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Business Society & Ethics, Week 12:

Technology

Business Society & Ethics, Week 12:

Technology

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BUSINESS ETHICS WEEK 12: BUSINESS ETHICS WEEK 12: MAIN QUESTIONSMAIN QUESTIONS

1.1. What are some of the positive promises of What are some of the positive promises of technology?technology?

2.2. What are some of the ethical perils of What are some of the ethical perils of technology?technology?

3.3. Why is trust important in the hi-tech area? Why is trust important in the hi-tech area?

4.4. What are some of the moral issues related What are some of the moral issues related to intellectual property rights?to intellectual property rights?

5.5. Does the future need us?Does the future need us?

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1.1. Technology: Promise & Peril Technology: Promise & Peril (1 / 2)(1 / 2)

• Promise of:Promise of:– Working with anyone anywhere.Working with anyone anywhere.– Working without anyone anywhere.Working without anyone anywhere.– Customized Production.Customized Production.– Meeting like-minded folks.Meeting like-minded folks.– More Efficient Production to meet More Efficient Production to meet

demand of an ever growing population.demand of an ever growing population.– A whole new virtual world.A whole new virtual world.– Oh, pick your utopian vision.Oh, pick your utopian vision.

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1.1. Technology: Promise & Peril Technology: Promise & Peril (2 / 2)(2 / 2)

• Peril of:Peril of:– Broken Property rights.Broken Property rights.– Un-organize-able virtual office labor Un-organize-able virtual office labor – Killer Nanotech / Killer Biotech.Killer Nanotech / Killer Biotech.– Increasingly Concentrated Wealth.Increasingly Concentrated Wealth.– Invaded Privacy. Invaded Privacy. – Loss of Freedom (Loss of Freedom (I RobotI Robot).).– A congregation of Nuts.A congregation of Nuts.– Neglect of the real for a virtual world.Neglect of the real for a virtual world.– Oh, pick your dystopian vision.Oh, pick your dystopian vision.

2.2. Technology: The Present & TrustTechnology: The Present & Trust

• Collaborative product development:Collaborative product development:– Need driven by product complexity.Need driven by product complexity.– Need for Need for trusttrust to lower transaction cost. to lower transaction cost.

• Speed of change means that:Speed of change means that:– Arrangements are fluid.Arrangements are fluid.– A community of Interest needs to be A community of Interest needs to be

Created (pools of talented people).Created (pools of talented people). Hi Tech (e.g. gaming)Hi Tech (e.g. gaming) Entertainment (Vancouver film industry).Entertainment (Vancouver film industry). Within the community people need Within the community people need trusttrust..

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3a.3a. Intellectual Property Rights Intellectual Property Rights

• Is the never-ending copyright right?Is the never-ending copyright right?– Mickey Mouse ain’t chicken feed.Mickey Mouse ain’t chicken feed.

• What does the author produce?What does the author produce?

From From Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, Rowe & Sheppard, Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, Rowe & Sheppard, . Strategic Strategic

MgmtMgmt., ., 20072007

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3b.3b. Moral Rights in Software Moral Rights in Software (1 / 2)(1 / 2)

• Natural Rights / Lockean Labour Natural Rights / Lockean Labour Investment & Ownership [280]:Investment & Ownership [280]:– Why should labour be an investment Why should labour be an investment

in results & not a dissolution of effort. in results & not a dissolution of effort.

– Many People can own the same piece Many People can own the same piece of intellectual property at once.of intellectual property at once.

Software piracy steals only developers’ Software piracy steals only developers’ ability to make profit, not actual propertyability to make profit, not actual property

• Natural Right to Freedom of ThoughtNatural Right to Freedom of Thought– Is this really a version of thought?Is this really a version of thought?

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3b.3b. Moral Rights in Software Moral Rights in Software (2 / 2)(2 / 2)

• Consequentialist Arguments [281]:Consequentialist Arguments [281]:– Who would produce the stuff if they Who would produce the stuff if they

were not compensated?were not compensated? What about a credit system similar to What about a credit system similar to

what we have with scientific publications. what we have with scientific publications. How about hardware corp.s creating it. How about hardware corp.s creating it.

• Is it OK to make a back-up copy?Is it OK to make a back-up copy?– They’ll get you on the next version.They’ll get you on the next version.

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3c.3c. Moral Arguments for CopyingMoral Arguments for Copying [282][282]

• Laws protecting software are bad.Laws protecting software are bad.– All property law is unjust.All property law is unjust.

– Intellectual property law is unjust.Intellectual property law is unjust.

– OR OR these laws could be a lot better.these laws could be a lot better.

