Computers and Society
What is a Society?
• A voluntary association of individuals for common ends
• An enduring and cooperating social group whose members have
developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction
with one another
• A companionship with one’s fellows
What is a Society?
• A part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims
or standards of living or conduct
• The sum of human conditions and activity regarded as a whole
functioning interdependently
• The customs and organization of an ordered community
How have Computers Affected Society?
• What are the parts of a society?
• What has been the affect of computers on these parts?
• What are the benefits?
• What are the problems?
• What will happen next?
What about the Internet?
• In recent years this one area has affected society more than any other
• How?
• What are the issues here?
The Parts of a Society
• Education
• Transportation
• Private Sector
• Business
• Government
• Entertainment
• Housing
The Parts of a Society
• Currency (banking)
• Jobs
• Space
• Medicine
• Anything else?
Technological Revolutions
• Agricultural Revolution
• Industrial Revolution
• Computational Revolution
How Society Reacts to Revolutions
• Incorporate benefits
• Civilize change
• Compensate injured
• Regain balance
Solutions to Problems
• Technical
• Managerial
• Legal
• Market mechanisms
• Education
Issues to be Studied Due to Computers in
Society
• Privacy of communications
• Intellectual property
• Constitutional issues
• General social issues
• Professional ethics