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Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesDean's Office, Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesJakobi 2, r 116-121 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of History and ArchaeologyJakobi 2 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Estonian and General LinguisticsJakobi 2, IV korrus 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Philosophy and SemioticsJakobi 2, III korrus, ruumid 302-337 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Cultural ResearchÜlikooli 16 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Foreign Languages and CulturesLossi 3 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of Theology and Religious StudiesÜlikooli 18 50090 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Viljandi Culture AcademyPosti 1 71004 Viljandi linn, Viljandimaa EST0Professors emeriti, Faculty of Arts and Humanities0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Arts and Humanities0Faculty of Social SciencesDean's Office, Faculty of Social SciencesLossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of EducationJakobi 5 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Johan Skytte Institute of Political StudiesLossi 36, ruum 301 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of Economics and Business AdministrationNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of PsychologyNäituse 2 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0School of LawNäituse 20 - 324 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Social StudiesLossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Narva CollegeRaekoja plats 2 20307 Narva linn, Ida-Virumaa EST0Pärnu CollegeRingi 35 80012 Pärnu linn, Pärnu linn, Pärnumaa EST0Professors emeriti, Faculty of Social Sciences0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Social Sciences0Faculty of MedicineDean's Office, Faculty of MedicineRavila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Biomedicine and Translational MedicineBiomeedikum, Ravila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of PharmacyNooruse 1 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of DentistryL. Puusepa 1a 50406 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Clinical MedicineL. Puusepa 8 50406 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Family Medicine and Public HealthRavila 19 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Sport Sciences and PhysiotherapyUjula 4 51008 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTProfessors emeriti, Faculty of Medicine0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Medicine0Faculty of Science and TechnologyDean's Office, Faculty of Science and TechnologyVanemuise 46 - 208 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Computer ScienceNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of GenomicsRiia 23b/2 51010 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTEstonian Marine Institute0Institute of PhysicsInstitute of ChemistryRavila 14a 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Mathematics and StatisticsNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Institute of Molecular and Cell BiologyRiia 23, 23b - 134 51010 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTTartu ObservatoryObservatooriumi 1 61602 Tõravere alevik, Nõo vald, Tartumaa EST0Institute of TechnologyNooruse 1 50411 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTInstitute of Ecology and Earth SciencesJ. Liivi tn 2 50409 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa ESTProfessors emeriti, Faculty of Science and Technology0Associate Professors emeriti, Faculty of Science and Technology0Institute of BioengineeringArea of Academic SecretaryHuman Resources OfficeUppsala 6, Lossi 36 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Area of Head of FinanceFinance Office0Area of Director of AdministrationInformation Technology Office0Administrative OfficeÜlikooli 17 (III korrus) 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Estates Office0Marketing and Communication OfficeÜlikooli 18, ruumid 102, 104, 209, 210 50090 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Area of Vice Rector for ResearchUniversity of Tartu LibraryW. Struve 1 50091 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Grant OfficeArea of Vice Rector for DevelopmentCentre for Entrepreneurship and InnovationNarva mnt 18 51009 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical GardenVanemuise 46 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0International Cooperation and Protocol Office0University of Tartu MuseumLossi 25 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Area of RectorRector's Strategy OfficeInternal Audit OfficeArea of Vice Rector for Academic AffairsOffice of Academic AffairsUniversity of Tartu Youth AcademyUppsala 10 51003 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Student Union OfficeÜlikooli 18b 51005 Tartu linn, Tartu linn, Tartumaa EST0Centre for Learning and Teaching
Love and Sex in Digital World: Philosophy, Ethics and Theology
On-site in Tartu, 31 July - 10 August 2023
Digital technologies have tremendously transformed all spheres of our life, including romantic and sexual relationships. This course is an attempt to analyse all those changes from philosophical, ethical, and theological perspectives.
