CHAP 1 : Introduction to Computer Ethics

1. When using information & communication technology, it has to be parallel with

good values, feeling responsible & ethical.
2. There are 4 main issues involved in computer ethics.
Personal rights
Genuineness of information
Intellectual properties
Computer Access
3. Ethical issues may rise when the freedom of using internet & other IT facilities
are misused.
4. As a result, more problems occurred instead of benefits when using IT.
What is Ethics?
1. Ethics come from a Greek word ethos, meaning characteristic or culture.
2. It is also referred as the way of thinking and the usual way of behaving in a
group of people.
3. Ethics is a science of evaluating and understanding the process of evaluation.
4. It is related to the behavior of defining an action whether it is right or wrong.
5. Sidi Gazalba said that ethics is a theory of mankinds behavior viewed from good
& bad perspectives and how far it can be determined by ones mind.
6. Abdul Fatah Hassan: ethics is researching & thinking over on which is good and
which is bad.
7. Hazel Barnes: a part of philosophy studies that helps to determine which kind of
behavior is right and has good values.
8. To deal with things related to ethics, one must:
Understand the problems situation
Know how to analyze the dilemma of making decision on which is right or
wrong in any situation.
What is Moral?
1. Moral is a matter of practical but not all practical matters is moral.
2. Moral discuss about right & wrong, what should & shouldnt be done in any
situation of any reason.
3. Moral is a way of observing & evaluating issues regarding a behavior based on
the societys culture & its universal opinion.
4. Moral is often seen equivalent to ethics.
5. Peter Baelz said that moral & ethics are similar. Moral is practical, for its
discipline tells which moral system is being followed by a society. Ethics is more
on theoretical for it is about studying, analyzing & criticizing the moral system.
6. Moral is a matter studied by ethics & ethics is a skill that study moral.
Measuring Ethics & Moral

1. Measuring ethics & moral is focused from the aspects of deontological &
teleological.
2. Deontological stress the intention and action of a circumstances & teleological
stress the consequences produced from the actions taken.
3. The correlation between intention & action can be seen as below
Action
Intention
Good
Bad

Right

Wrong

Good
Intention,
Right Action
Bad Intention,
Right Action

Good
Intention,
Wrong Action
Bad
Intention,
Wrong Action

Table 1.1: Correlation of Intention & Action

4. Moral is also measured based on subjective & objective assessments

Subjective assessment based on opinion & it is relative

Objective assessment based on religion & current guideline

Ethics is Relativism
1. Many believe that ethics is relative.
2. What is right for you may not be right for me
3. Negative claim No universal moral norms. No single standard for all human
being.
4. Positive claim The right & wrong of circumstances are relative to the society.
5. E.g. Slavery, Robbery, Abortion and so on.
Making Ethical Decision

1. Making an ethical decision is basically as a guideline to analyze the

circumstances by taking account several perspectives.

i) Connection between ethics & law

ii) Formal & informal reasons
iii) Based on ethical theories & principles
i) Connection between ethics & law
Very close connection
Ethics & law may control human being from doing something bad & illegal
Going against the ethics & law can be penalized
Law
Ethics

Legal

Illegal

Ethical

Ethical & Legal

Ethical & Illegal

Unethical

Unethical & Legal

Unethical
Illegal

&

Table 1.2: Connection between ethics & law

Differences between ethics & law

Ethics
Self-enforcement.
Penalty feeling guilty inside

Law
Court-enforcement.
Penalty based on what being
written in the constitution.

Limit the ways of thinking,

idealism, values & confidence.
The limit is relative & abstract
to a society

The limit is very clear. Considered

as crime when go off limit.

Obeying values & code of

ethics can prevent from going
against the law.

Obeying the law does not mean

obeying values & codes of ethics.

Control crime in general

Minimum rule in controlling crime

Expanding the desire to know

what is right and wrong within
the society.

Just enough knowing the ethical

& moral limit.

Enforcing the laws that have

been fixed.

Not enough in enforcing ethics &

moral.

Taking into account spiritual

factors such as mental illness
& malice.

No spiritual factors. Penalty

based on the consequences of
actions taken.

Taking into account all factors

including abstract such as
disobedient & betrayal

No abstract.

ii) Formal & informal reasons

Formal reason usually involve policy & laws
- Is this against the corporate policy?
- Is this action against the professional ethics?
Informal reason does not involve any policy & laws

Who did it?

Whats their opinion?
Does anyone know about it?

iii) Based on ethical theories & principles

The principles of ethics do contribute when making an ethical decision.
The principles are:
- An action taken is considered ethical if other members of society taking
the same action together
- An action taken is considered ethical if it can give justice to other people.
- An action taken is considered ethical if it respects individual rights.
Based on the principles, individuals are responsible to:
- have trust and belief
- have self-respect, enhance self-moral & attempt not to do something
unbeneficial
- respect decision made & appreciate other people
- be just, responsible & honest
- help those in need