UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
Vision and Mission

The Department of Philosophy envisions a vibrant community of faculty and students, a community impassioned by curiosity,
learning, compassion, and spirituality.

The Department of Philosophy envisions a comprehensive civil program via the administration of the A.B. Major in Philosophy
Program of the Faculty of Arts and Letters and the General Education Philosophy Courses offered in the different academic units
of the University. The Department continues to coordinate with the UST Graduate School in the administration of the M.A. and
Ph.D. programs in Philosophy.

The Department of Philosophy will make it a point to monitor and support the development of its faculty members in terms of
their graduate degree (M.A. and Ph.D.) completions, participation in public forums, and the activation of their individual research
projects--for the proper teaching of courses and wielding of the key areas of strength, as well as the establishment of new courses
and strengths, profoundly rely on the development of faculty members.

The Department of Philosophy further envisions the establishment of a research cluster for philosophy within the Department
which will institutionalize the exploration and advancement of the assertions of the discipline. This research cluster will be
committed to the assignment of research units (in lieu of or in addition to teaching units) to faculty members and the publication
of research outputs in the form of monographs, occasional papers, textbooks, and scholarly journal publications.

Key Areas of Research and Teaching Strength

Eastern Philosophy (Chinese, Indian, Filipino)

East-West Comparative Philosophy
Thomism and Scholasticism
European Philosophy

Department Learning Outcomes

The ability to demonstrate critical thinking and ethical consciousness. The teaching of General Education Courses (or
Service Courses to non-philosophy majors) will introduce philosophy students to the basic philosophical branches and sub-
branches, to develop their critical reasoning skills, and make them cognizant of socio-politico-ethical issues relevant to
human beings and society.
The ability to critically assess and articulate various philosophical positions or theories. The teaching of Core Subjects and
Major Subjects to philosophy students will familiarize them with philosophical issues, from the most rudimentary to the
most complex, gleaned from the various traditions in the global history of philosophy (East and West). Through this, students
will be firmly grounded in the various complex philosophical debates which, in turn, become the foundation of comparison,
criticism, and defense of these philosophical theories.
The ability to contribute to the development of philosophical discourse. It is the ultimate aim of the AB Philosophy Program
to instill the value of philosophical research among the students. With a comprehensive mastery of various philosophical
theories, students are guided by mentors to explore and foster the key areas of strength of the Department (Eastern
Philosophy, East-West Comparative Philosophy, Thomism and Scholasticism, and European Philosophy). Philosophy
students are exposed to more complex philosophical issues and new philosophical trends via Seminar Courses. Moreover,
as a final requirement of the program, students contribute to the exploration and fostering of these key areas of strength
by conducting and submitting their own research through Research Courses. This training will then prepare the students
for graduate studies in philosophy.
Preparedness in other professional areas and industries. In addition to intensive training in the key areas of strength of the
Department and in philosophical research, it is an important aim of the AB Philosophy Program to prepare its students for
other professions, such as, religious, legal, and government, inter alia.

Room 109, Ground floor, Main Bldg, UST, Espaa Boulevard, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines 1015
Tel No: (63-2) 406-1611 loc 8342 Telefax: (63-2) 749-9779 E-mail: ustphilodept@gmail.com Website: philosophy.ust.edu.ph
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy of Science, Technology,

Course Title: Academic Year: 2017-2018
and Information
Course Code: PHL 105 Semester: 1st
Elaine M. Lazaro
No. Of Units: 3 Course Facilitator:
Email: lainlazaro@gmail.com

Course Description
PHL 105 or Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Information aims to delve into the philosophical dimension of science,
technology, and information, but with a special focus on the philosophy of technology and information given that the course
will be delivered to IT students. It will do so by exploring different philosophical perspectives from contemporary philosophers
and thinkers such Martin Heidegger, Andrew Feenberg, Don Ihde, and Christian Fuchs, among others. Moreover, it will engage
with current trends and issues in science, technology, and information that shall require the student to consider the
philosophicaloften ethical and socio-politicalimplications of pertinent topics such as the internet of things, big data, RFID
technology, surveillance and privacy, design ethics, genetic engineering, posthumanism, transhumanism, robotics, and
artificial intelligence.

Course Outline
Week 1-2 TOPIC 1
A brief introduction to philosophy
Branches of Philosophy
The Mythological World Picture
The Pre-Socratics and Socrates
Week 3-4 TOPIC 2
Introduction to philosophy of science, technology, and information
What is Philosophy of Technology? by Andrew Feenberg (June 2003)
Technology in Ancient Greek philosophy
Earlier studies on the philosophy of science and technology: Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn
Week 5 TOPIC 3
Substantivism or the dyspotic view of technology
Question Concerning Technology by Martin Heidegger (1977)
The Luddites on Capitalism
Week 6-8 TOPIC 4
Postphenomenology and technology as a medium
Technology and Embodiment in Ihde and Merleau-Ponty by P. Brey (2000)
Google Glass to Cyborg Eyes: A postphenomenology of visual prostheses Peter Paul Verbeek

Design Ethics
Morality in Design: Design Ethics and the Morality of Technological Artifacts by Peter-Paul Verbeek (2008)
Week 9-10 TOPIC 5
The Internet as a space for accummulation (or a Marxist reading of Web 2.0/3.0)
Critique of the Political Economy of Informational Capitalism and Social Media by Christian Fuchs (2014)
Karl Marx @ Internet Studies by Christian Fuchs and Nick Dyer-Witherford (November 2012)
Week 11-12 TOPIC 6
The Internet of Things, big data, RFID technology
The Internet of Things: An Overview (Understanding the Issue and Challenges of a More Connected World
by the Internet Society (October 2015)
Week 13-15 TOPIC 7
Cyborgs, the posthuman, genetic engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence
Ethics, Technology and Posthuman Communities by Steven Benko (2005)
A cyborg manifesto: science, technology, and socialist feminism in the 21st century by Donna Haraway
(2000)
Robotics
AI

Room 109, Ground floor, Main Bldg, UST, Espaa Boulevard, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines 1015
Tel No: (63-2) 406-1611 loc 8342 Telefax: (63-2) 749-9779 E-mail: ustphilodept@gmail.com Website: philosophy.ust.edu.ph