MIT is a literally world-changing institution, equipping its students, faculty, and alumni to innovate in science and technology for a better future.  But what sort of future should we be building?

In this mini-course, we will explore four case studies for thinking about what sorts of technologies we should be building, asking questions of meaning, purpose, and ultimate goals. In addition to learning about both religious and secular ethical frameworks, participants will discuss real-world case studies of ethical dilemmas faced by the MIT community. We will explore:

• What MIT didn’t teach you: an alumni panel exploring everyday ethics and human flourishing in technological industry

• Climate science

• Bioethics

• Artificial Intelligence

The course will meet four times, Saturdays from 1:00-2:30pm EST, January 13-February 3.  The class will meet in person on MIT’s campus (location TBA), and will also have a remote option.  The course is open to current students, faculty, and staff, as well as MIT alumni.