Morality and Machines: Perspectives on Computer Ethics: Perspectives on Computer Ethics / Edition 2

by Stacey L Edgar

Overview

This text helps students explore the wider field of computer ethics, including discussion of key topics such as privacy, software protection, artificial intelligence, workplace issues, virtual reality, and cybersex.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763717674
Publisher:	Jones & Bartlett Learning
Publication date:	05/15/2002
Edition description:	2E
Pages:	522
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Stacey L. Edgar, SUNY, Geneseo Stacey Edgar did undergraduate work in engineering physics and graduate work (MS, MA, PhD) in physics and philosophy, worked for seven years at General Electric as a programmer analyst (providing a strong foundation in scientific computing and computers in general), and has taught computer science and philosophy at SUNY Geneseo since 1975. Experience in the classroom provided the basis for two prior texts in Fortran programming and a first edition of this textbook on computer ethics. Edgar is the recipient of a SUNY-wide Chancellor's Award for Excellence and Teaching and of college awards for Excellence in Advising and a Mentoring Award.

Table of Contents

	Preface	v
	Introduction	1
	Computer Ethics?	1
	Is There Really a Need for Ethics in Computing?	4
	Endnotes	7
	References and Recommended Readings	8
Part 1	Ethical Foundations	11
Chapter 1	Ethical Decision Making	13
	Making Moral Decisions	15
	Views on the Nature of Reason	22
	The Modern View of Reason	22
	The Ancient View of Reason	23
	Which View of Reason Is Correct?	25
Chapter 2	Is Ethics Possible?	33
	Some Bad Reasons for Saying Ethics Has No Basis	33
	Some More Thoughtful Defenses of Ethical Skepticism	37
	Coda	46
Chapter 3	The Search for a Basis for Ethics	55
	Ethical Egoism	56
	Pleasure- and Pain-Based Theories of Ethics	58
	Classical Utilitarianism	58
	Updated Utilitarianism	61
	Act Utilitarianism	61
	Rule Utilitarianism	62
	Cost-Benefit Analysis	62
	Intentions, Freedom, and Universality	63
	Stoicism	63
	The Theories of Immanuel Kant	64
	Imperatives	66
	Virtue Ethics	70
	The Form of the Good	72
	Plato and the Form of the Good	73
	G.E. Moore and the Indefinability of the Good	75
	Butchvarov and the Order of Goods	76
	Conclusion	78
	Approaching Ethical Analysis	79
Part 2	Ethics Applied to a Computerized World	97
Chapter 4	Software Piracy, Property, and Protection	99
	A Brief History of Hardware	99
	A Brief History of Software	102
	Euclidean Algorithm for Greatest Common Divisor	106
	Software Piracy	107
	What Is Software Piracy?	107
	How Can Software Rights Be Protected?	117
	Arguments for Private Property	117
	Arguments against Private Property	121
	Intellectual Property	122
	Software Protection	123
	Trade Secrets	123
	Trademarks	125
	Copyrights	126
	Digital Millennium Copyright Act	130
	Licensing and Copyprotection	131
	Patents	134
	The Opposition to Legal Protection of Software	147
	What Is Reasonable and Fair?	149
	New Issues Raised by the Internet	154
Chapter 5	Computer Crime	167
	Kinds of Computer Crime	168
	Crimes against Computers	168
	Damage to Computers	168
	Crimes Using Computers	172
	Embezzlement by Computer	172
	Theft of Services	176
	Theft of Information	177
	Fraud	178
	Organized ("Mob") Computer Crime	182
	Counterfeiting	184
	Computer Crime Victims	187
	Computer Criminals	188
	Computer Crime Stoppers	188
	Failure to Report Computer Crimes	190
	The European Cybercrime Treaty	190
	Observations	191
Chapter 6	Computer Intruders, Viruses, and All That	201
	More Ways to Steal Using Computers	201
	Thefts of Money	202
	Roundoff Errors	202
	The Salami Technique	203
	Rounded-Down Bank Interest	204
	Breaking In and Entering	204
	Phreaking Then and Now	204
	Tampering with Communication Signals	206
	A "Hacker" by Any Other Name	207
	The Original, "Good" Hackers	207
	The New Breed of Destructive Hackers	208
	Scanning	209
	Cracking Passwords	209
	Espionage	210
	Other Methods of Illegal Access	211
	Potentially Destructive Activities	212
	Vengeance Is the Computer's	212
	Trojan Horse	213
	The Christmas Tree Trojan Horse	213
	The Cookie Monster	213
	The "Twelve Tricks Trojan" Horse	214
	The AIDS Virus (Trojan Horse)	215
	The Burleson Blackmail	215
	Other "Bombs"	216
	Worms	216
	More and More Worms	222
	Virus	223
	Brain Virus	225
	Lehigh Virus	225
	The Israeli Virus	225
	The Malta Disk Destroyer	226
	The Ping-Pong Virus	226
	The Datacrime Virus	226
	The Bulgarian Dark Avenger	226
	The Michelangelo Virus	227
