Chapter 1.3-1.4:
Themes and Ethics
See Dilbert cartoon about questionable ethics:
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2008-03-23/
Also
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2006-07-04/
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
1
Quiz Question 1
According to the book, if we increase the privacy
and security of computer technology, we also
decrease
:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
freedom
convenience
natural rights
controversy
None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
2
Answer
(p. 27): “Increasing privacy and security often
means reducing convenience” (B)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
3
Quiz Question 2
According to the book, which of the following is a
consequence of the new global reach of the
Internet
A. It makes crime fighting and law enforcement
more difficult
B. It makes sharing data with others more difficult
C. It makes political protests more difficult
D. It makes elections more difficult to hold
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
4
Answer
(p. 26) “The Net makes information and
opportunities more easily available to peiople
isolated by geography or by political system. It
makes crime fighting and law enforcement more
difficult, because criminals can steal and disrupt
services from outside the victim’s country.” (B)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
5
What is Ethics?
• Is it right or wrong?
• But actually, is it right, wrong, or okay
(ethically obligatory, ethically prohibited, or
ethically acceptable)
• There are two general camps. Which one are
you in? (Respond with clicker)
– A: Ethical rules are fundamental or universal
– B: Ethical rules are made up by humans
– C: Some mixture of A and B
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
6
Quiz Question 3
According to the following ethical theory, ethical
rules are absolute and follow from logic.
A. Utilitarianism Theory
B. Virtue Theory
C. Natural Rights Theory
D. Deontological Theory
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
7
Answer
(p. 31): “Deontologists tend to emphasize duty
and absolute rules…Deontologists argue that
logic or reason determines rules of ethical
behavior.” (D)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
8
Quiz Question 4
A key objection to act utlilitarianism is that
A. It fails to consider the consequences of acts
B. It fails to respect individual rights
C. It fails to take into consideration the
circumstances of a given situation
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
9
Answer
(p. 32): “A more fundamental (and ethical)
objection to act utilitarianism is that it does
not recognize or respect individual rights” (B)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
10
Quiz Question 5
This ethical position emphasizes the process by
which people interact, seeing acts as ethical if they
involve voluntary interactions free of coercion
A. Deontological Theory
B. Act Utilitarianism
C. Natural Rights
D. Rule Utilitarianism
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
11
Answer
(p. 33): “Those who emphasize natural rights
tend to emphasize the ethical character of the
process by which people interact, seeing acts
generally as likely to be ethical if they involve
voluntary interactions and freely made
exchanges, where the parties are not coerced
or deceived.” (C)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
12
Quiz Question 6
When interpreted as a(n)
, access to the
internet might imply the need for special taxes in
order to provide access to those who couldn’t
normally afford it:
A. Obligatory right
B. Negative right
C. Freedom right
D. Claim right
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
13
Quiz Question 7
The following is an example of a negative right:
A. The right to have access to the Internet
B. The right to life
C. The right to health care.
D. The right to Satellite TV
E. None of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
14
Answer (#6)
(p. 35) Claim rights (D) “impose an obligation on
some people to provide certain things for
others.
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
15
Answer (#7)
(p. 35): “Negative rights, or liberties, are rights
to act without interference.”
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
16
Quiz Question 8
The following best describes the relationship
between law and ethics, as discussed in the
book:
A. All laws are, by definition, ethical.
B. Some laws enforce ethical rules.
C. Some laws have little to do with ethical rules.
D. Laws do not enforce ethical rules.
E. More than one of the above
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
17
Answer
(p. 37): Some laws enforce ethical rules (e.g.,
against murder and theft…Other laws fall into
several categories. One category of laws
establishes conventions for business or other
activities….Unfortunately, many laws fall into a
category that is not intended to implement
ethical rules—or even be consistent with
them.” (E)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
18
This Course Considers Murky Territory!
How Can We Negotiate it?
• Draw analogies to old problems
– From real life to cyberspace
• Adapt to new technology
– New laws, institutions, skills, attitudes
• Apply solutions from varied sources
– Hardware, software, legal, law enforcement,
reorganization, etc. (course project!)
• Consider and appreciate tradeoffs
– E.g., Privacy ≠ Convenience
• Understand personal choices ≠ business policies ≠ law
• Use ethical frameworks
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
19
Aside: The Importance of Civility in
This Class
“Even if you have a strong position on one side of a
controversy, it is important to know the arguments
on the other side…Knowing that there are
reasonable arguments for a different point of view,
even if you do not think they are strong enough to
win overall, helps make a debate more civilized. We
see that the people on the other side are not
necessarily evil, stupid, or ignorant; they may just
put more weight on different factors.” (p. 27)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
20
Case Study I (Clicker)
Suppose you bring your video camera to a political
debate. After the debate, you quietly record
candidates talking with individuals from the
audience. One candidate, responding
sympathetically to a person complaining about how
an insurance company handled his claim, says “All
insurance company executives ought to be shot.”
Should you post a video of the candidate’s
comment?
A: Yes
B: No
C: Not sure
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
21
Discuss Case Study in Your Group
(10 minutes)
• Each person pick an ethical framework to use as a
basis for your reasoning (each framework must
be represented in your group)
– Deontological Theory
– Utilitarianism
– Natural Rights
• Formulate a position and rationale based on each
of these
• Share with group your reasoning
• Group spokesperson should be prepared to share
reasoning with entire class
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
22
Case Study II (Clicker)
Suppose you create a fictional person on a social
networking site. Further, you do not want to
reveal that the person is really you.
Is this ethical?
A: Yes
B: No
C: Not sure
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
23
Discuss Case Study in Your Group
(10 minutes)
• Each person pick an ethical framework to use as a
basis for your reasoning (each framework must
be represented in your group)
– Deontological Theory
– Utilitarianism
– Natural Rights
• Formulate a position and rationale based on each
of these
• Share with group your reasoning
• Group spokesperson should be prepared to share
reasoning with entire class
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
24
Case Study II from the Deontological
Perspective (Clicker)
• Consider the case study again
• From the perspective of a deontological
theory, should you post the video?
– A: Yes
– B: No
– C: Not sure
• (Group will be picked randomly to share)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
25
Case Study II from the Utilitarianism
Perspective (Clicker)
• Consider the case study again
• From the perspective of utilitarianism, should
you post the video?
– A: Yes
– B: No
– C: Not sure
• (Group will be picked randomly to share)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
26
Case Study II from the Natural Rights
Perspective (Clicker)
• Consider the case study again
• From the perspective of natural rights, should
you post the video
– A: Yes
– B: No
– C: Not sure
• (Group will be picked randomly to share)
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
27
Your own Ethical Position (Clicker)
Based on what you now know about the three
ethical perspectives just discussed, which
perspective do you prefer?
A: Deontological Theory
B: Utilitarianism
C: Natural Rights
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
28
Case Study III (Discuss with Group)
1. A man sued his health insurance company
because it would not pay for Viagra, a drug
for treating male impotence. He argued that
the insurer’s refusal to pay denied his right to
a happy sex life.
A. Negative (claim) right
B. Positive (liberty) right
C. A mix of the two
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
29
Case Study IV (Discuss with Group)
2. Two legislators who ran for reelection lost.
They sued an organization that sponsored
ads criticizing their voting records. The
former legislators argued that the
organization interfered with their right to
hold office.
A. Negative (claim) right
B. Positive (liberty) right
C. A mix of the two
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
30
Reminder: Term Project
• Please brainstorm term project ideas. Propose
and discuss on Google Group. We will have a
team building day next Tuesday.
CptS 401, Spring 2011
1/18/2011
31