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Unexpected Developments (con’t). Introduction to Ethics.
(Class 1.2 – January 17, 2013)
CSE 3316 – Professional Practices
Spring 2013
Instructor – Bill Carroll, Professor of CSE
Assignment #1
• Write a 350 word essay describing what you believe are the three applications of computing technology that have had the most impact on your life. Cover both positive and problematic aspects of these applications. Write the essay in your own words. Should you wish to use material from other sources, they must be cited and references included.
• Due before the 1/29 class. Submit to me as an email attachment. Late submissions will not be accepted.
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Free stuff
Email programs and email accounts, browsers, filters, firewalls, encryption software, word processors, spreadsheets, software for viewing documents, software to manipulate photos and video, and much more
Phone services using VOIP such as Skype
Craigslist classified ad site
University lectures
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Free stuff (cont.)
Advertising pays for many free sites and services, but not all.
Wikipedia funded through donations.
Businesses provide some services for good public relations and as a marketing tool.
Generosity and public service flourish on the Web. Many people share their expertise just because they want to.
16-17
Change and Unexpected Developments
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Free stuff (cont.)
In order for companies to earn ad revenue to fund multimillion-dollar services, many free sites collect information about our online activities and sell it to advertisers.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Artificial intelligence
A branch of computer science that makes computers perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence.
Researchers realized that narrow, specialized skills were easier for computers than what a five-year-old does: recognize people, carry on a conversation, respond intelligently to the environment.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Artificial intelligence (cont.)
Many AI applications involve pattern recognition.
Speech recognition is now a common tool.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Artificial intelligence (cont.)
Turing Test: If the computer convinces the human subject that the computer is human, the computer is said to “pass”.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Discussion Questions How will we react when we can go into a hospital for surgery performed entirely by a machine? Will it be scarier than riding in the first automatic elevators or airplanes? How will we react when we can have a conversation and not know if we are conversing with a human or a machine? How will we react when chips implanted in our brains enhance our memory with gigabytes of data and a search engine? Will we still be human?
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Robots
Mechanical devices that perform physical tasks traditionally done by humans.
Can operate in environments that are hazardous for people.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Smart sensors, motion, and control
Motion sensing devices are used to give robots the ability to walk, trigger airbags in a crash, and protect laptops when dropped.
Sensors can detect leaks, acceleration, position, temperature, and moisture.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Tools for disabled people
Assistive technology devices help restore productivity and independence to people with disabilities.
Researchers are experimenting with chips that convert brain signals to controls for leg and arm muscles.
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Change and Unexpected Developments
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Old problems in a new context: crime, pornography, violent fiction
Adapting to new technology: thinking in a new way
Varied sources of solutions to problems: natural part of change and life
Global reach of Net: ease of communication with distant countries
Themes
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Trade-offs and controversy: Increasing security means reducing convenience.
Perfection is a direction, not an option.
There is a difference between personal choices, business policies, and law.
Themes (cont.)
24-26
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What is Ethics:
Study of what it means to “do the right thing”.
Assumes people are rational and make free choices.
• “… the individual is, in most circumstances, responsible for his or her actions.”
Rules to follow in our interactions and our actions that affect others.
• “Is it right to …?”
• “… ethical theories attempt … to enhance human dignity, peace, happiness, and well-being.”
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views: Deontological theories (Kant)
• Principle of universality
• Logic or reason determines rules of ethical behavior
• One must never treat people as merely means to an end, but rather as ends in themselves
Utilitarianism • Increase happiness or utility
• Applies to individual actions (act utilitarianism)
• Difficult to determine all consequences of an act
• Does not recognize or respect individual rights
Ethics
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Natural rights
• Acting in such a way that respects a set of fundamental rights of others, including the rights to life, liberty, and property.
• Implies ethical rules against killing, stealing, deception, and coercion
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views (cont.): Negative rights (liberties)
The right to act without interference
• Rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (US Declaration of Independence)
• The right to work
Positive rights (claim-rights) An obligation of some people to provide certain
things for others
• The right to a job
• Negative rights and positive rights are often at odds
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views (cont.):
Golden rules
Treat others as you would want them to treat you.
• We want to be recognized as individuals and to have our choices respected, so we should respect theirs.
Contributing to society
Doing one’s work honestly, responsibly, ethically, creatively, and well is virtuous.
• “His philanthropy was in his work.”
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views (cont.):
Social contracts and a theory of political justice
People willingly submit to a common law in order to live in a civil society.
• A proper political system protects basic civil liberties such as freedom of speech and free choice of occupation.
• A just and fair political system will ensure that all citizens have sufficient means to make effective use of their freedoms.
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views (cont.):
No simple answers
Human behavior and real human situations are complex. There are often trade-offs to consider.
Ethical theories help to identify important principles or guidelines.
Ethics
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A variety of ethical views (cont.):
Do organizations have ethics?
Ultimately, it is individuals who are making decisions and taking actions. We can hold both the individuals and the organization responsible for their acts.
Ethics
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Some important distinctions: Right, wrong, and okay
• (obligatory, prohibited, acceptable)
Distinguishing wrong and harm • Taking a job that someone else wanted
• Refusing to give someone $100 versus taking $100 from that person
• Hacking a computer system
Separating goals from constraints • Distinguishing between ends and means
Personal preference and ethics
Ethics
36-38
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Laws and Ethics • Some laws enforce ethical rules • Other laws establish conventions, or standards • Many laws are not intended to implement ethical rules, or
be consistent with them
• Are we obligated to obey a law just because it’s a law? • Is it always ethically right to do something that is legal? • New law lags behind new technology. • Ethics fills the gap. • While it’s not ethically obligatory to obey all laws, that is
not an excuse to ignore laws, nor is a law an excuse to ignore ethics.
Ethics
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Discussion Question
Can you think of examples of liberties (negative rights) and claim-rights (positive rights) that are at opposition to each other?
Ethics
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