Download Ethics 101

Intro to Ethics
CSCI 327 Social Implications of Computing
Scenarios
1. Jenny using the campus computers
2. Frank releasing medical software with bugs
in order to be first-to-market
3. Retaliatory cyber attack
4. Bob the student and the Wingspan security
hole
5. Joe and Acme Insurance
Definitions

Ethics - the study of morality.

Morality - system of rules for guiding conduct
and principles for evaluating those rules.
Moral Systems

Moral systems are based on core values.

Values may be intrinsic (life, happiness) or
instrumental (money) or both (privacy)

Basis for Moral Systems:

religion


philosophical system


Stealing is wrong because God doesn't like it.
Stealing is wrong because it is not reasonable.
legal system

Stealing is wrong because it is against the law.
Relativism
Because there is no universal moral system, there
is no universal right or wrong.

we can have opposite opinions and both be right

Subjective Relativism - each individual decides
right and wrong based on their own values.

Cultural Relativism - different cultures have
different values. Only members of that group can
decide right and wrong.
Utilitarianism (consequence based)
An individual act is morally permissible if the
consequences that result from the act produce
the greatest amount of good for the greatest
number of people.

Act Utilitarianism - base decisions on total outcomes
of the act

Rule Utilitarianism - base decisions by following some
general rules (rules apply to everyone)
Example - enslave 1% of population to make cheap computer chips
act util - okay because total good increases
rule util - not okay because it would then be okay to exploit everyone
Kantianism (duty based)
Moral system must be based in
obligations to each other.
our
1. act only if the rule can be applied universally
to all humans (what if everyone did that?)
2. act only if the rule ensures that all humans
will be treated as ends-in-themselves
Social Contract (contract based)
Because it is in our best interest to
band together, we establish a society
with a legal code.
"In a state of nature human life would be
solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short".
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
Example One - copying a DVD
social contract - wrong because against intellectual property law
Example Two - child drowning in 3 feet of water
social contract - there is no law stating that you must jump in
and save the child
Just Consequentialism
Combines consideration of consequences with
considerations of duty, rights, and justice.

Basis:
1. "do no harm" - everyone wants to be protected
2. "do your duty" - everyone wants justice, promises to be kept,
fulfill their roles, etc

How to apply:
Deliberate over the choices
1.
1.
2.
does not cause unnecessary harm
supports rights, fulfills duties, …
Rank choices in terms of benefits and harms
2.
1.
2.
weigh the good and bad
distinguish between disagreements about facts and values
Scenarios (again)
1. Jenny using the campus computers
2. Frank releasing medical software with bugs
in order to be first-to-market
3. Retaliatory cyber attack
4. Bob the student and the Wingspan security
hole
5. Joe and Acme Insurance
Next Class…

Critical Thinking


How to form and evaluate arguments
In-Class Writing Assignment