Margaret N. Lee
O0A
Chapter 2: Ethics and Information Technology
Study Questions:
1. How do descriptive (empirical) claims and prescriptive (normative) claims differ? Give
examples of each kind of claim.
Descriptive is how you see something around you and describe what it does. While, normative is far
from descriptive as it does not easily describe what something around you is. For example, in
descriptive claim, technology nowadays is increasing its development. While, in normative claims, a
new business was established on that street but it seems that the items they are selling are too
expensive.
2. Describe a discussion of a moral issue that is currently receiving attention in the media.
Identify different claims and arguments that were put forward and defended. List the claims
in an order that illustrates dialectic about this issue, with one claim and argument leading to
another claim and another argument, and so on. Are there some claims that are still being
presented in the media that have, in your judgment, already been rejected in the dialectic?
3. Explain the difference between “ethics are relative” as a descriptive claim and as a normative
claim.
Ethics is relative, descriptive claim, is how people think and how something is being described
specifically. As nominative claim, it is how you compost something like solving a problem.
4. What evidence can be used to support “ethics is relative” as a descriptive claim?
Some of the evidence to support “ethics is relative” are the ethical beliefs, rules and practices from
culture to culture and from time to time as what is stated in the text.
5. What are the three problems with “ethics is relative” as a normative claim?
The first problem with “ethics is relative” in the nominative claim is on how to defend the opinions
of people. Second problem, how they will follow the regulations implemented. Last but not the
least, the problem of lack of making personal decisions?
6. What is the basic principle of utilitarianism?
Based on the text, the basic principle of utilitarianism is “Everyone ought to act so as to bring about
the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.”
7. What is the difference between an instrumental good and an intrinsic good?
Instrumental goods is not a value but on how you give value to something while, intrinsic goods is
valuable in terms of giving value to ourselves.
8. Why do utilitarians believe that happiness is the ultimate basis for morality?
Utilitarians believe that happiness is the ultimate basis for morality because it is something that we
do for ourselves and it is not easy to be understood by other people if they, themselves do not
experience the same happiness.
9. What is the difference between act- utilitarianism and rule- utilitarianism?
Rule- utilitarianism is the adaptation of rules that needs to be followed by its members/ people and
the rule is for long run while, act- utilitarianism emphasizes individuals action than the rules.
10. What is the major criticism of utilitarianism? Explain it using an example other than the
distribution of scare medical resources.
The major critique of utilitarianism is how utilitarianism be applied on different cases. For example,
a student whom parents cannot afford to give his basic needs. He uses his intelligence to do paper
works for his classmates then they will pay him for his work.
11. What is the unique characteristic of human beings according to deontologists? How is this
quality connected to morality?
According to deontologists, human beings are unique for making right and wrong actions. It is
connected to morality in terms of the person’s duty.
12. What is the categorical imperative? Give two examples of violations of the categorical
imperative.
Categorical imperative is how we treat human beings.
13. How can rights be based on deontological theory? How can rights be based on utility theory?
14. What is the veil of ignorance in the original positions in Rawls’s social contract theory?
15. What are the two principles of justice in Rawls’s theory?
16. How does virtue ethics theory differ in focus from other theories discussed in this chapter?
17. What is analogical reasoning? Give an example of how it can be used in computer ethics.
18. Why should we always use caution when arguing on the basis of analogies?