Society, Ethics, and Technology

Designed for use in standard 15-week undergraduate Science, Technology, and Society courses, this reader develops a framework for analyzing the social, environmental, and ethical implications of contemporary science and technology through the presentation of a variety of views and treatments. The editors (both of The College of New Jersey) present 32 chapters that begin with historical, social, and philosophical perspectives on technological society. A second section examines issues arising from contemporary uses of technology in papers dealing with globalization, economics, and human rights; computers, robotics, and information technology; biotechnology and genetic engineering; and population, energy, and the environment. The readings seem to have been selected for their accessibility to a general audience. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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A reader for an undergraduate course which fosters an understanding of the role that science and technology play in shaping modern society and provides students with a method for evaluating the benefits and risks associated with technological change. Selections in Part I convey general perspectives on historical, social, and philosophical aspects of technology, while those in Part II deal with several issues in specific fields. Selections are accompanied by brief introductions and focus questions. Lacks a subject index. Winston and Edelbach are affiliated with The College of New Jersey. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Morton Winston is a professor of philosophy at the College of New Jersey and a former chair of the Board of Directors of Amnesty International USA. In addition to core philosophy courses, he also teaches classes in biomedical ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of technology, philosophy of mind, human rights, mind, language, and computers. He has published several books and numerous articles on topics related to human rights, applied ethics, and cognitive science.

Ralph Edelbach is an associate professor of technological studies at the College of New Jersey. He teaches classes on ethics and technology and is coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Core and president of the College of New Jersey Federation of Teachers.