Cyberethics – Chapter 42

Book: Cyberethics – The Practitioner from Within: Revisiting the Virtues

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cyberethics-Morality-Cyberspace-Richard-Spinello/dp/B001E2Y7GQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239721761&sr=1-2

Quote:

“It is difficult to get from youth up a right training for virtue if one has not been brought up under right laws; for to live temperately and hardily is not pleasant to most people especially when they are young. For this reason their nurture and occupation should be fix by law.” by Frances S. Grodzinsky.

What I expect to learn:

I intend to learn in this chapter all the information where is its title is all about.

Chapter Review:

Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philosophically trained, exposing them to action-guiding theories, presenting them with the codes of ethics of several companies and professional organizations and asking them to make ethical decisions in scenario-based cases. This approach is deliberately action-based and focuses on doing. “What would you do?” is the traditional question we ask our students. While this pedagogical methodology forces them to examine situations and argue from a particular point of view, it does little to influence their character. They see the utilitarian or deontologist as someone other than themselves.

There seems to be very little internalization of these action-based theories. Virtue Ethics offers character-forming theory that has been more successful with my students than the action-based theories of computer ethics texts. Why? Virtue Ethics is directed toward character development. The focus is on being rather than doing. It presents a good heuristic or approach to the problem of moral agency. Virtue ethics offers a way of teaching self-reflection through narratives that focus on core values, heroes and moral exemplars.

It is grounded in practical wisdom. It is experiential, learning to care about the self, others, the community, living the good life, flourishing and striving for moral excellence. It offers a model for the development of character and personal ethics which will lead to professional ethics. Yet, the strict Virtue Ethics espoused by Aristotle has its limitations. This paper will explore the need for a more integrative approach to contemporary moral theory, one that may be found by revisiting the virtues through the works of Aristotle and Kant. It will offer insight into translating theory into practice for students of computer science and information technology.

What I learned:

              
               I have learned that much of the data that is mined is public or semi-public
in nature what we purchase at the supermarket, where we surf the Web, where we work, our
salary. This data can be used to construct profiles and customer categories that can be
used to target advertising. In addition to data privacy issues, data mining raises other
social concerns.  

               For example, Danna and Gandy (2002) argue that data mining and the use of
consumer profiles can actually exclude groups of customers from full participation in the
marketplace and limit their access to information. Thus, there are major ethical and
social issues that arise from the practice of data mining.

Integrative Questions:

1.    What ethics offers character-forming theory?

2.    What are Sherman’s books of discussion?

3.    What does ICT means?

4.    What does Louden states about ethics?

5.    Who asserts that carrying out rules is a sole concern of ethics?