Ethics for the Information Age
MCS 2020 Units 7-12
UNIT 7: Information Ethics
7.1 Ethics for the Information Age
Ethics is the philosophical investigation of right and wrong. It is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of moral virtue and evaluates human actions (and the motivations behind those actions)
It is tempting to believe that the law will dictate how people should act; we expect the legislative authorities to help guide our behavior
Simply not enough laws for every circumstance
The law lags behind society – even more so in the Information Age
Making good ethical decisions requires the ability to recognize principles and extrapolate beyond what is known
Computer Ethics: the analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology and the corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such technology
Information ethics deals with dilemmas where information systems and technology are “essentially involved and there is an uncertainty about what to do and even how to understand the situation”
In the Information Age, work becomes less about doing physical labor and more about instructing computers to do work for us
Technology alters our expectation and behavior
Technology has the potential to become a tool for enlightenment or a weapon for destruction
Other Ethical Approaches (Online Notes)
Golden Rule
This approach requires you to put yourself in someone else’s place.
It asks you to treat others as you would like to be treated.
While this is a great guiding principle for interpersonal relationships, it may not adequately cover the complexities of the business environment.
Egoism
In some respects, it is diametrically opposed to the Golden Rule because it stems from personal self-interest
You weigh decisions based on the impact they will have on your personal well-being
This approach favors ethical behavior, so it may not be robust enough for a business environment
Rule of Change
Says that if an
UNIT 7: Information Ethics
7.1 Ethics for the Information Age
Ethics is the philosophical investigation of right and wrong. It is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of moral virtue and evaluates human actions (and the motivations behind those actions)
It is tempting to believe that the law will dictate how people should act; we expect the legislative authorities to help guide our behavior
Simply not enough laws for every circumstance
The law lags behind society – even more so in the Information Age
Making good ethical decisions requires the ability to recognize principles and extrapolate beyond what is known
Computer Ethics: the analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology and the corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such technology
Information ethics deals with dilemmas where information systems and technology are “essentially involved and there is an uncertainty about what to do and even how to understand the situation”
In the Information Age, work becomes less about doing physical labor and more about instructing computers to do work for us
Technology alters our expectation and behavior
Technology has the potential to become a tool for enlightenment or a weapon for destruction
Other Ethical Approaches (Online Notes)
Golden Rule
This approach requires you to put yourself in someone else’s place.
It asks you to treat others as you would like to be treated.
While this is a great guiding principle for interpersonal relationships, it may not adequately cover the complexities of the business environment.
Egoism
In some respects, it is diametrically opposed to the Golden Rule because it stems from personal self-interest
You weigh decisions based on the impact they will have on your personal well-being
This approach favors ethical behavior, so it may not be robust enough for a business environment
Rule of Change
Says that if an