NEUROETHICS
Stampa
Enrollment year
2020/2021
Academic year
2021/2022
Regulations
DM270
Academic discipline
M-PSI/02 (PSYCHOBIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY)
Department
DEPARTMENT OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Course
PSYCHOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE AND HUMAN SCIENCES
Curriculum
PERCORSO COMUNE
Year of study
Period
1st semester (04/10/2021 - 21/12/2021)
ECTS
6
Lesson hours
36 lesson hours
Language
English
Activity type
WRITTEN AND ORAL TEST
Teacher
SANTOSUOSSO AMEDEO (titolare) - 3 ECTS
LAVAZZA ANDREA - 3 ECTS
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of neuroanatomy and cognitive neuroscience is assumed. Some basic concepts of moral and legal theories are helpful but not strictly required.
Learning outcomes
The course aims at offering knowledge in the new and expanding field of neuroethics, an interdisciplinary endeavor that arises from the development of cognitive science and its theoretical and practical implications at an ethical, legal, societal and political level. The course is aimed at all the students interested in acquiring updated skills in a very relevant feature of research and psychological practice, namely the ethical side of every kind of interventions on human mind/brain.
After the course, participants will be expected to be able to:
* recognize the ethical issues at stake in singles cases and new strands of research.
* understand and apply the relevant neuroethical tools related to the case in question.
* develop proposals for original view concerning new ethically controversial issues.
Course contents
Neuroethics, the law, and criminal responsibility
Strategies of regulation (ethics, soft law, law by design)
Rationality, consciousness and machines
Machine ethics
Artificial intelligence and general- purpose AI
Cognitive biases, intelligence and thinking rationally
Reading and controlling minds
Bci, neural prostheses, brain privacy, and cognitive liberty
Free will and neuroscience
Cognitive (and moral) enhancement
Memory modulation
Disturbances of consciousness
Human cerebral organoids
Microbiome and behaviour
Teaching methods
The course is based on lectures, video material, group discussion and individual discussion of scientific articles and single case studies.
Reccomended or required readings
The materials will be provided during the course. Students are advised to read: N. Levy, Neuroethics, Cambridge University Press.
Assessment methods
Written and / or oral examinations with the possibility for the student to prepare reports on specific topics and discuss them.
Further information
Sustainable development goals - Agenda 2030