CS 440 Computers, Ethics and Society

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CS 440 Computers, Ethics and Society

• Spring 2000
• Class 30
• April 18, 2000

2
Thought for the Day

• The person who has had a bull by the tail once
  has learned 60 or 70 times as much as a person
  who hasn't.
• Mark Twain

3
Todays Agenda

• Professional Ethics
• ACM Code of Ethics
• Ubiquitous computing impact on everyday life.
• Are you stressed out? Is it an epidemic? Are
  computers to blame?

4
Last debate

• Debates on 4/20 and 4/25
• Write a summary of the two debates on the day you
  dont present (20th or 25th).
• Debate Summary due no later than April 27th.

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Debate teams 4/20

• Neo Luddites 4/20
• Pro-Luddite Ryan Varga, James Crownover, Bonita
  Oliver, Tony Barrile
• Anti-Luddite Misha Drlikova, George Washington,
  Jennifer Neumann
• European Privacy 4/20
• Yes Paul Wideman, Yancey Bond, Hattan Ahmed
• No Regina Covington, Emmanuel Allen, Antonio
  Wilder

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Debate teams 4/25

• SSN should be a Universal Identifier
• Yes Frank Chen, David Chen, Josh Sanders,
  Rondell Warren
• No Stephen Woods, Eric Trzecki, Dan Walsh,
  Crutcher Dunnavant
• Is the net hostile to women?
• Yes Dwight Clark, Valerie Paris, Chris Baker,
  Kim Poole
• No Mehul Vashi, Jenny Tsen, Jamie Yarbrough

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Reading Assignment

• Tuesday
• Baase, Chapter 10.3, 10.5
• AE 41, 42

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Todays Cartoon

• The cartoon that was here came from Randy
  Glassbergens Cartoon of the Day site.

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Final Exam

• Always an essay exam.
• Usually a take-home exam.
• Can be turned in by email or in person.
• Given out about the last day of class.
• Whats your preference about take-home?

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Reading Quiz

• Give 2 of the 4 major sections of the ethical
  principles of the ACM code of ethics.
• (not the principles and guidelines sections)
• What could ubiquitous computing do to the job of
  secretary or accountant?
• In Hyperculture-Stress, what is the predicted
  effect of computers on marriage?

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Reading Quiz Answers

• Give 2 of the 4 major sections of the ethical
  principles of the ACMs code of ethics
• General moral imperatives
• Professional responsibilities
• Organizational leadership imperatives
• Compliance with the code
• What could ubiquitous computing do to the job of
  secretary or accountant?
• Eliminate them.
• In Hyperculture-Stress, what is the effect of
  computers on marriage?
• Bad reducing the idea of commitment over a long
  time.

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Recent News

• Obsolete PCs ? Garbage dump?
• Toxic waste!!
• Swap MP3s, Go to Jail!
• Internet Spy email

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Are we a Profession?

• Typical Professions
• Characteristics of Professions
• Mastery of arcane body of knowledge
• Autonomy in their work
• Professional organization that sets standards.
• Important social function.

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Who is the Professional responsible to?

• Employer Boss Company
• Customer
• Self
• Your own sense of integrity
• Family, etc.
• Society
• The Profession

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Baase, 10.3

• Professional Ethics Responsibilities
• Accountability Who is responsible?
• If software has a bug, who pays for damages?
• Example Expert system that advises investment
  decisions. Do you trust it?