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76215-01 - Seminar: Technological Developments and Ethics: Being at the Cutting Edge (2 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers |
Chiara Silipigni (chiara.silipigni@unibas.ch)
Tenzin Wangmo (tenzin.wangmo@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This seminar is developed as part of "Summer School in Bioethics" and seeks to offer an intensive, interdisciplinary exploration of ethical challenges arising from emerging scientific and technological developments. The goal is to delve into bioethical topics that are less discussed and may potentially be those that are future oriented, hence our title "being at the cutting edge" of bioethics. The course will be held over two consecutive days (4–5 June, 2026) and will feature in-person lectures by experts from across Europe, each presenting their current research. The Summer School addresses the following four thematic areas: (1) Bioethics of Space, focusing on ethical issues related to human health, life sciences, and responsibility in space exploration and space environments; (2) Ethics of Cooling Technologies, examining sustainability, environmental impact, energy justice, and technological innovation in cooling systems; (3) Quantum Technologies and Extended Reality exploring the ethical, societal, and governance challenges posed by emerging quantum applications and analyzing ethical of immersive digital environments; and (4) Neuroethics and AI Ethics, addressing ethical questions related to neuroscience, brain technologies, mental health, and cognitive enhancement and analyzing ethical implications of artificial intelligence. Student Activities and Assessment: Participants will be assigned to one thematic block and will be required to write a short essay based on that block. Essays will be submitted after the Summer School and will be graded as part of the course assessment. |
| Comments | Course dates: June 4 (Thursday) and June 5 (Friday), 2026 |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| täglich | See individual dates | ||
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 04.06.2026 | 09.00-17.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 114 |
| Friday 05.06.2026 | 09.00-17.00 | Kollegienhaus, Hörsaal 114 |
| Modules |
Doctorate Biomedical Ethics: Recommendations (PhD subject: Biomedical Ethics (Start of studies before 01.08.2025)) Doctorate Nursing Science: Recommendations (PhD subject: Nursing Science (Start of studies before 01.08.2025)) Electives Master Nursing: Recommendations (Master's Studies: Nursing) Module: Practical Philosophy (Master's degree subject: Philosophy) Specialization Module Global Europe: Global Ageing and Health (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Participants will be assigned to one thematic block and will be required to write a short essay based on that block. Essays will be submitted after the Summer School and will be graded as part of the course assessment. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: teaching staff |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Medicine |
| Offered by | Institut für Bio- und Medizinethik |