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Professional Ethics

Professional Ethics. Readings in CyberEthics Edited by Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani, Jones and Bartlett Computer Science, 2003 Professional Ethics and Codes of Conduct. Two Major Areas of IT Ethics. Ethics of Information Free speech, privacy, security, etc.

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Professional Ethics

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  1. Professional Ethics Readings in CyberEthics Edited by Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani, Jones and Bartlett Computer Science, 2003 Professional Ethics and Codes of Conduct

  2. Two Major Areas of IT Ethics • Ethics of Information • Free speech, privacy, security, etc. • Ethics of Professional Conduct • Building controversial technology • Building/using medical technology • Ethics of safety-critical systems

  3. Outline • Codes of Ethical Conduct • IEEE-CS/ACM • Criticism • Business Computing • Subsumption ethics • Langford • Teaching Ethical Issues

  4. Codes of Ethics IEEE-CS/ACM Codes of ethics

  5. IEEE-CS/ACM Code of Ethics • Purpose? • Document responsibilities and obligations of software engineers • Educate and inspire software engineers • Inform the public

  6. IEEE-CS/ACM Code of Ethics • Public • Client and Employer • Product • Judgement • Management • Profession • Colleagues • Self Eight Principles

  7. Codes of Ethics A critical perspective

  8. Codes of Ethics - Criticism • John Ladd, 1995 • Ethics is about deliberation • Codes are not real ethics • More like legal directives • Might be public relation concerns behind adopting certain ethical codes

  9. Codes of Ethics - Criticism • N. Ben Fairweather • No ethical code can be complete • Incomplete ethical codes are worse than none at all • Incomplete codes cause problems with • Focus • Prioritization • Legitimizing immoral behaviour

  10. Codes of Ethics - Criticism • Fairweather cont. • Example: PAPA (Privacy, Accuracy, Property, Accessibility) • Weapons • Environment • Telecommunication • Protecting the weak against the strong

  11. Codes of Ethics – Conclusion • Codes of Ethical conduct may be useful, but • They must not substitute common sense and ethical reflection • They should clearly state their own boundaries of competence

  12. Business Computing Subsumption ethics David H. Gleason

  13. The Subsumption Process

  14. Subsumption Ethics • Moral value decisions are incorporated into IT components • IT components are subsumed into larger systems • The decisions are incorporated in the operation of the system and not reflected upon

  15. Axioms of Subsumption Ethics • Information systems subsume design, policy, and implementation decisions in programming code and content. • Subsumed objects have determinate moral value • Subsumed objects have a high ”invisibility factor” • Subsumptive complexity increases over time

  16. Ethical Frameworks • The Golden Rule • The Golden Mean • Niskáma Karma • Complexity

  17. Teaching Ethical Issues Virtue-based ethics in computer science Frances S. Grodzinsky

  18. Teaching Ethics • Character-Forming Theories • Practical wisdom • Character Development • Action-Guiding Theories • Isolated situations • What would you do? • Intellectual exercise?

  19. Virtue-Based Ethics • Based on Aristotle & Kant • Aristotle: Morality cannot be taught, but needs to be practiced • Kant: Judgement cannot be instructed; it can only be exercised • Internalization and reflection • Identity

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