SSC* 220: Computers’ Impact on Society

3 Credits
(Formerly SOSC 220)
After studying the fundamentals of how computers work in order to understand their capabilities and limitations, the course explores the kinds of purposes to which computers are being put in our world: how computers are affecting us individually and as a society; the methods used and intrinsic difficulties in using computers to tackle business, economic, social, scientific, etc. problems; the positive and negative effects of computers; the ethics surrounding the use of computers; how to make rational, ethical, and humane technological decisions; and how, in private and professional life, to make informed, reasoned judgments regarding computing technology issues. Current computer issues and news items are used as case studies.
Prerequisites: None
Offered: Occasionally