Chapter 3: Moral Methodology and Information Technology

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599

What I expect to learn?

I expect to learn moral and information technology.

Quote:

“A further development in applied ethics takes the methodology of computer ethics beyond these methodological debates concerning generalism and particularism”

Review:

Computer ethics is a form of applied or practical ethics. It studies the moral questions that are associated with the development, application, and use of computers and computer science. The properties of IT may require us to revisit traditional conceptualizations and conceptions of privacy, responsibility, property. Applied ethic focused on questions concerning the meaning of ethical terms, such as “good” and “ought,” and on the cognitive content and truth of moral propositions containing them. Generalism, The very possibility of moral thought and judgment depends on the provision of a suitable supply of moral principles. The logic of the Engineering Model fails to capture the phenomenon of belief revision, exceptions, ceteris paribus clauses, and default logic, which characterizes much of ordinary moral discourse. Particularism, The possibility of moral thought and judgment does not depend on the provision of a suitable supply of moral principles. The methodological alternative to both pure generalism and pure particularism is that combines the strengths of both and accommodates in one model the rationale for generalizing modes of moral thinking and the rationale of particularist modes of moral thinking. The author think it is important not to repeat the mistakes that have been made in the history of normative ethics, that is, thinking that all moral problems can be solved by means of the application of one theory, one principle.

What I Learned?

• ·        Moral methodology
• ·        Information Technology

Integrative Question:

1. What is computer ethics?
2. What does properties of IT requires?
3. Where do applied ethics focus?
4. What does generalism mean?
5. What is the problem behind the engineering view?

Discussion:

1. What is computer ethics?

Computer ethics is a form of applied or practical ethics. It studies the moral questions that are associated with the development, application, and use of computers and computer science.

1. What does properties of IT requires?

The properties of IT may require us to revisit traditional conceptualizations and conceptions of privacy, responsibility, property.

1. Where do applied ethics focus?

It focused on questions concerning the meaning of ethical terms, such as “good” and “ought,” and on the cognitive content and truth of moral propositions containing them.

1. What does generalism mean?

The very possibility of moral thought and judgment depends on the provision of a suitable supply of moral principles.

1. What is the problem behind the engineering view?

The logic of the Engineering Model fails to capture the phenomenon of belief revision, exceptions, ceteris paribus clauses, and default logic, which characterizes much of ordinary moral discourse.

1. What does particularism mean?

The possibility of moral thought and judgment does not depend on the provision of a suitable supply of moral principles.

1. What does public particularist point out?

The public particularist wants to point out that getting to the right moral solution is better compared to the exercise of skills and abilities to accomplish something.

1. What is the methodological alternative to both pure generalism and pure particularism?

The methodological alternative to both pure generalism and pure particularism is that combines the strengths of both and accommodates in one model the rationale for generalizing modes of moral thinking and the rationale of particularist modes of moral thinking.

1. What does they point out on moral justification?

In the publicdomain and the professions, accountability for one's moral judgments is premised oncommunicative transparency and the attempted articulation of principles.

10.  What are the develpment on design in applied ethic?

A further development in applied ethics takes the methodology of computer ethics beyond these methodological debates concerning generalism and particularism

11.  What should be develop on IT in discipline?

a shift from attention to technology simpliciter, to technology in organizational and human and values context.

12.  What are the two seperate developments in ethic?

The two separate developments in ethics is theory–application–design and in IT technology–social and psychological context–moral value come together in the idea

of Value Sensitive Design.

13.  What does value sensitive design assume?

Value Sensitive Design assumes that values and normative assumptions can somehow be incorporated, embodied in designs.

14.  What does Jenkins and McCauley , Darcy and Dardalet point out?

Jenkins and McCauley (2006) describe a software application where the choice for a particular algorithm has political and moral consequences.

Darcy and Dardalet23 describe a telemedicine application

15.  What does Philip brey propsed?

Philip Brey has proposed a conception of method in computer ethics that is related to the Value Sensitive Design conception.

16.  What does floridi point out?

He claims that the moral status of actions with or without IT concerns their informational status.

17.  What does the author thought of?

The author think it is important not to repeat the mistakes that have been made in the history of normative ethics, that is, thinking that all moral problems can be solved by means of the application of one theory, one principle.