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Module Specifications

Academic Year 2026 - 2027

Module Title AI Ethics
Module Code PHE1054 (ITS: N/A)
Faculty Humanities & Social Sciences School Theology, Philosophy & Music
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 10
Description

This module is designed to provide students with the conceptual tools necessary for analysing ethical issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), through an examination of the core concepts, issues, and methodologies of AI ethics. Students will become familiar with various methods of practising ethics in research and innovation projects. Specifically, they will learn about 'anticipatory technology ethics' and 'scenario planning'. The module will also enhance students' ability to apply ethical theories to a variety of AI-related topics discussed in the academic literature. Issues to be discussed include the use of AI in academic publishing, scientific research, education, healthcare, and warfare, as well as its impact on sustainability. Students will also examine the dynamics of the AI ethics debate, considering the utopian visions and dystopian nightmare scenarios being discussed on its fringes. Finally, they will be encouraged to examine a specific AI ethics issue in depth in their final paper.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of relevant ethical principles and values in AI.
2. Apply a range of appropriate ethical theories, value systems and principles in order to elucidate ethical issues in AI.
3. Display a critical understanding of AI ethics in general.
4. Critically analyze AI's impact on a variety of stakeholders.
5. Apply and appraise appropriate ethical decision-making models to explore various resolutions to ethical problems in AI.
6. Give evidence of an in-depth analysis of a challenging ethical issue in relation to AI by completion of a paper


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture2No Description
Class Presentation6No Description
Independent Study12No Description
Assignment Completion15No Description
Total Workload: 35
Section Breakdown
CRN21410Part of TermSemester 2
Coursework0%Examination Weight0%
Grade ScalePass Both ElementsY
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorBert GordijnModule Teacher
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
EssayA 5,000 word formal essay providing evidence of an in-depth analysis of a challenging ethical issue in relation to AI along the following 4 step scheme: 1) Ethical question 2) Morally relevant facts 3) Normative analysis 4) Answer to the question100%n/a
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction to AI ethics

Practicing ethics in research and innovation

Anticipatory technology ethics

Ethics of AI in academic publishing

Ethics of AI in scientific research

Ethics of AI in education

Ethics of AI in health care

Ethics of AI in warfare

AI and sustainability

Dystopian AI nightmares

Utopian AI dreams

Conclusions and future perspectives

Indicative Reading List

Books:
  • Nick Bostrom: 0, Deep Utopia, 978-1646871643
  • Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares: 2025, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, Little, Brown and Company, 0, 9781847928931


Articles:
  • Gordijn, Bert, and Henk ten Have: 2023, ChatGPT: evolution or revolution?, Medicine, health care and philosophy, 26(1), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11019-023-10136-0, 523660
  • 2023: Editors’ statement on the responsible use of generative AI technologies in scholarly journal publishing, Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 26(4), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11019-023-10176-6, 523723, 1
  • Disclosing generative AI use for writing assistance should be voluntary: Research Ethics, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17470161251345499, 523724, 1, Michał Wieczorek, Mohammad Hosseini, Bert Gordijn
  • AI and Ethics: 5, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-025-00770-0, 523725, 1, Daniel Crean, Michał Wieczorek, Bert Gordijn, Alan J Kearns, 2025
  • https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08989621.2025.2551890: 523726, 1, Aimee van Wynsberghe, 2021, Sustainable AI: AI for sustainability and the sustainability of AI, AI Ethics, 1,
  • 523727: 1, Waelen, R., van Wynsberghe, A, 2025, Considering the Social and Economic Sustainability of AI, Science and Engineering Ethics, 31(19),
  • 1: Falk, S., van Wynsberghe, A, 2024, Challenging AI for Sustainability: what ought it mean?, AI and Ethics, 4, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-023-00323-3
  • Kropf, Mario: 2025, Mental Health, AI-based Care Robots and Fair Access to Healthcare, Canadian Journal of Bioethics / Revue canadienne de bioéthique, 8(3), https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/bioethics/2025-v8-n3-bioethics010132/1118902ar/abstract/, 523730
  • 2025: A Matter of Trust: Principles to Ethically Assess AI in Health Care, The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy: A Forum for Bioethics and Philosophy of Medicine, https://academic.oup.com/jmp/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jmp/jhaf023/8253796?login=true, 523731, 1
  • Using ethical scenarios to explore the future of artificial intelligence in primary and secondary education: Learning, Media and Technology, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439884.2025.2517335#d1e315, 523732, 1, Wessel Reijers, David Wright, Philip Brey, Karsten Weber, Rowena Rodrigues, Declan O’Sullivan, Bert Gordijn
  • Science and engineering ethics: 24(5), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11948-017-9961-8, 523733, 1, Brey, P.A.E., 2012
  • 6: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11569-012-0141-7, 523734, 1, Brey, P.A.E., 2012, Anticipating ethical issues in emerging IT
  • https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-012-9293-y: 523735, 1, Daniel Kokotajlo, Scott Alexander, Thomas Larsen, Eli Lifland, Romeo Dean, 0, AI 2027,
  • 523736: 1, Yudkowsky, Eliezer, 2023, Pausing AI developments isn’t enough. We need to shut it all down, Time magazine, 29,
  • 1: Dario Amodei, 2024, Machines of Loving Grace. How AI Could Transform the World for the Better, https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/machines-of-loving-grace
  • Dario Amodei. (2026), The Adolescence of Technology. Confronting and Overcoming the Risks of Powerful AI, https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology: 0, https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology, 523741
  • 2025: Autonomous weapons: considering the rights and interests of soldiers, Ethics and Information Technology, 27(53), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-025-09859-w, 523742, 1
  • Robot warfare: the (im)permissibility of autonomous weapons systems: AI and Ethics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-024-00567-7, 523743, 1, Guo, J.
  • Ethics & Global Politics: 18(3), https://doi.org/10.1080/16544951.2025.2540131, 523745, 2, Stephen Wolfram, 2023
  • https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/02/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/:
Other Resources

  • 1: Video lecture, Andrej Karpathy, 2025, Deep Dive into LLMs like ChatGPT,
  • 419959: 1, Video lecture, Andrej Karpathy, 2025, How I use LLMs,
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWvNQjAaOHw: 419961, 2, Video lecture, Stephen Wolfram, 2023, What is ChatGPT doing...and why does it work?
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flXrLGPY3SU:

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