Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Emerging Challenges of AI’s Impact on Human Mind and Life

AI technology is changing the world we live in, including society, the economy, and science. Since AI automates operations that would require understanding if done by humans and can change almost every aspect of human life, its impact is profound and gives rise to wide-ranging ethical problems, some of which are only beginning to emerge. In the module, students study how AI integrates into human life and discuss the ethical issues arising from this integration. The different ways AI integrates into our world are clarified, and ethical issues arising from each are explored. By discussing fundamental questions and analyzing real-world case studies of their own choice, students learn to see through the hype, understand AI technology in the context of its real-world applications, and critically assess its ethical impacts. Beyond understanding and grappling with ethical conflicts from the case studies to be discussed, students develop critical skills to evaluate AI technologies they may encounter today and in the future.

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to: • describe the prevalent and often implicitly presupposed conceptions of AI • explain the ethical issues entailed by the respective conception • read, analyze, and understand philosophical texts • apply the conceptions to concrete case studies • identify the specific ethical conflicts between these conceptions • present and discuss academic papers on this complex interdisciplinary topic • apply critical thinking to new cases

In one group presentation (15–18 minutes plus discussion) on a text of their choice—and through their responses to other presentations—students demonstrate their ability to collaborate on complex topics, extract insights from philosophical texts, apply them to case studies, and identify the ethical issues and conflicts at stake. Through 9–11 weekly assignments, students demonstrate their ability to assess ethical questions arising from the use of AI. They analyze texts and take a critical stance toward the ethical issues raised. Each assignment includes a written component (about 100 words) submitted before class and an oral component presented during class. The goal isn’t to find “the right” answer, but to build a well-reasoned argument for their perspective on each issue. The weekly assignments and group presentation each count 50% of the final grade.

The assessment consists of two components:

In-Class Presentations (50%)

Students will deliver an 18–20 minute group presentation analyzing philosophical texts and applying philosophical concepts to AI issues. Each student will be evaluated individually based on their contribution, analytical depth, and presentation skills.

Weekly Exercises (50%)

Students will actively participate in class discussions, post 8–10 short online replies, and defend these in class. They answer content-related questions that deepen understanding of the presented material and give constructive collegial feedback on peer presentations.

• Bender, Emily M., and Alex Hanna. 2025. The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want. First edition. HarperCollins. Crane, Tim. 2021. “The AI Ethics Hoax.” IAI TV - Changing How the World Thinks, March 3. https://iai.tv/articles/the-ai-ethics-hoax-auid-1762. Durt, Christoph. 2023. “The Digital Transformation of Human Orientation: An Inquiry into the Dawn of a New Era (Winner of the $10.000 Essay Prize 2019–21).” In How Does the Digitization of Our World Change Our Orientation? Five Award-Winning Essays of the Prize Competition 2019-21 Held by the Hodges Foundation for Philosophical Orientation, edited by Reinhard G. Mueller and Werner Stegmaier. Orientations Press. https://hfpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Mueller-Stegmaier-How-Does-the-Digitization-of-Our-World-Change-Our-Orientation.pdf. Esposito, Elena. 2022. Artificial Communication: How Algorithms Produce Social Intelligence. Strong Ideas Series. The MIT Press. Latour, Bruno. 2005. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies. Oxford University Press. Zuboff, Shoshana. 2018. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. First edition. PublicAffairs.

Methods include conceptual analysis, hermeneutic work with texts, critical thinking, class discussions, group work, and presentations.