• Making a copy does no harm.Making a copy does no harm.

• Not making a copy does harm.Not making a copy does harm.– The drowning person argument.The drowning person argument.

4. 4. Info Ethics in a worldwide contextInfo Ethics in a worldwide context

• Digital divide between rich & poor.Digital divide between rich & poor.– Quantitative imbalance between N.&Quantitative imbalance between N.& S.S.

Altering a nation’s social fabricAltering a nation’s social fabric

– Inequality of Information sources.Inequality of Information sources. Going to a fee structure limits access.Going to a fee structure limits access.

– Will to dominate Info. & Channels.Will to dominate Info. & Channels.

– Lack of Info. On developing countries. Lack of Info. On developing countries.

– Info. Imperialism (American Culture).Info. Imperialism (American Culture).

– Message ill suited for the receiver?Message ill suited for the receiver? Do countries have the right to restrict it? Do countries have the right to restrict it?

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5. 5. Hacker Ethics Hacker Ethics

• In defense of hacking.In defense of hacking.– All information should be free.All information should be free.

The early vision of sharing.The early vision of sharing.

– Hacking shows system weaknesses.Hacking shows system weaknesses. Like a B&E to show you need an alarm.Like a B&E to show you need an alarm.

– No harm done as long as no changes. No harm done as long as no changes. Hard to avoid making no footprint. Hard to avoid making no footprint.

– Keeping Big Brother at bay?Keeping Big Brother at bay? Who will police these police? Who will police these police?

6. 6. Why the future doesn’t need usWhy the future doesn’t need us (1/2)(1/2)

• Dystopian Visions.Dystopian Visions.– Genetics, Nanotechnology & RoboticsGenetics, Nanotechnology & Robotics

Whole new classes of accidents (Canola) Whole new classes of accidents (Canola) Or other scary stuff we do intentionally:Or other scary stuff we do intentionally:

– P. K. Dick’s P. K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?– W. Gibson’s W. Gibson’s NeuromancerNeuromancer (he invented cyberspace)(he invented cyberspace)

• Exaggerated Rumors of our demiseExaggerated Rumors of our demise.. Antibiotic resistant bacteriaAntibiotic resistant bacteria DDT resistant mosquitoes.DDT resistant mosquitoes. Why not robot resistant humans?Why not robot resistant humans? Humans: the cheapest thing in the MarketHumans: the cheapest thing in the Market

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6. 6. Why the future doesn’t need usWhy the future doesn’t need us (2/2)(2/2)

• What is a humanWhat is a human– Intelligent Robots (2030?)Intelligent Robots (2030?)

Turning TestTurning Test Asimov’s Three Laws?Asimov’s Three Laws?

– A downloaded self (Lawnmower Man) A downloaded self (Lawnmower Man)

• Controlling Nanotech.Controlling Nanotech.– Nano-bots in the Junkyard.Nano-bots in the Junkyard.

– Out of control grey goo.Out of control grey goo.

– Is this just Hi-Tech as the new B.E.M.?Is this just Hi-Tech as the new B.E.M.?

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7a. 7a. In defense of the Naked Mind?In defense of the Naked Mind? (1/2)(1/2)

• In defense of Luddites [300].In defense of Luddites [300].– Work rule changes.Work rule changes.

Not the machines but people policies.Not the machines but people policies. How were machines being used & How were machines being used &

for whose benefitfor whose benefit

– Surplus people from changes in Tech. Surplus people from changes in Tech. increase faster than the number of new increase faster than the number of new jobs or Population reduction.jobs or Population reduction.

– Do we start leading virtual lives?Do we start leading virtual lives? Neo in the MatrixNeo in the Matrix

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7a.7a. In defense of the Naked Mind? In defense of the Naked Mind? (2/2)(2/2)

• Advent of the Money Machine [303].Advent of the Money Machine [303].– Disruptive market reactions Disruptive market reactions (NYSE 1987).(NYSE 1987).– The tech. is in the “wrong hands?”The tech. is in the “wrong hands?”

• Expressive creative media [301].Expressive creative media [301].– After the Photo Impressionists.After the Photo Impressionists.

• Hi-tech lore to do thinking, feeling Hi-tech lore to do thinking, feeling judging & creating better than us.judging & creating better than us.– Thru a glass darkly Thru a glass darkly

(What does the machine see?)(What does the machine see?)

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7b. 7b. What’s ImportantWhat’s Important in life? in life? • Lead lives with love & compassionLead lives with love & compassion

– To do those things machines cannot To do those things machines cannot

– Machines do not have responsibilities Machines do not have responsibilities

• What makes lives worth living?What makes lives worth living?

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