Sophia Bishop
SBishop1@baruch.cuny.edu
5272, Vertical Campus (behind 5270)
Office hours by appointment
PHIL/CIS 3270: Computer Ethics
Fall 2013
This course provides a philosophical perspective to ethical decision making, especially regarding the
specific ethical issues and controversies surrounding modern computer technology. These issues include
those relating to privacy, security, identity, copyright, unauthorized use, access for the disabled, gender
issues, and the digital divide. Ethical theories to be explored include subjective and cultural relativism,
Kantianism, utilitarianism, and social contract theory.
Prerequisite: One Philosophy course or CIS 2200
Text
The assigned text will consist of readings and other material that will be posted online on the
Blackboard/Blogs@Baruch course site.
Grading
The grading for the course consists of three components; blog posts, short papers/activities, and a final
exam project/presentation. Each component is weighted equally into the final grade:
Blog Posts
Short Papers/Activities
Final Exam Project/Presentation
1/3
1/3
1/3
Blog prompts will be posted approximately weekly, and will be based on the material to be covered the
following week in class. The blog will be hosted on the Blogs@Baruch site. Each student is required to make
at least three posts to the blog – one original post, and two replies to classmates’ posts. All posts must be
made before the class meeting of the due date. You will be permitted to drop your lowest three blog post
scores. No late or make-up posts will be permitted for any reason.
There will also be short papers/activities during the semester. The topics and length of the assignments are
to be determined, as necessary. All papers/activities will be submitted electronically through Blackboard.
No emailed or hard copies will be accepted. Late submissions will be accepted up to one week after the due
date with a one letter grade (10%) penalty. Submissions later than one week will not be accepted.
A final examination project/presentation will make up the final component of the grade. Details of this
assignment will follow later in the semester.