	Macintosh Viruses	227
	The Health-Care Plan Virus	227
	Operation Moon Angel	228
	Kevin Mitnick	228
	Melissa Virus	228
	Chernobyl Virus	229
	The Love Bug	229
	Viruses Make It to the Big Screen	229
	Misuse of the (Electronic) Mail	229
	Is Hacking Moral, Value-Neutral, or Bad?	232
	Hacking as Civil Disobedience	234
	The Sorcerer's Apprentice	235
	What Is to Be Done?	236
Chapter 7	Privacy	253
	Why Is Privacy of Value?	254
	"I'll Be Watching You"	256
	Some Noteworthy Violations of Privacy Involving Computers	257
	A National Computerized Criminal History System?	262
	The FBI Wiretap Law	264
	The Clipper Chip Proposal	264
	Computerized Credit	265
	Caller ID	267
	Computer Matching	268
	How the Internet Complicates Privacy Considerations	271
	Cookies	272
	Communications Decency Act (CDA) and CDA II (COPA)	272
	Carnivore	273
	The Worst Scenario	274
	What Protections Are There for Privacy?	276
	Warren and Brandeis Make a Case for Privacy	277
	Existing Privacy Legislation	279
	The Importance of Privacy	281
Chapter 8	Errors and Reliability	293
	Errors	293
	Some Noteworthy Computer-Related Errors	296
	Defense	296
	Space Exploration	298
	Commercial Airlines	299
	Medical Risks	300
	Robot Errors and Robots as Threats	300
	Nuclear Energy Threats	302
	Computerized Translation	302
	Mistaken Identities	303
	Billing and Record-Keeping Errors	303
	Automatic Payments	305
	More "Dead Souls in the Computer"	305
	Military Dangers	305
	"Surplus" Computers Sold with Sensitive Information Still in Them	306
	Miscellaneous Computer-Related Errors	306
	Two More Software Fiascos	308
	Y2K Bugs	308
	Follow-up	308
	Reliability	308
	Program Verification	311
	Software Engineering	311
	Program Testing	313
	Structured Walkthroughs	313
	When All Is Said and Done	314
	Observation	314
Chapter 9	The Computer World of Work	323
	The Control Revolution	323
	Evolution of Systems	325
	Three Functions of DNA	326
	The Industrial Revolution Crisis of Control	327
	Data Processing and an Information Bureaucracy	328
	Information Theory and Communication	329
	Levels of Problems in Communication	330
	The Information Workplace	331
	Loss of Jobs, or Just Relocation?	335
	The End of Work?	338
	"Technostress"?	339
	"Technomalady"?	340
	Job Monitoring	341
	Women in the Computer Workplace	343
	Does Gender Matter in Computing?	345
	Increased Access for Disabled Workers	347
	Telecommuting	348
	Changing Job Panorama	352
	Employees and Employers	353
	Loyalty	353
	Whistle-Blowing	356
	Who Owns Your Ideas?	358
Chapter 10	Responsibility, Liability, Law, and Professional Ethics	375
	Responsibility	375
	Liability	377
	Computers and the Law	380
	Professional Ethics	383
	Professional Codes of Ethics	385
	What About Microsoft?	387
	Are Science and Technology Morally Neutral?	387
Chapter 11	Computers, the Government, and the Military	399
	Information and Power	399
	Big Government	400
	Record-Keeping and Surveillance	400
	Government Applications of Computers	402
	The National Security Agency	403
	Other Agency Restrictions on Freedoms	406
	Blame the Computer!	406
	Big Business Influences Big Government	407
	Environmental Impact of Computers	409
	Centralization Versus Decentralization of the Government	410
	The Information Superhighway	411
	Goals	411
	A Comparison of Concrete and Electronic Highways	412
	The Vision of the Government for NII	413
	Manufacturing and Commerce	414
	Health Care	414
	Education	414
	Environment	416
	Libraries	416
	Some Dissenting Voices	418
	Nuclear Threats	420
	Computers and Nuclear Power	421
	Computers and the Military	422
	Simulations	423
	"War Games"	425
	False Alarms	425
	"Star Wars" by Any Other Name	427
Chapter 12	The Artificial Intelligensia and Virtual Worlds	443
	Artificial Intelligence--Some General Background	443
	Expert Systems	445
	Game-Playing	447
	Theorem-Proving	447
	The Turing Test	447
	The Imitation Game	449
	Objections	450
	ELIZA	452
	The Chinese Room	453
	Artificial Intelligence and Ethics	454
	Consciousness	456
	Kurzweil's "Age of Spiritual Machines"	457
	Hawking's Perspective	457
	The Eco-Computer	457
	Cybersex	458
	Virtual Worlds	460
	Virtual Reality	462
	Appendix A	477
	Paper #1--Computer Ethics	477
	Computer Ethics Term Paper Topics	478
	Directions for Students	478
	Appendix B	485
	ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct	485
	General Moral Imperatives	486
	More Specific Professional Responsibilities	489
	Organizational Leadership Imperatives	492
	Compliance with the Code	493
	Appendix C	495
	IEEE Code of Ethics	495
	Bibliography	497
	Index	507