ethics for the information age mike quinn fifth edition

5/18/2018 Ethics for the Information Age Mike Quinn Fifth Edition

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Ethics for the Information AgeFifth Edition

by

Michael J. Quinn

Chapter 2:

Introduction to Ethics


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Chapter !er!ie"

Introduction

Review of eight ethical theories

Comparing workable ethical theories Morality of breaking the law


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2.# Introduction

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$e %i!e in Communities&%ondon' England at night from space(

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Courtesy of !"#"


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)he Ethical *oint of +ie"

Most everyone shares %core values&' desiring() *ife

) +appiness

)"bility to accomplish goals ,wo ways to view world

) #elfish point of view( consider only own self and itscore values

) thical point of view( respect other people and theircore values


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,efining )erms

#ociety) "ssociation of people organi/ed under a system of rules

) Rules( advance the good of members over time

Morality) " society0s rules of conduct) hat people ought ought not to do in various situations

thics) Rational eamination of morality

) valuation of people0s behavior


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Analogy -ho"ing ,ifference

bet"een Morality and Ethics

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$hy -tudy Ethics

thics( a way to decide the best thing to do

!ew problems accompany newtechnologies

%Common wisdom& may not eist for novelsituations brought about by newtechnologies


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-cenario #

7id "leis do anything wrong8

ho benefited from "leis0s course of action8

ho was hurt by "leis0s course of action8

7id "leis have an unfair advantage over her high schoolclassmates8

ould any of your answers change if it turns out "leis didnot win a college scholarship after all8

"re there better ways "leis could have achieved her

ob9ective8 hat additional information' if any' would help you answer

the previous :uestion8


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-cenario 2

7id the anti-spam organi/ation do anything wrong8

7id the I#


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-cenario /

7id the ast 7akota #tate


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-cenario 0

#hould you recommend release of the product netweek8

ho will benefit if the company follows yourrecommendation8

ho will be harmed if the company follows yourrecommendation8

7o you have an obligation to any group of peoplethat may be affected by your decision8

hat additional information' if any' would help youanswer the previous :uestion8


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More on Ethics

thics( rational' systematic analysis

) %7oing ethics&( answers need eplanations

) planations( facts' shared values' logic

thics( voluntary' moral choices

orkable ethical theory( produces

eplanations that might be persuasive to askeptical' yet open-minded audience


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1ood Ethical )heory -upports

*ersuasi!e' %ogical Arguments

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2.2 -ubecti!e 3elati!ism

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$hat Is 3elati!ism

Relativism) !o universal norms of right and wrong

) =ne person can say %> is right'& another

can say %> is wrong'& and both can be right #ub9ective relativism

) ach person decides right and wrong for

himself or herself) %hat0s right for you may not be right for

me&


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Case for -ubecti!e 3elati!ism

ell-meaning and intelligent peopledisagree on moral issues

thical debates are disagreeable andpointless


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Case Against -ubecti!e 3elati!ism

?lurs distinction between doing what youthink is right and doing what you want todo

Makes no moral distinction between theactions of different people

#R and tolerance are two different things

7ecisions may not be based on reason !ot a workable ethical theory


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2./ Cultural 3elati!ism

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Cultural 3elati!ism in a 4utshell

hat is %right& and %wrong& depends upona society0s actual moral guidelines

,hese guidelines vary from place to placeand from time to time

" particular action may be right in onesociety at one time and wrong in othersociety or at another time


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Case for Cultural 3elati!ism

7ifferent social contets demand differentmoral guidelines

It is arrogant for one society to 9udgeanother


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Case Against Cultural 3elati!ism

?ecause two societies dohave different moral viewsdoesn0t mean they ought tohave different views

It doesn0t eplain how moral guidelines are determined

hat if there are no cultural norms8

It doesn0t account for evolution of moral guidelines@

It provides no way out for cultures in conflict

istence of many acceptable practices does not implyall practices are acceptable Amanyany fallacyB

#ocieties do' in fact' share certain core values

=nly indirectly based on reason

!ot a workable ethical theory


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2.0 ,i!ine Command )heory

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!er!ie" of ,i!ine Command )heory

ood actions( those aligned with od0swill

?ad actions( those contrary to od0s will

+oly books reveal od0s will

e should holy books as moraldecision-making guides


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,i!ine Command )heory in Action

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Case for ,i!ine Command )heory

e owe obedience to our Creator

od is all-good and all-knowing

od is the ultimate authority


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Case Against ,i!ine Command )heory

7ifferent holy books disagree

#ociety is multicultural' secular

#ome modern moral problems notaddressed in scripture

%,he good& D %od& Ae:uivalence fallacyB

?ased on obedience' not reason !ot a workable ethical theory


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2.5 Ethical Egoism

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,efinition of Ethical Egoism

ach person should focus eclusively on hisor her self-interest

Morally right action( that action that providesself with maimum long-term benefit

