Ethics for the Information Age

1. Ethicsfor the Information Age Michael J. Quinn

2. Terms • Society • An association of people organized under a system of rules designed to advance the good of its members over time • Morality • Rules of conduct describing what people ought and ought not to do in various situations • Ethics • The philosophical study of morality, a rational examination into people’s moral beliefs and behaviors

3. Scenario 1page 56 • Did Alexis do anything wrong? • Who benefited from Alexis’s course of action? • Who was hurt by Alexis’s course of action? • Did Alexis have unfair advantage over her high school classmates? • Would any of your answers change if it turns out Alexis did not win a college scholarship after all and is now working at McDonalds? • Are there better ways Alexis could have accomplished her objective? • What additional information would help you answer the previous questions?

4. Scenario 2page 57 • Did the anti-spam organization do anything wrong? • Did the ISPs that refused to accept email from the blacklisted ISPs do anything wrong? • Who benefited from the organization’s action? • Who was hurt by the organization’s action? • Could the organization have achieved its goals through a better course of action? • What additional information would help you answer the previous questions?

5. Scenario 3page 57 • Did the East Dakota State Police do anything wrong? • Who benefited from the actions of the EDSP? • Who was hurt by the actions of the EDSP? • What other courses of action could the EDSP have taken to achieve its objectives? Examine the advantages and disadvantages of these alternative courses of action. • What additional information would help you answer the previous questions?

6. Scenario 4page 58 • Should you recommend release of the product next week? • Who will benefit if the company follows your recommendation? • Who will be harmed if the company follows your recommendation? • Do you have an obligation to any group of people that may be affected by your decision? • What additional information would help you answer the previous questions?

7. Ethical Theories • 2400 years ago Socrates was • His student, Plato, put Socrates’ philosophy in writing • A useful theory is one that allows its proponents to examine moral problems, reach conclusions and defend those conclusions in front of a skeptical, yet open-minded audience • If you are unable to give logical reasons that support your conclusions, you are unlikely to persuade anyone • Following are 7 ethical theories

8. Subjective Relativism • Relativism • There are no universal moral norms of right and wrong • Individuals or groups can have completely opposite views of a moral problem and both can be right • Subjective Relativism • Holds that each person decides right and wrong for himself/herself • Cases for and against

9. Cultural Relativism • The meaning of right and wrong rests with a society’s actual moral guidelines • The guidelines vary from place to place and time to time • Read dilemma p. 63 • Cases for and against

10. Divine Command • This theory is based on the idea that good actions are those aligned with the will of God and bad actions are those contrary to the will of God • Cases for and against

11. Kantianism • Kant believed that people’s actions ought to be guided by moral laws and that these laws were universal • In order to apply to all rational beings, any supreme principle of morality must itself be based on reason • Kant concluded that the only thing in the world that can be called good without qualification is good will • Accordingly, we should focus on what we ought to do ... dutifulness • Allows the moral laws to be derived through a reasoning process • A Kantian goes beyond simply stating that an action is right or wrong and can explain why it is right or wrong • Categorical Imperatives (1st and 2nd page 70 and 71) • Scenario p. 72 • Cases for and against

12. Act Utilitarianism • An action is good if it benefits someone • An action is bad if it harms someone • The principle of utility • An action is right (or wrong) to the extent that it increases (or decreases) the total happiness of the affected parties • Scenario page 75 • Cases for and against

13. Rule Utilitarianism • We ought to adopt those moral rules which, if followed by everyone, will lead to the greatest increase in total happiness • Applies the principle of utility to moral rules instead of individual moral actions • Scenario page 79 • Cases for and against

14. Social Contract • Rational people understand that cooperation is essential and possible only when people mutually agree to follow certain guidelines • Thus, moral rules are set up when those living in a civilized society agree to: • Establish a set of moral rules to govern relations among citizens • A government capable of enforcing those rules • Rousseau adds that the critical problem is to find an association that guarantees each person safety and property, yet enables each person to remain free • Scenario page 86 • Cases for and against