Course Catalogue

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In this course, students will evaluate existing frameworks and propose new interventions in the Philosophy of A.I. Representative issues explored will be in ethics, epistemology, and language. On the ethical front, students will investigate, for example, algorithmic bias, the moral alignment problem for AI, the functions and norms of AI, etc. On the epistemological front, students will investigate, for example, whether and how we can gain knowledge by relying on artificial neural networks, and to what extent outsourcing cognitive tasks to AI is epistemologically advantageous. The course may also discuss different theories of language production by certain types of AI such as Large Language Models. The course will investigate whether the tools used to explain human linguistic behaviour can also be applied to these systems. The results of this research will help students investigate questions about whether and how the AI's work is explainable.

16x1hr lectures; 4x1hr seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay (2000 words) - 65%

■ Portfolio (1000 words) - 35% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the essays, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ Provide students with the opportunity to familiarise themselves with of debates in the philosophy of AI.

■ Explore the place of new technologies in our cognitive lives, and the ethical and epistemological ramifications of these technologies, and their connection with human language.

■ Allow students to gain competence at identifying and formulating key arguments and positions, and formulating their own

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Critically engage with the key concepts that feature in contemporary debates about the philosophy of AI

■ Evaluate the reasoning behind arguments for and against ethical and epistemological stances related to AI

■ Critically assess challenges that face particular approaches and viewpoints in debates about Large Language Models

■ Construct arguments for and against specific theses in the philosophy of AI