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PaulConway

SI410EthicsandInformationTechnology

ReadingandDiscussionGuide1Foundations

Thisreadinganddiscussionguidecoversthefirstthreeweeksofthecourse.Theintersectionofethicsandnewinformationtechnologiesisavibrantandemergingfieldofstudyinwhichpeoplefloatlotsofinterestingideasaboutevolvingethicsbutwherethereisnotalotofconcreteengagementwiththetechnologiesthemselves.Thefirstthreeweeksoftheclasswillfocusonthefoundationalideasanimatingthecourse.Theguideliststherequiredreadings,suggeststhinkstolookforwhilereadingthem,andposessomequestionsthatcouldberaisedduringthelecturesession.Theguidealsodescribesbrieflythepurposeoflab/discussionsection.

Week1:HistoryandKeyIdeas

• TuesdaySeptember7 Topic: CourseLogisticsandBigPictureRequiredReadings:

• Moor,J.H.,“WhyWeNeedBetterEthicsforEmergingTechnologies,”EthicsandInformationTechnology(2005)7:111‐119.

Whattolookfor:Moordefinesemergingtechnologiesratherbroadlyandthenmakesaboldclaimaboutwhybetterethicsareneedednow.Readthisarticlefortheheartofhisargument,ratherthanforhisdefinitions.Discussionquestions:1.Whyistherea“policygap”betweentechnologyandethicalnorms?

• WednesdaySeptember8Lab/DiscussionThelabsessionwillfocusonhowtousetheUniversityLibrarytogainaccesstoinformationresourcesthatyouwillneedforyourwritingassignments.ScottDennis,alibrarianwhospecializesinphilosophyandgeneralreferencetools,willdemonstratethelibrary’smanyusefuldatabasesandsearchtools.

• ThursdaySeptember9 Topic: ComputerEthicsRequiredReadings:

• Bynum,T.W.,“MilestonesintheHistoryofInformationEthics,”inHimmaandTavani(2008),pp.25‐48.• Tavani,H.,“TheUniquenessDebateinComputerEthics:WhatExactlyIsatIssue,andWhyDoesit

Matter?”EthicsandInformationTechnology4(2002),pp.37‐54.

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PaulConway

Whattoreadfor:ForBynum,readthearticleasasortofhistorylesson,payingattentiontotheauthor’sterminologyandhowthedefinitionsofcomputerethicschangeovertime.Tavani’sarticlegoestotheheartofthequestionforthefirstassignment.Readthearticleforhiscentralargumentandbepreparedtosummarizethetwosidesofhisargument.Discussionquestions:1.Iscomputerethicsanewfieldofstudyoranancientareaofscholarshipfacedwithnewchallenges?2.Isthereanythingspecialaboutnewtechnologiesthatchallengesourethicalfoundations?

Week2:PhilosophyofEthics

• TuesdaySeptember14 Topic: ModelsRequiredReadings:

• Turilli,MandFloridi,L.,“TheEthicsofInformationTransparency,”EthicsandInformationTechnology11(2009):105‐112.

• Vallor,S.(2010).“SocialNetworkingTechnologyandtheVirtues.”EthicsandInformationTechnology12(June):157‐170.

Whattolookfor:TurilliandFlorididefinetransparencyintwodistinctiveways.Readthearticleforclarityonthosetwoways.Vallorcontexualizesnewsocialtechnologies(e.g.Facebook)intermsoffourdistinctivesocietalvalues.Readthearticletoidentifythosevaluesandhowtheyaredefined(byaparticularauthor).Discussionquestions:

• WednesdaySeptember15Lab/DiscussionThelabsessionwillfeatureabriefingonwritingeffectiveessaysbyamemberoftheSweetlandWritingCenter,whichislocatedonthefirstfloorofthenewNorthQuad.

• ThursdaySeptember16 Topic: InfosphereRequiredReadings:

• Ess,C.,“LucianoFloridi’sPhilosophyofInformationandInformationEthics:CriticalReflectionsandtheStateoftheArt,”EthicsandInformationTechnology10(2008),pp.89‐96.

• Floridi,L.,“InformationEthics:ItsNatureandScope,”inInformationTechnologyandMoralPhilosophy(2008),editedbyJeroenvandenHovenandJohnWeckert,p.3‐24.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress.

Whattoreadfor:

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PaulConway

Thesearticlesareattheheartofthispartofthecourse.ReadEssforanexplanationofwhyFloridiisimportant.ReadFloridiforhisconceptofInfosphere.Discussionquestions:WhydoyouthinkthatFloridimightbeatthecenterofanimportantphilosophicalmovementandhowisthatrelevanttothecourse?

Week3:ProgrammingandEthics

• TuesdaySeptember21 Topic: PhilosophyandObjectOrientedProgramming RequiredReading:

• Floridi,L.andSanders,J.W.(2004).“OntheMoralityofArtificialAgents,”MindandMachine14:349‐379.

Whattolookfor:ThisisoneofLucianoFloridi’smostimportantarticle,inwhichhespeculatesonthepossibilitythatinformationobjectshaveethicalproperties.Hebaseshisassertions,inpart,ontheconceptsofobjects,properties,andrelationshipsthatunderpinobjectorientedprogramminganddiscretemath.Hisargumentisdense,butyouwillberewardedbycarefulreadingandrereadingofthearticle.Discussionquestions:Doinformationobjectshaveethicalproperties?

• WednesdaySeptember22Lab/DiscussionThisweek’slabwillinvolvediscussionoftheresultsofthesurveysconductedonthefirstdayofclass,withthegoalofopeningdiscussiononvaluesandethicalbehavior.

• ThursdaySeptember23 Topic: BacktotheReallyBigPictureRequiredReadings:

• Capurro,R.,“Towardsanontologicalfoundationofinformationethics,”EthicsandInformationTechnology8(2006):175‐186.

Whattoreadfor:CapurroisfocusedonthenatureofBeinginaninformationenvironment.ReadthisarticleforhisdefinitionsofBeing.Also,readcarefullyforhisperspectiveontherightsofinformationinthedigitalenvironment.Histhinkingcomplements,butisdifferentfromFloridi.Together,FloridiandCapurroprovidethedeepphilosophicalbasisforourconsiderationofvaluesandethicalpropertiesinnewinformationtechnologies.