Computer and Information Ethics

Information technology has provided numerous options to individuals, governments, and corporations around the world. These options demand that choices be made, and such choices often involve ethical decisions. Users must decide, for example, whether certain data should be made available on the Internet, whether the information contained in various databases should be sold to third parties, and whether software developers should be held responsible for social and economic problems that result from their programs. This book provides a rigorous but accessible discussion of some of the major ethical issues concerning computers and information technology. The text gives particular attention to widespread issues concerning intellectual property rights, censorship, and privacy, along with less frequently raised topics, such as ethical worries about image manipulation, virtual reality, and the moral status of intelligent machines and expert systems. Computers and information technology have created numerous options for their users. Individuals, governments, and corporations around the world must decide whether a particular technology or application should be used, how it should be employed, and toward what end. Sometimes such decisions may be based on purely economic or personal considerations. For example, a user might feel more comfortable with a particular word processing software, and a company might decide that a particular spreadsheet package meets all of its needs at a lower cost than competing products. But decisions concerning computer and information technology also involve ethical issues. Companies must determine whether it is an ethically correct objective to save money by replacing workers with technology. Courts and governments must decide whether it is ethical to censor communication on the Internet, or require software developers to have liability for social ills caused by use of their products, or for corporations to collect and sell information about individuals and their habits. This volume provides a rigorous but accessible philosophical examination of ethical issues related to computers as information processing machines. Special attention is given to questions of intellectual property, censorship, and privacy, for these issues are continually raised in the popular press and are central ethical concerns. But the book also considers ethical worries about image manipulation, virtual reality, the use of expert systems, and the moral status of intelligent machines. Some of the moral questions discussed have not yet arisen in practical situations, but these issues should be examined before they become urgent. While many issues have been omitted, the examinations within the text help show how additional ethical concerns may be approached in the future.

Table of Contents:
Introduction The Meaning of Ethics Professional Ethics Freedom, Information, and Images Censorship of the Internet Intellectual Property Privacy Responsibility What Computers Should Not Do Quality of Life and Work Virtual Reality Minds, Machines, and Morality Glossary Bibliography Index

About the Author :
John Weckert is senior lecturer in information technology at Charles Sturt University in Australia. He has an BA from the University of Adelaide, an MA from La Trobe University, and a PhD from the University of Melbourne. His main teaching and research interests are in the field of artificial intelligence, especially knowledge-based systems, and computer ethics. Douglas Adeney is lecturer in philosophy at the University of Melbourne. He has an MA from Monash University and a PhD from the University of St. Andrews. His main teaching and research interests are in moral and political philosophy, and he additionally enjoys teaching in the areas of general metaphysics and logic.

Review :
Today, the widespread use of computers forces new evaluations of intellectual property ethics, censorship on the Internet, libel and deceit through both texts and doctored images, and the rights of inanimate entities such as software agents. This book is the joint product of a computer technologist and a philsopher; as such; it is authoritative on both perspectives. The writing is extremely clear and not highly technical, and the material very timely and fascinating. Topics discussed include the meaning of ethics; professional ethics, images; censorship on the Internet, intellectual property; privacy; responsibility; what computers should not do; quality of life and work; virtual reality; and machines and morality. An excellent introduction. This is a well-reasoned, closely written, highly practical volume attempting to cover serious problems of an industry that has grown from virtually nothing to an ubiquitous, all-powerful influence in one human's lifetime. . . . The book is very well-written, making it possible for the layman to understand complex concepts. While it may not be the last word in computer and information ethics, it may well serve as one of the foundations of a much needed field. [A]n excellent monograph that addresses the issues surrounding computer and information ethics. . . . [T]he authors do an excellent job in putting together a balanced work that does nore than just skin the surface. Each ethical and philosophical viewpoint is given equal time, and efforts are made to answer the myriad of questions posed. For the librarian or information professional who wants to take a step deeper into the issues relating to computer and information ethics, this book is a great starting point. The style is informative and practical, and the authors make clear their views on what is important (e.g. ensuring freedom of speech) and what is not (e.g., is librarianship or computer science a profession?), setting forth an agenda for inquiry and further study that avoids pretentiousness and is frequently humorous. As such, this book serves its intended purpose admirably, and is a welcome addition to the literature. Reading it is like eavesdropping on philosphers at work: the authors actually reason about things, going back and forth about what might be acceptable or good in a given situation. It is this slice of life quality that makes the book interesting and valuable as a new contribution to information ethics. . . . Computer and Information Ethics is well written and interesting to read. I highly recommend it.