Open Michigan | - Paul Conway · 2016-10-04 · • Floridi, L. and Sanders, J.W. (2004). “On the...
Transcript of Open Michigan | - Paul Conway · 2016-10-04 · • Floridi, L. and Sanders, J.W. (2004). “On the...
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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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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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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.