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Course Offerings

Course Details

Spring 2012-2013
* EGR 277 / SOC 277 / HIS 277 (SA)  

Technology and Society

Angela N. Creager

Technology and society are unthinkable without each other - each provides the means and framework in which the other develops. To explore this dynamic, this course investigates a wide array of questions on the interaction between technology, society, politics, and economics, emphasizing the themes of innovation and maturation, systems and regulation, risk and failure, and ethics and expertise. Specific topics covered include nuclear power and waste, genetically-modified organisms, regulation of the internet, medical mistakes, intellectual property, the financial crisis of 2008, and the post-fossil-fuels economy.

Sample reading list:
Charles Perrow, Normal Accidents
Peter Huber and Mark Mills, The Bottomless Well
Robert Crandall, Competition and Chaos
Michael Davis, Thinking Like an Engineer
Michael Ruse and David Castle, Genetically Modified Foods
See instructor for complete list

Reading/Writing assignments:
Students should expect roughly 100 pages of reading a week. There will also be a five-page paper due before midterms, and a final project due on Dean's Date.

Requirements/Grading:
Mid Term Exam - 15%
Final Exam - 25%
Class/Precept Participation - 20%
Other (See Instructor) - 40%

Other information:
Seniors may opt to not take the mid-term. This course is required for undergraduate certificate - ITS (https://citp.princeton.edu/teaching/certificate/) and cannot be taken as pdf.

Website:  http://bit.ly/egr277-s2012

Schedule/Classroom assignment:

Class numberSectionTimeDaysRoomEnrollmentStatus
42649 L01 1:30 pm - 2:20 pm M W   Computer Science Building   104   Enrolled:50 Limit:125
P01 2:30 pm - 3:20 pm W   Friend Center of Engineering   110   Enrolled:13 Limit:18
P02 1:30 pm - 2:20 pm Th   Peyton Hall   33   Enrolled:13 Limit:18
P03 3:30 pm - 4:20 pm W   Friend Center of Engineering   110   Enrolled:8 Limit:18
P04 2:30 pm - 3:20 pm W   Computer Science Building   102   Enrolled:10 Limit:16
P05 7:30 pm - 8:20 pm W   Friend Center of Engineering   110   Enrolled:6 Limit:16