HC354 - Ethics and engineering

This teaching module aims to awaken and train students' critical thinking skills with regard to the ethical and societal issues raised by engineering, particularly biomedical engineering, and healthcare systems. The aim is not to teach ethics from a formal, philosophical point of view, but rather to provoke reflection on the role of science and engineering in our societies, the controversies raised by current technological trends, and the responsibility of engineers and researchers towards these issues.

EN:

Critical thinking on ethical and societal challenges raised by engineering (in particular for biomedical systems) and healthcare systems. The goal is not to teach ethics from the formal and philosophical viewpoint, but rather to provoke thinking about the role of science and engineering in our societies, the controversies raised by the current technological trends, and the responsibility of engineers and researchers with respect to those questions.

By the end of the module, students will be able to identify and express the ethical challenges and issues that arise when designing biomedical and healthcare systems.

EN:

At the end of the module, the students will be able to identify and express ethical challenges and questions that arise when designing biomedical and healthcare systems.

EN:

The outline of the module should be close to the following:
* Introduction seminar to the topic.
* Tutorial on a case study, possibly related to a medical system commonly used in the other teaching modules. As an assignment, the students will have to further develop that analysis in small groups (they will typically be asked to create a heuristic map of their work).
* Debate between the students about one (or more) question(s) chosen among the questions raised by the students during their assigned work. NB: the debate may be filmed for pedagogical purposes.
* Debriefing with the students on the module and what they learned.

Final evaluation will include the homework assignment, as well as the involvement during the module session (e.g., during the debate).