Welcome to Ethics for Engineers!

6 UNITS: 1.082  2.900  6.9320  10.01  16.676  22.014
9 UNITS: 20.005

Engineering School-Wide Elective
Course 10 Restricted Elective
Course 20 Restricted Elective
Gordon Engineering Leadership (GEL) Program Leadership Elective

At MIT you’re learning a lot about how to engineer things.
Have you thought enough about why, and when, it’s good to do so?
Ethics for Engineers gives you a chance to explore the ethical principles by which an engineer ought to be guided.
It’s a course for everyone who will go out and modify the environment, human society or the human body. And for everyone who wants to live a good life.

  • Sections meet once per week, and feature vigorous discussion and debate
  • Weekly readings include both foundational texts in ethics and contemporary engineering case studies
  • We offer four different versions of the course: Regular, AI Focus, BE Focus, and CS Focus
  • Topics include Justice, Utility, Rights, Safety, AI, CRISPR, Bias, the Environment, and Human Flourishing
  • Can be taken for 6 units or 9 units (20.005)
  • There are short weekly writing assignments, no exams or papers (except in the 9 unit version)

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Schedule for Fall 2024:

Mondays 3-5 Regular Version Prof. Trout, Dr. Peter Hansen
Tuesdays 3-5 BE Focus Dr. Peter Hansen, Prof. Lauffenburger
Wednesdays 3-5 Regular Version Dr. Kathryn Hansen
Wednesdays 7-9 Regular Version Dr. Peter Hansen