Schedule for CS 4001 HP: Computing, Society, & Professionalism

Readings are subject to change. Check the online syllabus before reading.
  • The scary truth about AI copyright is nobody knows what will happen next by James Vincent

    • Date Topic Readings Assignment
    1/8 Welcome & Overview    
    1/10 Case Study: Therac-25 Optional reading:
    • Bring your copy of the Leveson paper (electronic or paper)
    • Pick a person in the Therac controversy, and add it to the discussion Canvas (making sure no one has already picked that person). Come to class prepared to discuss what that person did or didn't do.
    1/15 MLK Day (no class)    
    1/17 Do Artifacts Have Politics?
    Intro to Generative AI
    • Call an older family member or friend, and come to class prepared to discuss it. Briefly summarize what was discussed on the Canvas Assignment.
    HW: Therac and the 737-MAX
    1/22 Utilitarianism Quinn 2.1-2.3, 2.7-2.8  
    1/24 Deontology and Social Contract Theory
    • Quinn 2.6, 2.9
    • "Are there absolute moral rules?" by James Rachels, in The Elements of Moral Philosophy (see 'reading lists' on Canvas))
    • Political Theory: John Rawls (video, 6 minutes)
    		 HW: Reflection on the Limits of Generative AI

    1/29 Stakeholder Analysis and Virtue Ethics
    • In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan, pp. 25-39 (see 'reading lists' on Canvas)
    • 3001 term paper "Should You Believe Health Information Online" (2021), available on Canvas under files, shared with the author's permission
    • Quinn 2.12
    • Virtue Ethics, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
    • Quinn 2.10-2.11
    Optional:
    • Choose a quote from either the Gilligan reading or the Stanford Encyclopedia article on Virtue Ethics that you feel raises an interesting issue. Add it to the discussion on Canvas, making sure you have picked a quote that no one else has picked. Come to class prepared to read your quote out loud and discuss why you find it significant.
    1/31 Freedom of Speech & Networked Communications
    • Quinn 3.2, 3.6-3.9
    • Section 230, Electronic Frontier Foundation
  • Pick an article about free speech online, including recent changes to platforms like X and deplatforming or replatforming of controversial figures. Add it to the Canvas thread, making sure no one else has picked the same article. Come to class prepared to discuss it.
    • 2/5 Professional Ethics
    HW: Applying Ethical Frameworks to a Dilemma
    2/7 Privacy  
    2/12 Privacy and the Government Analysis of New ACM Code
    2/14 Privacy and Biological Data
    2/19 Term Paper Proposals Term Paper Proposals

    Please come to class prepared to talk about your term paper topic.
    2/21 Intellectual Property
    • Quinn Chapter 4, through end of 4.6
    • Video about trademarks: 'Don't Say Velcro' (2:14 minutes)
    Optional:     		 
    2/26 Software as Intellectual Property
    • Quinn Chapter 4, continued (4.7-end)
    • Group Project Proposals Due
    • Pick a legal case that involves fair use and computers. Come to class prepared to tell the class about your case. What did the court rule and why? How were the four fair use factors used?
    2/28 Midterm Review    
    3/4 Midterm    
    3/6 Work and Wealth Optional:  
    3/11 AI, Algorithms, and Bias
    		 
    3/13 Computer Reliability & Software Warranties
      Reading:
    • Quinn Chapter 8 (except Therac section already read)
    Optional:     		 
    3/18 and 20 Spring Break (no class)    
    3/25 Technology and Race Optional:  
    3/27 Group Projects I Health Care Records and Privacy
    Reading: Facial Recognition Software Used by Government
    Reading:     		 
    4/1 Group Projects II Violent Video Games
    Reading:

    Robots in Restaurants      		 Term Paper Outline
    4/3 Should you believe Wikipedia? Reading:  
    4/8 Group Projects III Lethal Autonomous Weapons
    Reading:
    • Killer Robots by Robert Sparrow, Journal of Applied Philosophy 24:1 (2007).
    Generative AI and Digital Artists     		 
    4/10 Group Projects IV Generative AI and Images of People  
    4/15 Final Exam Review  
    • Term Papers
    • Write a proposed question for the final, and post it on the discussion on Canvas
    4/17 Term Paper Presentations To volunteer to give a term-paper presentation:
    • Email the professor and TA at least 24 hours before class (3:15 pm on 4/16)
    • Upload your slides to the folder on Canvas before class (3:15 pm)
    Everyone who volunteers and submits slides gets +1 on their term paper. Order of presentation will be randomly selected. If you are selected to present, you will get +1 to +3 on your term paper.
    Talks should be 6 minutes (strictly timed) with 2 minutes for questions.
    		 
    4/22 The Big Picture    

    Readings and assignments are subject to change.

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