" version of this philosophy espoused by"yn Rand' author of The Fountainhead and

Atlas Shrugged

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Case for Ethical Egoism

It is practical since we are already inclined to dowhat0s best for ourselves

It0s better to let other people take care of

themselves ,he community can benefit when individuals put

their well-being first

=ther moral principles are rooted in the principleof self-interest

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Case Against Ethical Egoism

"n easy moral philosophy may not be the best moralphilosophy

e know a lot about what is good for someone else

#elf-interest can lead to blatantly immoral behavior

=ther moral principles are superior to principle of self-interest


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2.6 7antianism

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Critical Importance of 1ood $ill

ood will( the desire to do the right thing

Immanuel Eant( =nly thing in the worldthat is good without :ualification is a goodwill

Reason should cultivate desire to do rightthing


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Categorical Imperati!e stFormulation(

"ct only from moral rules that you can at thesame time will to be universal moral laws@


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Illustration of #stFormulation

Fuestion( Can a person in dire straits make a promisewith the intention of breaking it later8


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Categorical Imperati!e &2ndFormulation(

"ct so that you treat both yourselfand other people as ends in themselvesand never only as a means to an end@

,his is usually an easier formulation to workwith than the first formulation of the

Categorical Imperative@


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2ndFormulation of Categorical

Imperati!e

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*lagiarism -cenario

Carla) #ingle mother

) orks full time

) ,akes two evening coursessemester

+istory class) Re:uires more work than normal

) Carla earning an %"& on all work so far

) Carla doesn0t have time to write final report

Carla purchases report and submits it as her ownwork


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7antian E!aluation stFormulation(

Carla wants credit for plagiari/ed report

Rule( %ou may claim credit for work performedby someone else&

If rule universali/ed' reports would no longer becredible indicator0s of student0s knowledge' andprofessors would not give credit for reports


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7antian E!aluation &2ndFormulation(

Carla submitted another person0s work asher own

#he attempted to deceive professor

#he treated professor as a means to anend) nd( passing the course

) Means( professor issues grade hat Carla did was wrong


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Case for 7antianism

Rational


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*erfect and Imperfect ,uties


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Case Against 7antianism

#ometimes no rule ade:uately characteri/es anaction

#ometimes there is no way to resolve a conflict

between rules) In a conflict between a perfect duty and an imperfect

duty' perfect duty prevails

) In a conflict between two perfect duties' no solution

Eantianism allows no eceptions to perfect duties 7espite weaknesses' a workable ethical theory


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2.8 Act 9tilitarianism

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*rinciple of 9tility

Jeremy ?entham and John #tuart Mill "n action is good if it benefits someone

"n action is bad if it harms someone

Gtility( tendency of an ob9ect to producehappiness or prevent unhappiness for anindividual or a community

+appiness K advantage K benefit K good Kpleasure

Gnhappiness K disadvantage K cost K evil Kpain


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&1reatest appiness *rinciple(

"n action is right Aor wrongB to the etentthat it increases Aor decreasesB the

total happiness of the affected parties@


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Act 9tilitarianism

Gtilitarianism) Morality of an action has nothing to do with intent

) Locuses on the conse:uences

)" conse:uentialist theory "ct utilitarianism

)"dd up change in happiness of all affected beings

) #um ;' action is good

) #um N ;' action is bad


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;entham: $eighing *leasure


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igh"ay 3outing -cenario

#tate may replace a curvy stretch ofhighway

!ew highway segment 1 mile shorter

1$; houses would have to be removed

#ome wildlife habitat would be destroyed


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E!aluation

Costs) O2; million to compensate homeowners

) O1; million to construct new highway

) *ost wildlife habitat worth O1 million

?enefits) O36 million savings in automobile driving costs

Conclusion

) ?enefits eceed costs) ?uilding highway a good action


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Case for Act 9tilitarianism

Locuses on happiness

7own-to-earth ApracticalB

Comprehensive orkable ethical theory


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Case Against Act 9tilitarianism

Gnclear whom to include in calculations

,oo much work

Ignores our innate sense of duty #usceptible to the problem of moral luck


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2.= 3ule 9tilitarianism

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Applying *rinciple of 9tility to 3ules

e ought to adopt moral rules which' iffollowed by everyone' will lead to thegreatest increase in total happiness

"ct utilitarianism applies


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Anti>$orm -cenario

"ugust 2;;3( ?laster worm infected thousands ofindows computers

#oon after' !achi worm appeared

) ,ook control of vulnerable computer) *ocated and destroyed copies of ?laster

) 7ownloaded software patch to fi security problem

) Gsed computer as launching pad to try to %infect& other

vulnerable


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E!aluation using 3ule 9tilitarianism


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Case for 3ule 9tilitarianism

Compared to act utilitarianism' it is easierto perform the utilitarian calculus@

!ot every moral decision re:uires

performing utilitarian calculus@

Moral rules survive eceptional situations

"voids the problem of moral luck

orkable ethical theory


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Case Against 9tilitarianism in 1eneral

"ll conse:uences must be measured on a single scale@) "ll units must be the same in order to do the sum