It will discuss a variety of topics from the ethics of dating apps and online infidelity to cybersex and future relationships with robots. Philosophy, ethics, and theology have a long history of discussing love and sex, and this course will provide a fresh look at existing discussions by adding recent technological influences to them. Moreover, this course will try to show how contemporary humanities could contribute to the development of technologies to make them more ethical.
| Focus area: | Philosophy, ethics, theology | Coordinating unit at UT |
School of Theology and Religious Studies, Department of Philosophy |
| Study Field: | Humanities | Course Leader | Anastasiia Babash, Junior Research Fellow |
| Format | Summer course | Location | Tartu, Estonia |
| Course dates: | 31- 10 August 2023 | Apply by: | 30 April 2023 |
| ECTS: | 2 | Fee: | 550 € |
| Study group | advanced BA, MA, PhD | Language | English |
Lecturers:
- Anastasiia Babash, University of Tartu
The course aims to cover the past, present, and future of cyber love and cybersex.
After the brief overlook on the main discussions in philosophy and ethics of love and sex, the course will follow to the very beginning of digital technologies and how do cyber love and cybersex have become possible. It will explore the nature of cyberspace and its specific features that create similarities and differences between online and offline romantic and sexual relationships. We will focus on them and, thus, discuss such questions as to whether virtual reality is perceived or imagined, or something in between, whether the touch is mediated or immediate sense in cyberspace, etc.
The course will also explore different moral views on cyber love and cybersex in the very beginning of the use of digital technologies and how they have changed by today. It will focus on different moral dilemmas and concrete cases to understand how we are building in real-time the contemporary ethics of digital technologies.It will also discuss how do cyber love and cybersex have influenced love and sex generally and what are the future trends. In the course, we also discuss how philosophers, ethicists, and theologians could possibly influence the development of digital technologies and shape them.Therefore, the preliminary program includes these topics that will be covered during one full study week at the beginning of August (1-5 of August):
- philosophy of love and sex: a short introduction into the history of research and how does cyber love and cybersex challenge the existing definitions;
- philosophy of technology: the nature of cyber space, its ontology and phenomenology and, specifically, how does cyberspace make possible and influence relationships online;
- theology of love and sex: a short introduction into the history of religious views on love and sex and contemporary discussions of cyber love and cybersex in the main religions;
- ethics of cyber love and cybersex: online cheating, dating apps, parasocial relationships, online sex work, and cyber rape;
- possible future relationships with technologies:love and sex with robots.
The course presupposes the short preliminary readings that will be sent closer to the dates of the school, as well as the active participation in the seminars. The course is built around student interactions and discussions. We will also have a cultural program altogether that includes watching movies related to the topic, playing games, etc.
The students can participate in cultural programme events in the evenings.
Entry requirements:
- Online application form
- Motivation letter (up to 1 page) that demonstrates the applicant’s motivation to participate, his/her expectations about the programme, how participation in the summer programme relates to his/her studies and interests, and how the applicant plans to use the gained experience and knowledge in the future.
- Transcript of academic records
- Copy of passport
PS: Only complete applications including all annexes submitted by the deadline will be considered for selection.
After successful completion of the summer course the student:
- is familiar with the main developments of contemporary philosophy, ethics, and theology of love and sex;
- has an overview of the contemporary philosophical and theological discussions on cyber love and cybersex in particular;
- is able to argue in favour or against various moral dilemmas that have arisen and continue to arise when digital technologies are transforming the ways we fall in love and have sex;
- is able to construct their own argumentative views on cyber love and cybersex;
Two weeks prior to the start of the programme an information file will be sent to all participants. This file contains the daily schedule and relevant contact information of the programme managers.
Students are responsible for their travel, accommodation and travel insurance (visa arrangements if needed) from their home country to Tartu and back to their home country. It is recommended to visit the Tartu Welcome Centre website and arrival and housing section to find accommodation opportunities.
A student admitted to our programme develops these skills and this knowledge by pursuing an amalgamation of study and supervised research tailored to their background and where they want to use these skills after graduating. Graduates of our programme work in organisations that require the skills our programme trains such as start-ups, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and research universities.