- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
Problems of contemporary civilization 8102-PWC-OG
Climate and planetary crisis (Prof. Szymon Malinowski, University of Warsaw)
Climate and biodiversity crisis - a planetary crisis. Climate mechanisms and the threat of global warming. Links between the development of civilization and the parallel crisis of biodiversity. Recent ideas for solving or at least reducing the threat of crises.
Achievements and directions of science and technology development (Prof. Ewa Bartnik, University of Warsaw)
The Human Genome Project and what's next: costs of genetic research, genetic tests for genetic diseases and possibilities of their use. The spread of cancer - scale and reasons. Understanding the process of tumor formation and the effectiveness of therapy.
Social issues (Prof. Adam Bodnar, SWPS University)
New architecture of international human rights protection. Due to populism and the weakness of international institutions in implementing judgments and recommendations, international human rights protection has become less effective. The question is whether it is possible to fix the system when states commitment to human rights is getting weaker and weaker. Do we need new fundamental rights? Should changes in civilization lead us to reflect on what rights we need and to what extent they should protect us from state omnipotence?
Challenges of science and technology development
(Prof. Roman Morawski, Warsaw University of Technology)
Basic notions: technoscience, ethics, ethics of technoscientific research. Ethical premises of decision-making processes in technoscience. Examples of ethical dilemmas arising in technoscientific research practice. Challenges of integrating ethics with robotics and artificial intelligence.
Health problems of modern societies (Prof. Aneta Nitsch-Osuch, Medical University of Warsaw)
Introduction to epidemiology of infectious diseases. History of epidemics and pandemics. Ways of limiting/fighting pandemics. Effects of pandemics and potential impact on society, art, science. Current epidemiological threats. Anti-vaccine movements. Epidemiological surveillance.
Culture and art in modern societies (Prof. Marta Leśniakowska, Institute of Art Polish Academy of Sciences)
Photography: a medium that changed seeing. Issues in the relationship between photography as a new medium that produces images and art. Why was photography invented? How did it change our perception/understanding of the world? What consequences did it have for art and its practices?
Photography: Truth of an Image? One of the fundamental problems related to the emergence of photography: does the photographic image tell us the truth about the world, or is it a false one, a producer of illusions, seducing our senses and emotions? Various practices of contemporary artists using photography in their work will be recalled.
Infrastructure and public services (Prof. Krzysztof Koszewski, Prof. Krysyna Solarek, Warsaw University of Technology)
Challenges of contemporary urban design. In 2007, the number of people living in cities globally exceeded the number living outside urban areas. It is forecast that in 2050 this will already be three quarters of the world's population. As urban organisms grow, they also become more complex. How can we deal with such complexity? What is modern city planning and how is the design paradigm changing?
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes Students who have passed the subject:
• The student who has completed the course: has basic knowledge about selected problems of contemporary civilization related to: global problems, trust and social roles, challenges connected with the development of science and technology, health problems of contemporary societies, culture and art in modern societies, infrastructure and public services, achievements and directions of science and technology development;
• He/she can evaluate the importance of the discussed problems of modern civilization and express his/her opinion in the form of an essay on a selected topic;
• He/she understands the need for constant enrichment of knowledge about the problems of modern civilization and is aware of the importance of disseminating this knowledge in a way comprehensible to a wide social circle.
Assessment criteria
An essay on a selected lecture topic, graded and an assessment of class activity.
Bibliography
Literature will be provided during lectures.
Additional information
Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:
- Inter-faculty Studies in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Computer Science
- Bachelor's degree, first cycle programme, Mathematics
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Computer Science
- Master's degree, second cycle programme, Mathematics
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: