Exploring Ethics: The Study of Moral Conduct and Judgment

1. What Are Ethics? • What are the objectives? • Some of the definitions for “ethics” • Ethical Theory • Different Theories • Relativism • Utilitarianism • Deontological • Applied Ethics • Professional Ethics • Highlights of what one needs for living ethically Class 1

2. What Are Ethics? Before we can answer this question, we have to answer the following two questions: What is good? What is evil? Based on the Webster’s New World Dictionary: good: Having the proper qualities, beneficial evil: Morally bad or wrong, wicked, harmful Can we standardize on what is good and what is evil? Can we see an action as being right or wrong? Class 1

3. What Are Ethics? Based on Webster: Ethics is the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment. The system of morals of a particular person, religion, group, etc. Moral is dealing with or capable of distinguishing between right and wrong. The study of ethics is the study of ways to distinguish between right and wrong. Ethical theory is the study of ethics at a very conceptual or philosophical level. There are two types of ethics one may want to study, professional ethics and applied ethics. Class 1

4. What Are Ethics? Applied Ethics is aimed at the everyday life of the typical person. Professional Ethics is aimed at a person engaged in the practice of a particular profession. Does a system of ethics specific to computer science relieve you of being aware of the applied ethics for society in general? There is a significant amount of overlap. Ethical theory: There are many theories by western and non-western philosophers. Among them are: Relativism, Utilitarianism, and Deontological. Class 1

5. What Are Ethics? Relativism Ethical Relativism asserts that there are no standards or rules of behavior that can reasonably be applied at all times and in all places. The question of whether an action is moral must be answered by considering it relative to the time and culture in which it takes place. Once in the US, slavery was a common practice and women had fewer rights. These two are examples of the actions which were acceptable in a particular time. Thumbs up, is an action acceptable in our culture as a positive sign, “good job” perhaps. Such action means much different in Persian culture. Is an acceptable action also ethical? Class 1

6. What Are Ethics? Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the same as consequentalism in which the consequence of an action determine its moral. In general, people want to be happy … what does bring happiness? Is it money, car, sex, house, … It seems that not but spiritual means (living a high standard, doing things for other, and achieving a good) can guaranty happiness. So benefiting people (utility) MAKES people happy. Then, sacrificing one person to make a group of people happy is a good thing. Is this a weakness? Class 1

7. What Are Ethics? Deontological A Deontological theory, focuses on the motivation and intent of an action in terms of how it reflects on the relations among people rather than its consequence (consequencentalist). Everyone must be able to act as a “rational agent” exercising his or her free will in making decisions and interacting with others. Each person deserves some basic respect. You may ask others to participate in achieving a goal that you desire, but they should enter into the action because they choose to, and they should be treated fairly. Is everyone able to act as rational agents ? Class 1

8. Applied Ethics Ideally, a society would choose its ethical theory and then use that theory to derive an ideal set of rules for ethical behavior. Is this this simple in reality? Our society does have a legal system that enforces a set of rules we live with as citizens and as members of our profession. These rules were not driven from a single theory. Some legal things are regarded as not moral by segment of society. It is impossible for all people to share the same applied ethics in all details. Thus, some degree of tolerance of minor disagreements with others is important. Class 1

9. Professional Ethics What is a profession? In a specific technical term, “profession” is an occupation that society somehow recognizes as being in a class apart from other occupations. A profession may need: A great deal of education A great deal of training and mentorship, etc… A professional ethics must take into account: relations between practicing professional and their clients, relations between the profession and society in general, relations between employee and employer, and specialized technical details of the profession. Many profession have their own code of ethics specifically for its members. Class 1

10. Who is developing the code of ethics for our profession? Association for Computing machinery (ACM)? Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE)? National Society of Professional Engineers? Fairburn and Watson suggest three steps toward better ethical behavior: 1. Have high standards of ethical conduct, 2. Boldly live with the belief that this is the way to conduct yourself even though you may be giving up more immediate gains, 3. Serve a larger purpose – truth, reason, customers, society, the community, human, advancement, God. Ethical behavior is often in conflict with short-term self-interest, thus you should not expect ethical behavior to come easily. Class 1

11. The bottom line You can expect to face a wide variety of ethically difficult situations. Being able to productively use your knowledge about ethics requires that you accept personal responsibility for your actions being right or wrong. Making the wrong ethical choice almost always begins with focusing too narrowly on short-term self-interest. Since living ethically is often not easy to do, it requires strong and sincere motivation. Class 1