Comp 380 Computers and Society

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Comp 380Computers and Society

• Overview
• May 15, 2007
• Russell Gayle
• Summer Session I - 2007

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Course Overview
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Course themes
• Objectives for the course
• Computers in our everyday lives
• Benefits
• Risks

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Recurring Theme Effects of Information
Technology
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• What is information technology?
• What does it include?
• Technology
• Managing information
• Who does it effect?
• What computers have you used today?
• How else has IT impacted you today?

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Recurring Theme Effects of Information
Technology
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Effects of IT on a variety on individuals,
  groups, societies
• Work
• Consume
• Communicate
• Socialize play
• Perceptions of self of place

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Course Objectives
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Identify controversial issues related to IT and
  its use
• Promote ethical thinking
• Examine the facts
• What is being done?
• Consider multiple views
• What should be done?
• Find a moral position you can defend

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Changing society
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• How do changes occur?
• What is a luddite?
• Consider past revolutions
• Industrial / Manufacturing
• Automobile
• Aeronautical
• Are there similarities with communications?

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Benefits
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Many are obvious
• Speed, convenience
• Tools for
• Medicine
• Enabling technologies
• Science, engineering, research, etc
• Write down 5 benefits to you

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Benefits
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Fun and games
• Online shopping
• Information
• Productivity tools
• Financial
• Entertainment
• Education

• Communication
• Crime fighting
• Construction
• Science
• Travel
• Computer-controlled systems

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With benefits come risks
Overview Themes Objectives Benefits Risks

• Affects you in many roles
• Unexpected problems that have occurred because of
  computers
• Misinformation / Information loss
• Productivity loss
• Isolation
• Addiction
• Pre-existing problems become worse
• Any examples?