Unit 9: Science, Technology, and Commerce
In this unit, you will examine the role that ethics play in the policymaking process for laws and regulations involving science, technology, and commerce. Should the government engage in corporate "social welfare", or should we allow the free market to choose commercial "winners" and "losers"? What types of commercial regulations should the government impose without burdening the free flow of goods and services in our economy? What limits should be placed on medical research or cloning of foodstuffs? How do we balance individual bodily autonomy with the need to protect the public by restricting the spread of infection and disease? How should individual privacy rights online be balanced against security and public safety concerns?
Each of these dilemmas may be examined under the five frameworks discussed in Unit 2, sometimes resulting in different outcomes. You will see which frameworks lawmakers, judges, and officials tend to apply to different types of issues and circumstances. Understanding how these dilemmas are approached and resolved in practice is important for you to know as a student of political science and public policy; it is also essential knowledge for those planning to enter the legal, public service, or lobbying professions.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 16 hours.
Unit 9 Assessment
For this assessment, you will draft a 1- to 2-page memo based on the prompts and instructions contained in the assignment. Once you have done so, check your work against the guide to responding.