject accents specifications of ethical norms for science working as a prodigy of society and definitions of ethical norms in relation to a science and a society. Students recieve a knowledge which also includes basics of ethics of physics, bioethics and ethics of the latest technologies.
Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit
A student defines basic conceptions of ethics and describes and compares different ethical theories. He defines the concept science and describe a development of scientistic thinking since myth till contemporary scientific paradigm. A student clears up the relation between ethics and a science and explains ethical norms of scientific work. He evaluates the ethical descents of science on contemporary society and applies the ethical attitudes towards physics, biology and modern technologies.
Course Contents
1. Basic notions of ethics and the problem of ethic understanding
2. Tradition of ethic empiricism
3. Moral canon and independent will
4. Conscience and its interpretation
5. Ethics standards, morality, virtue, utility and sense of ethic behaviour
6. Relativity of ethically position
7. New and contemporary ethic conceptions
8. Analytic ethics
9. Definition of ethics of science
10. Ethos of science
11. Ethic standard of science
12. Ethics and scince in contemporary society
13. Freedom of scientific research
14. Ethic problems of contemporary physics, biology and IT
15. Great scientists and morality
Recommended or Required Reading
Required Reading:
MacIntyre, Alasdair: A Short History of Ethics (2nd edition). Routledge, 2002.
Thompson, Mel: Ethical Theory. London: Hodder Murray, 2005.
Anzenbacher, A.: Úvod do etiky. Praha: Academia, 2001.
Tondl, L.: Věda, technika a společnost. Praha: Filosofia, 1994.
Hodovský, I.: Etika ve společnosti a povoláních. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého, 1994.
Robinson, D. – Garratt, Ch.: Seznamte se… Etika. Portál Praha 2004.
Thompson, M.: Přehled etiky. Portál Praha 2004.
Homan, R. The Ethics of Social Research. London 1991.
Merton, R. The Sociology of Science. Chicago 1974.
Recommended Reading:
Thompson, Mel: An Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics (Access to Religion and Philosophy). London: Hodder Murray, 2003.
Anzenbacher, A.: Úvod do filozofie. Praha MF 1990.
Fajkus, B.: Filosofie a metodologie vědy: vývoj, současnost a perspektivy. Praha: Academia, 2005.
Honneth, A.: Sociální filosofie a postmoderní etika. Praha: FÚ AV ČR, 1996.
Rich, A.: Etika hospodářství. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 1994.
Salomon, J. J.: Technologický úděl. Praha: Filosofia, 1997.
Sedlák, J. – Hodovský, I.: Antologie z etiky. Brno: PF MU v Brně, 1993.
Semrádová, I.: Úvod do etiky. Gaudeamus, 2002.
Sen, A.: Etika a ekonomie. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2002.
Störig, H. J.: Malé dějiny filozofie. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1995.
Tugendhat, E.: Tři přednášky o problémech etiky. Praha: MF 1998.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Lectures, Tutorials
Assesment methods and criteria
Task TitleTask TypeMaximum Number of Points
(Act. for Subtasks)
Minimum Number of Points for Task Passing
CreditCredit85 85