How do we educate the next generation of data scientists and software engineers to think of their work as not just technical but also ethical? How do we get them to see that the social impact of their work requires that it be driven by sound ethical principles? The way that these questions are interrogated, discussed, and the sort of answers we might propose will be informed by a thoroughgoing interdisciplinary lens. Students will learn theoretical frameworks from both Philosophy and Computational and Data Sciences and work together to see how knowledge of frameworks from both disciplines serves to enrich our understanding of the ethical issues that face digital technologies, as well as empower us to find creative solutions.

Central questions include: What kinds of ethical considerations are part of the everyday jobs of graduates working in digital technology, either in non-profit or for-profit organizations? What parts of the current liberal arts curriculum, if any, are preparing our graduates for the kinds of ethical decision-making they need to engage in? How to expand the reach of ethical reasoning within the liberal arts curriculum, in order to strengthen the ethical decision-making preparation? A key component in our collective efforts to engage with these questions will involve a sustained semester-long research project with Wellesley alums working in the field of digital tech.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 18

Crosslisted Courses: CS 334

Prerequisites: One course in Philosophy, Computer Science, MAS, or Statistics, and permission of the instructor.

Instructor: Walsh (Philosophy), Mustafaraj (Computer Science)

Distribution Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy

Degree Requirements: DL - Data Literacy (Formerly QRF); DL - Data Literacy (Formerly QRDL)

Typical Periods Offered: Fall

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall

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