CS 291 - Syllabus

CS 291 - Syllabus

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Computer technology has significantly reshaped our lifestyles affecting the way we work, relax, treat our sick, shop, educate our young, fight wars, catch criminals, and even, commit crimes. Global networks promise even more dramatic changes to communications, community, and society. The effects of computing are not limited to the technological and scientific realms but extend also into the social and ethical. This course examines the social and ethical implications of computer technology. Its goal is to identify and formulate answers to questions that deal with the moral basis of individual responsibilities and actions, as well as with the moral underpinings of public policy. It pays special attention to the risks of computing, individual privacy, moral and professional responsibility, ownership of intellectual property, and the prospects of a networked world. It considers not only how these values are affected by computer technology, but how computer technology may be shaped by them.

This course studies computers and values by examining actual situations and events in which their mutual influences are demonstrated. It interprets these real world cases from various disciplinary perspectives, such as philosophical, legal, social, and technical. We rigorously evaluate case studies as well as theoretical interpretations of them. To prepare for class and preceptorial sessions students should complete readings in advance. Participation in classroom and preceptorial discussions are encouraged. In addition, students are given the opportunity to present a case before the class; coursework also includes written assignments and research of internet sources.

Course Texts:

Requirements and Grading:

To pass the course students must earn passing grade for all papers, final examination, presentation, and in-class participation.

Course Plan

I. Risk and Responsibility

In this segment of the course we evaluate the risks of computer technology. Some of these risks are the results of imperfections in the technology itself, while others are the consequence of human misunderstandings and misinterpretations. We will ask questions such as: how to assess the gravity of risks against the clear benefits of computer technology? Who bears the risks and who should be making the decisions about whether they are acceptable? Is computer technology in any way a unique technology in the nature and extent of the risks it poses?

Following the discussion of risk, we examine responsibility. Who is responsible for risks and harms caused by computing? What are the special responsibilitities, if any, of computer professionals? Beyond the responsibility to produce systems that work, do computer professionals have a social responsibility to see that their technology is used only for the betterment of society? We will apply legal and philosophical concepts to these discussions.

II. Ethical Theory

Ethical theories and concepts from the Western philosophical tradition offer ways to analyze and clarify practical questions about values and information technology. In this segment of the course we review two basic approaches to ethical theorizing: deontology and consequentialism. We also study the concept of rights and justice. These enhance our understanding of the many issues in information technology ethics that are framed in terms of "rights": the right to own software, the right to privacy, and the right to benefit from computing. We also examine the relationship between law and morality. The theoretical approaches and concepts will be applied and developed throughout the rest of the course.

III. Intellectual Property and Computer Software

Is it wrong to make unauthorized copies of software? Should software be free? Is the patenting of software good for society? These are some of the questions addressed in this section on the private ownership of computer software. Although much of the scholarly work in the area of software ownership is concerned with detailed legal questions, we will focus on its philosophical and ethical aspects.

IV. Privacy and Information Technology

Poll after poll show that Americans are concerned about the erosion of their privacy. They think the government knows too much about them and they are becoming increasingly aware of the many other institutions that have access to their records. Information technology is at the heart of many of these intrusions on privacy. This section of the course examines the use of computerized record-keeping and its effects on privacy. Drawing on moral and legal understandings of privacy, it evaluates the claims by individuals in technologically advanced societies to be free of surveillance.

V. Crime by Computer

Reports of computer crime elicit a mixture of reactions. On the one hand, people are worried about how vulnerable society's computerized infrastructure is to infiltration and destruction. One the other, they are impressed by the ingenuity of the so-called "hackers." How should we regard infiltration onto computer systems? What computer crimes are really bad? Are hackers mere villains of are they Robin Hoods?

VI. The Networked World

More than any other application of computer technology, digital networks have captured the public's fascination and imagination. But is all of the attention warranted? Will computer networks transform society, revolutionize social institutions, remake communities and the political landscape, and change the world economy; or will they merely provide new outlets for consumerism and entertainment? How much should society invest in the new networks? Should the government ensure universal access to networks even to those who cannot afford to pay the cost?

The final segment of the course will discuss these questions and others. It will evaluate debates about civil liberties, like free speech, on the internet. What rules should govern behavior on the internet? We will also consider the effects that networks may have on fundamental values such as privacy and property.

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