HPSC2011: Semester 2, 2020

University home

Library

Current students

Staff intranet

Find an event

Give

Current students

Units HPSC2011 Semester 2 2020 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

HPSC2011: Science, Ethics and Society

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Science and technology are powerful modern institutions, and they are social endeavours, undertaken and often contested by different groups of people in different historical, cultural, political, and geographical contexts. These social underpinnings are the subject of this course. What does it mean to say scientific knowledge is socially constructed? How does science relate to social and political values? Can scientific facts simply be independent of these values? Should they be independent? Scientific knowledge is often difficult to understand without years of training, and yet this knowledge is crucial to social welfare and to political and environmental futures. So how should publics relate to scientific knowledge? We investigate sociological and ethical issues related to modern science, technology, and medicine, and we develop different approaches to thinking critically about what it means to live in a society so profoundly bound up with the methods and results of the long historical process of scientific knowledge-making. Topics include scientific expertise in public policy and law; fact/value distinctions; industrial science; human/non-human animals and recent biomedical challenges to human self-understandings; scientific and legal constructions of human difference; and recent global challenges that are both social and scientific in nature, in particular environmental change.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	HPSC3107
Assumed knowledge ?	Students should be familiar will introductory material in Philosophy of Science, Ethics or Sociology.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Daniela Helbig, daniela.helbig@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Final essay Essay	30%	STUVAC	2,500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Short essay Essay	15%	Week 06	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Podcast Podcast on Aboriginal knowledges	15%	Week 09	up to 15 min recording
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Reading Room Reading Room/tutorial participation	15%	Weekly	1hr plus preparation time (2-3hrs)
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Weekly quiz Quiz on lecture content	10%	Weekly	20 min quiz
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Forum weekly online/tutorial task	15%	Weekly	1hr
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Weekly assessments: Online Forum (different weekly tasks), quizzes on lecture content, submitting written answers to reading questions.

Major assessments: short essay (1,000 words), podcast, essay (2,500 words).

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Merton's functionalism	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Troubles with the simple picture	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Trust in Science	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Public Understanding: The Deficit Model	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Science and Expertise	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Producing Doubt	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Invasive species and the bushfire crisis	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Co-production: Science and Society in the Anthropocene	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Climate change and co-production	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Western science?	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	The Hermannsburg experiments	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Indigenous Fire Management	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Telescopes and stories: Doing Astronomy	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	The Dark Emu Controversy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	The Dark Emy Controversy and settlers' diaries	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Moral Authority of Nature?	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	The Atomic Bomb	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Nazi Science, the Nuremberg Code, and Informed Consent	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	America's Nuremberg: the Tuskegee study	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Free, prior, informed consent: economic realities	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	FPIC: collective consent	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Anthropocene Ethics	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 12	Dingoes: classification, conservation, care	Lecture and tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

This course requires weekly online activities. These include a weekly quiz on lecture content, reading questions, and additional online tasks that vary week by week. Submission of online activities during at least 10 out of 12 weeks is required for passing this unit of study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Weekly readings on e-reserve.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Recognise, and reflect critically on problems that are both social and scientific in nature
LO2. Discuss basic approaches and ideas with regard to the place of science in society, relations between science and the public, and the role of experts
LO3. Understand some of the social and political implications of the concept of 'modern Western science,' and reflect on the relations, similarities and differences between different knowledge traditions
LO4. Recognise the lasting importance of the history of science for research ethics, and discuss examples of normative judgments embedded in research practices
LO5. Present coherent arguments about the relationship of science to society, the relation between 'Western' science and Indigenous knowledges, and ethical issues related to developments in modern science and its applications

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

In-class presentation has been replaced by podcast assignment.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect