Computer Ethics - Yolaomarine-alrafie.yolasite.com/resources/KSU Computer Ethics.pdf · ethics? 4-What’s the best ... The Standard Account –James Moor, 1985 an article ... Moor’s

Ms. Fadwa Al-Ghreimil

16.01.2010

Computer Ethics

& Professional Responsibility

PSU, Jan 2010, © Fadwa Al-Ghreimil 2

Introduction

2- Why does IT

create ethical

issues?

3- Do we need a

special field of

study for IT

ethics?

4- What’s the best

way to understand

and resolve ethical

issues in IT?

1- What do we

mean by

computer

ethics?


Agenda

What? Why? How?

• Computer ethics

• Special nature

• Special features

• Its importance

• Why study

• Theories

• Professional

Responsibility


What is Computer Ethics?

Ethics: is the study of what is right to do

in a given situation.

What? Why? How?


The Special Nature of Computer Ethics

The Standard Account – James Moor, 1985 an article

entitled “What is Computer Ethics?”

Technology created superpowers for humans

Fly airplanes, reach the top of buildings with elevators, x-rays

New technologies seem to pose ethical issues when

they create new possibilities for human action

Virtual worlds, online communication, new tracking

possibilities

What? Why? How?


Technology changed the instrumentation of human

action in two main ways:

1. Expanding human capabilities (genetically modified food, TV, phone, cars, performance monitoring system)

2. Created new actions that weren’t possible before technology (blogging, web surfing)

New possibilities “technologies” are not always good, they may affect different ppl differently

(cars air pollution, nuclear power nuclear waste)

The Special Nature of Computer Ethics

What? Why? How?


Moor’s Standard Account

Computer ethics fills the policy vacuum

Finding the right policy is complex

New

PossibilitiesConceptual

Muddles

Policy

Vacuum

What? Why? How?


Three Features of the Internet

a. Global, Many-to-Many scope

b. Anonymity

c. Reproducibility

Computer ethics brings new species of traditional

moral problems

What? Why? How?


a. Many-to-Many Scope

Broader scope of reach than traditional

communication

Faster

Interactive (two way)

Summary

Interactive communication with speed, ease,

and low cost on a global scale POWER

What? Why? How?


b. Anonymity

Pseudonymity (chat, virtual games)

No physical attributes

Although, ISPs can trace and recreate what was done in

their system, so they can track hackers and other

lawbreakers, yet it’s hard to know who was behind the

crime

Disconnection between computer & person

Summary

Lack of link-ability reduces accountability and trust

What? Why? How?


c. Reproducibility

Copied data has no loss of value

No evidence

Disconnection between words and ppl

source credibility

Summary

Reproduction when internet is the medium is

much easier than if done in ordinary space

What? Why? How?


Ethical Significance

Those three internet communication features

create benefits as well as ethical issues

We need to shape the internet to serve us rather

than harm us

Summary

It’s challenging to find a balance between the

advantages and disadvantages of technology

What? Why? How?


Why?


Its Importance

Computers are rapidly moving into every aspect

of daily life

Businesses’ success depend on gathering

information

The global impact of computers is on the rise

Shapes human relationships

What? Why? How?


Why Study Computer Ethics?

In 1977, Parker’s Study

Invited highly trained professionals from various fields

Gave them 47 simple cases with ethical issues

Found clear disagreement among them even after discussing the

cases

Some did not spot any ethical issues

Conclusion of the Study:

If some could not even recognize when ethical matters

were present, it is hard to imagine that could deal

responsibly with them

What? Why? How?


Levels of Justification for the Study of

Computer Ethics

Level 1: Accreditation boards made moral education a

necessity

Level 2:Technology will always create temporarily policy

vacuums

Level 3: Teaches us to avoid computer abuse and helps

students to have good judgements

Level 4: Makes us behave with more responsibility

What? Why? How?


Why Study Computer Ethics?

Summary

The better we understand technology and how it

shapes and is shaped by human beings, the

better our choices and decisions are likely to be.

Studying traditional ethics is too general for the

more focused IT ethics

What? Why? How?


How?


What Needs to be Done

1- Analysis of the nature and social impact of

computer technology

2-The corresponding formulation and justification

of policies for the ethical use of such

technology

What? Why? How?


Ethical Theories - Analysis Framework

Tools for analyzing ethical issues

1. Utilitarianism

2. Deontological theory

3. Virtue ethics

4. Analogical reasoning in computer ethics


1- Utilitarianism (Theory)

What makes behaviour right or wrong

depends on the consequences

Happiness-producing consequences

Basic principle: everyone should do

as to bring about the greatest amount

of happiness for the greatest number

of people used to formulate a decision

procedure.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham

Jeremy Bentham

(15 February 1748 – 6 June 1832)


Critique of Utilitarianism

Arguments

• Ppl are valuable by themselves, not for their

contribution to society

• In maximizing overall good, it might be unfair to

a smaller group

Killing one to save ten others

slavery

Utilitarianism (Theory)


2- Deontological Theories - Kantian

Emphasize on the internal

character of the act itself

Telling the truth – respect to the other

vs. fear of punishment

Killing

Kant’s philosophy “categorical

imperative”– never treat humans

as means to an end, but always

treat them as ends themselves.

(22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kant


Theory Application

Kidney dialysis

Research about domestic violence


3- Virtue Ethics – Aristotelian Analysis

Virtue = excellence

Who is a good person? What are the

virtues associated with being one?

Courage, honesty, generosity, tolerance,

self-control

Focuses on the moral character,

while the other theories focus

primarily on action and decision-

making

إنما بعثت ألتمم مكارم :)قال صلى هللا عليه وسلم

(األخالق(384 BC – 322 BC)

Aristotle

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle


Virtues to Guide One’s Conduct

When faced with ethical issues, one normally doesn’t

think of seeking advice from a philosopher, or use

philosophical principles like the “categorical imperative”,

or “the principle of utility”.

Nevertheless, ppl usually make successful ethical

judgements because they can defer between right and

wrong within their community and they adapt a

traditional solution


Virtue Ethics

“Human beings are creatures of habit” – Aristotle

When properly brought up and educated, they

develop patterns of behaviour consistent with

the rules and values of their society.

They develop a desire to avoid offending others

and escape punishment

What would my friends & family say? What would the

neighbours think? Would I still be respected by my co-

workers?


Virtue Ethics

In practice, computer professionals often use

personal standards and values derived from

their family or local community, rather than

referring to the ethical theories.

One may also go back to the policies of conduct

What are policies of conduct?


Virtue Ethics

Policies of conduct are a multileveled rich-textured

fabric of overlapping laws, rules, principles and

practices

International treaties and agreements

Laws

Regulations

Standards of good practice

Professional codes of ethics

Corporate policies

Community and personal values


4- Analogical Reasoning in CE

Comparing similar traditional issues – before technology

Hacking

Less harmful?

Analogy helps build upon familiar situations to us

Analogy is dangerous once we focus only on similarities

of the cases and fail recognizing the differences

Hacking to check level of system security vs. setting a fire in a

supermarket


Summary

There is no perfect theory, they all have their

flaws. Therefore, the general concerns of ethical

theories are a never ending dialogue and will

always haunt philosophers


Conclusion

The study of computer ethics is the study

of human beings and society

Technology is neutral

“guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”


Useful Online Resources

Contains most topics on computer ethics

http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/

Association of Computing and Machinery

http://www.acm.org/

The world's leading professional association

for the advancement of technology

http://www.ieee.org/portal/site

http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/

http://www.acm.org/

http://www.ieee.org/portal/site


Thank you for listening…

Documents

Computer Ethics - Yolaomarine-alrafie.yolasite.com/resources/KSU Computer Ethics.pdf · ethics? 4-What’s the best ... The Standard Account –James Moor, 1985 an article ... Moor’s