) In certain circumstances utilitarians must :uantify the value of ahuman life

Gtilitarianism ignores the problem of an un9ust distribution

of good conse:uences@) Gtilitarianism does notmean %the greatest good of the greatest

number&

) ,hat re:uires a principle of 9ustice

) hat happens when a conflict arises between the


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2.? -ocial Contract )heory

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;asis of -ocial Contract )heory

,homas +obbes) %#tate of nature&

) e implicitly accept a social contractP stablishment of moral rules to govern relations among

citi/ensP overnment capable of enforcing these rules

Jean-Jac:ues Rousseau) In ideal society' no one above rules

) ,hat prevents society from enacting bad rules

J 3 h l @ , fi iti


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James 3achels@s ,efinition

%Morality consists in the set of rules'governing how people are to

treat one another' that rational

people will agree to accept' for theirmutual benefit' on the condition that

others follow those rules as well@&

7i d f 3i ht


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7inds of 3ights

!egative right( " right that another canguarantee by leaving you alone


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Correlation bet"een )ypes of 3ights


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John 3a"ls@s *rinciples of Justice

ach person may claim a %fully ade:uate&number of basic rights and liberties' so long asthese claims are consistent with everyone else

having a claim to the same rights and liberties "ny social and economic ine:ualities must

) ?e associated with positions that everyone has a fairand e:ual opportunity to achieve

) ?e to the greatest benefit of the least-advantagedmembers of society Athe difference principleB

3 l @ Fi t * i i l f J ti


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3a"ls@s First *rinciple of Justice

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3a ls@s ,ifference *rinciple


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3a"ls@s ,ifference *rinciple

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,+, 3 t l - i


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,+, 3ental -cenario

?ill owns chain of 7Q7 rental stores

Collects information about rentals fromcustomers

Constructs profiles of customers #ells profiles to direct marketing firms

#ome customers happy to receive more

mail order catalogs others unhappy atincrease in %9unk mail&

E l ti &- i l C t t )h (


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E!aluation &-ocial Contract )heory(

Consider rights of ?ill' customers' and mail ordercompanies@

7oes customer have right to epect name' address tobe kept confidential8

If customer rents 7Q7 from bill' who owns informationabout transaction8

If ?ill and customer have e:ual rights to information'?ill did nothing wrong to sell information@

If customers have right to epect name and addressor transaction to be confidential without givingpermission' then ?ill was wrong to sell informationwithout asking for permission@

C f - i l C t t )h


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Case for -ocial Contract )heory

Lramed in language of rights

plains why people act in self-interestwithout common agreement


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Case Against -ocial Contract )heory

!o one signed contract

#ome actions have multiplecharacteri/ations

Conflicting rights problem

May un9ustly treat people who cannotuphold contract

7espite weaknesses' a workable theory


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2.# Comparing $orBable Ethical

)heories

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becti!ism !s 3elati!ism


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becti!ism !s. 3elati!ism

=b9ectivism( Morality has an eistenceoutside the human mind

Relativism( Morality is a human invention

Eantianism' utilitarianism' and socialcontract theory eamples of ob9ectivism

Comparing $orBable Ethical )heories


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Comparing $orBable Ethical )heories


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2.## Morality of ;reaBing the %a"

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-ocial Contract )heory *erspecti!e


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-ocial Contract )heory *erspecti!e

veryone in society bears certain burdens inorder to receive certain benefits

*egal system supposed to guarantee

people0s rights are protected verything else being e:ual' we should be

law-abiding

#hould only break law if compelled to followa higher-order moral obligation

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-ocial Contract: A *rima Facie


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-ocial Contract: A *rima Facie

bligation to bey the %a"

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7antian *erspecti!e


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7antian *erspecti!e

veryone wants to be treated 9ustly

Imagine rule( %I may break a law I believe tobe un9ust&

If everyone acted according to this rule'then laws would be subverted

Contradiction( Cannot both wish to be

treated 9ustly and allow laws to be subverted

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3ule 9tilitarian *erspecti!e


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3ule 9tilitarian *erspecti!e

hat would be conse:uences of people ignoringlaws they felt to be un9ust8

?eneficial conse:uence( +appiness of people who

are doing what they please +armful conse:uences( +arm to people directly

affected by lawless actions' general loss of respectfor laws' increased burden on criminal 9ustice

system +arms greater than benefits

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-ummary

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Insights ffered by +arious )heories


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Insights ffered by +arious )heories

Eantianism( Interactions with other peopleshould respect them as rational beings

Gtilitarians( ou should consider the

conse:uences of an action before decidingwhether it0s right or wrong

#ocial contract theory( e should promote

collective rights' such as the rights to life'liberty' and property

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Miing )heories


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Miing )heories

ou canconsider duties and rights andconse:uences when making moral decisions

?ut what will you do when you can0t respect

rights absolutely and still maimi/e the totalbeneficial conse:uences8

Contemplation of what it means to be a person ofgood character leads to a discussion of virtue

ethics Ato be discussed in Chapter 6B

ethics for the information age mike quinn fifth edition

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