Engineers do not only solve technical problems; they design and implement systems that shape society. Decisions made during the development of technologies — including robotics, autonomous systems, industrial automation, AI-driven control systems, and energy or production technologies — often carry significant ethical and societal consequences. Understanding these consequences is essential for responsible engineering practice.

This course provides a structured introduction to the foundations of ethical reasoning and their application in technological contexts. Students are introduced to core normative concepts, including responsibility, harm, justice, autonomy, rights, and sustainability, as well as key approaches in ethical theory. The course emphasizes how ethical arguments are constructed, how normative claims can be justified, and how value conflicts can be analyzed systematically in engineering practice.

Through selected case studies and examples from contemporary technology, students explore ethical challenges such as safety and risk, automation and AI, human–machine interaction, environmental sustainability, and the embedding of societal values in technical systems. The course combines short lectures, structured discussions, and guided analysis of practical cases, providing students with opportunities to formulate, defend, and critically evaluate ethical positions.

The primary goal is to equip students with both the conceptual tools and reflective skills needed to integrate ethical considerations into technical decision-making, enabling them to navigate complex moral challenges in professional engineering contexts.

Ibo van de Poel & Lamber Royakkers: Ethics, Technology, and Engineering: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2023.

Sven Nyholm. This is Technology Ethics: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2023