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| title | aliases | tags | sr-due | sr-interval | sr-ease | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-ethics-and-computing |
|
2022-09-24 | 3 | 250 |
what is ethics
- concerned with the fundamental issues of practical decision making. what actions should we take or not take?
requirements for an ethical system
- must be usable and practical
- need to be able to learn it, and use it
need to maintain respect for others views
normative ethics
- the study of ethical behaviour
- investigates questions regarding how someone should act
three approaches
- deontology (duty or rule based)
- utilitarianism (consequentialism)
- virtue ethics (character based)
deontology
- categorical imperitive - instrinsically valid principles that are good in and of themselves
- must be obeyed always
- e.g., dont murder people
- immanuel kant
- fundamental assumption that each person has intrinsic worth and deserves basic respect
- may be disagreements about principles involved - e.g., inherent universal ethics, religious laws, or cultural values
utilitarianism
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maximise happiness and wellbeing for people
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john stuart mill
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practical approach, does not consider the rights of those who disagree, minorities, or the powerless
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identify various courses of action, ask who will be affeced by each acction, and what benefits or harms with be derived from each
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the ethical action is the one that provides the greatest good for the greatest number
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best for everyone overall
virtue ethics
- focues on character of individuals and developing qualities of virtue or excellence.
- being a moral person rather than rule or action oriented
- aristotle
- eudaimonia - state of happiness, blessedness, or well-being
- golden rule - treat other the way you want to be treated
- golden mean - balance between extremes
- e.g., courage - cowardice - recklessness
problems with ethical theories
- virtue
- depend on community having similar beliefs, values and close relationsihps
- deontology
- how to decide on common rules when different groups have opposing views
- what is a "right" choice results in bad consequences
- utilitatianism
- harming a minority and benefiting a majority doesn't build mutually beneficial relationships.
- can legitimise doing wrong by claiming that it is justified by the outcome
- how do you know the outcome of thier choices
- bad results can be explained away
bad examples
unforseen consequences can occur
applied ethics
- association for computing machinery (ACM)
acm code
- concern for human well being
- protecting individual rights and autonomy
- do no harm (well inteded actions can lead to harm)
- people should always be the central concern in computing
censorship and misinformation
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fire and fury documentary
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disinformation project
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what is it
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what is censorship
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how do we know what information is accurate
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searchiing forinformation
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why is this relevant to us
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who decides what is legitimate information
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how can science help with decisions
replication crisis
does funding influence the results that are obtained
controversial issue
