Neuroscience and Society

Drawing of human brain, labeling functions of different regions.

Map of brain functions, by S. Polyak, 1957. (Courtesy of University of Chicago Press. Used with permission.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

STS.010

As Taught In

Spring 2010

Level

Undergraduate

Cite This Course

Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

This course explores the social relevance of neuroscience, considering how emerging areas of brain research at once reflect and reshape social attitudes and agendas. Topics include brain imaging and popular media; neuroscience of empathy, trust, and moral reasoning; new fields of neuroeconomics and neuromarketing; ethical implications of neurotechnologies such as cognitive enhancement pharmaceuticals; neuroscience in the courtroom; and neuroscientific recasting of social problems such as addiction and violence. Guest lectures by neuroscientists, class discussion, and weekly readings in neuroscience, popular media, and science studies.

Other Versions

Other OCW Versions

Archived versions: Question_avt logo

Related Content

Natasha Schüll. STS.010 Neuroscience and Society. Spring 2010. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


For more information about using these materials and the Creative Commons license, see our Terms of Use.


Close