Jason Borenstein
Principal Acad Professional
Member Of:
- School of Public Policy
Email Address:
jason.borenstein@pubpolicy.gatech.eduOffice Phone:
404-385-2801Office Location:
DM Smith 214Overview
Jason Borenstein, Ph.D., is the Director of Graduate Research Ethics Programs and Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Technology. His appointment is divided between the School of Public Policy and the Office of Graduate Studies. He is also Affiliated Faculty at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM).
Dr. Borenstein is an assistant editor of the journal Science and Engineering Ethics, co-editor of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s Ethics and Information Technology section, and an editorial board member of the journal Accountability in Research. He is also Editor for Research Ethics for the National Academy of Engineering's Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science. He was the Founder and formerly Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Philosophy, Science & Law.
Dr. Borenstein’s research interests include bioethics, engineering ethics, robot ethics, and research ethics. He is currently a Co-Principal Investigator on a five year project funded by the National Science Foundation entitled "Institutional Transformation: The Role of Service Learning and Community Engagement on the Ethical Development of STEM Students and Campus Culture". His work has appeared in numerous professional journals including AI & Society, Communications of the ACM, Science and Engineering Ethics, the Journal of Academic Ethics, Ethics and Information Technology, IEEE Technology & Society, Accountability in Research, and the Columbia Science and Technology Law Review.
Education:
- M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Miami
- B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Philosophy, Emory University
Interests
Research Fields:
- Ethics and Philosophy of Science and Technology
Issues:
- Bioethics, Bioscience, Biotechnology
- Emerging Technologies - Innovation
- Human/Machine Interaction
- Philosophy
Courses
- PHIL-3105: Ethical Theories
- PHIL-3109: Engineering Ethics
- PHIL-6000: Responsible Conduct-Res
- PHIL-6010: Biotech Research Ethics
- PHIL-6710: Ethics Biotech Research
- PST-3105: Ethical Theories
- PST-3109: Ethics&Tech Profession
- PST-3127: Sci,Tech & Human Values
- PST-8000: Responsible Condut-Res
- PUBP-8801: Special Topics
- PUBP-8811: Special Topics
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
- The Ugly Truth About Ourselves and Our Robot Creations: The Problem of Bias and Social Inequity
In: Science and Engineering Ethics [Peer Reviewed]2017
- Self-Driving Cars: Ethical Responsibilities of Design Engineers
In: IEEE Technology and Society Magazine [Peer Reviewed]2017
- Nudging for Good: Robots and the Ethical Appropriateness of Nurturing Empathy and Charitable Behavior
In: AI & Society [Peer Reviewed]2016
- Robotic Nudges: The Ethics of Engineering a More Socially Just Human Being
In: Science and Engineering Ethics [Peer Reviewed]2016
- Rethinking Authorship in the Era of Collaborative Research
In: Accountability in Research [Peer Reviewed]2015
© , Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.The size and complexity of research teams continues to grow, especially within the realms of science and engineering. This has intensified already existing concerns about relying on traditional authorship schemes as the way to allocate credit for a contribution to a research project. In this paper, we examine current authorship problems plaguing research communities and provide suggestions for how those problems could potentially be mitigated. We recommend that research communities, especially those involved in large scale collaborations, revisit the contributor model and embrace it as means for allocating credit more authentically and transparently.
- Creating "companions" for children: The ethics of designing esthetic features for robots
In: AI and Society [Peer Reviewed]2014
Taking the term "companion" in a broad sense to include robot caregivers, playmates, assistive devices, and toys, we examine ethical issues that emerge from designing companion robots for children. We focus on the relative importance and potential ethical implications of creating robots with certain types of esthetic features. We include an examination of whether robots ought to be made to appear or act humanlike, and whether robots should be gendered. In our estimation, this line of ethical inquiry may even provide insight into the nature and appropriateness of existing institutions and widely accepted interactions among human beings. © 2012 Springer-Verlag London Limited.
- The Intervention of Robot Caregivers and the Cultivation of Children's Capability to Play
In: Science and Engineering Ethics [Peer Reviewed]March 2013
In this article, the authors examine whether and how robot caregivers can contribute to the welfare of children with various cognitive and physical impairments by expanding recreational opportunities for these children. The capabilities approach is used as a basis for informing the relevant discussion. Though important in its own right, having the opportunity to play is essential to the development of other capabilities central to human flourishing. Drawing from empirical studies, the authors show that the use of various types of robots has already helped some children with impairments. Recognizing the potential ethical pitfalls of robot caregiver intervention, however, the authors examine these concerns and conclude that an appropriately designed robot caregiver has the potential to contribute positively to the development of the capability to play while also enhancing the ability of human caregivers to understand and interact with care recipients. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
- Contentious Problems in Bioscience and Biotechnology: A Pilot Study of an Approach to Ethics Education
In: Science and Engineering Ethics2013
- International Governance of Autonomous Military Robots
In: Columbia Science and Technology Law Review [Peer Reviewed]2011
- Responsible Authorship in Engineering Fields: An Overview of Current Ethical Challenges
In: Science and Engineering Ethics2011
- Robot Caregivers: Harbingers of Expanded Freedom for All?
2010
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
- The Ugly Truth About Ourselves and Our Robot Creations: The Problem of Bias and Social Inequity
In: Science and Engineering Ethics [Peer Reviewed]2017
- Self-Driving Cars: Ethical Responsibilities of Design Engineers
In: IEEE Technology and Society Magazine [Peer Reviewed]2017