Authors: Michael J. Quinn
ISBN-13: 9780132133876, ISBN-10: 0132133873
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Addison Wesley
Date Published: February 2010
Edition: 4th Edition
Michael J. Quinn is the author of the first two editions of Ethics for the Information Age. He is a professor of computer science at Oregon State University where he teaches Social and Ethical Issues in Computer Science among other computer science courses. For Fall 2007, he’ll be leaving Oregon State University and taking on the role of Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Seattle University. He did his graduate work at University of Wisconsin–Madison and received his PhD at Washington State University.
In an era where information technology changes constantly, a thoughtful response to these rapid changes requires a basic understanding of IT history, an awareness of current issues, and a familiarity with ethics. Ethics for the Information Age provides an overview of ethical theories and problems encountered by computer professionals in today’s environment.
Catalysts for Change; Introduction to Ethics; Networking; Intellectual Property; Privacy; Computer and Network Security; Computer Reliability; Professional Ethics; Work and Wealth; Plagiarism.
For all readers interested in computers and society or computer ethics.
Preface | ||
1 | Catalysts for change | 1 |
1.1 | Introduction | 2 |
1.2 | Milestones in computing | 5 |
1.3 | Milestones in networking | 21 |
1.4 | Milestones in information storage and retrieval | 29 |
1.5 | Information technology issues | 36 |
2 | Introduction to ethics | 47 |
2.1 | Introduction | 47 |
2.2 | Subjective relativism | 53 |
2.3 | Cultural relativism | 55 |
2.4 | Divine command theory | 59 |
2.5 | Kantianism | 62 |
2.6 | Act utilitarianism | 67 |
2.7 | Rule utilitarianism | 72 |
2.8 | Social contract theory | 76 |
2.9 | Comparing workable ethical theories | 84 |
3 | Networking | 91 |
3.1 | Introduction | 91 |
3.2 | Email and spam | 93 |
3.3 | Fighting spam | 99 |
3.4 | The world wide web | 105 |
3.5 | Ethical perspectives on pornography | 108 |
3.6 | Censorship | 110 |
3.7 | Freedom of expression | 114 |
3.8 | Children and the web | 117 |
3.9 | Breaking trust on the Internet | 120 |
4 | Intellectual property | 133 |
4.1 | Introduction | 133 |
4.2 | Intellectual property rights | 135 |
4.3 | Protecting intellectual property | 141 |
4.4 | Fair use | 146 |
4.5 | New restrictions on use | 151 |
4.6 | Peer-to-peer networks | 155 |
4.7 | Protections for software | 160 |
4.8 | Open-source software | 163 |
4.9 | Morality of intellectual property protection for software | 169 |
4.10 | Morality of copying proprietary software | 172 |
4.11 | Creative commons | 175 |
5 | Privacy | 187 |
5.1 | Introduction | 187 |
5.2 | Perspectives on privacy | 189 |
5.3 | Disclosing information | 197 |
5.4 | Public information | 199 |
5.5 | U.S. legislation | 204 |
5.6 | Public records | 205 |
5.7 | Covert government surveillance | 209 |
5.8 | U.S. legislation authorizing wiretapping | 214 |
5.9 | Data mining | 219 |
5.10 | Identity theft | 224 |
5.11 | Encryption | 228 |
6 | Computer and network security | 245 |
6.1 | Introduction | 245 |
6.2 | Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses | 246 |
6.3 | Phreaks and hackers | 258 |
6.4 | Denial-of-service attacks | 270 |
6.5 | Online voting | 275 |
7 | Computer reliability | 285 |
7.1 | Introduction | 285 |
7.2 | Data-entry or data-retrieval errors | 286 |
7.3 | Software and billing errors | 288 |
7.4 | Notable software system failures | 290 |
7.5 | Therac-25 | 296 |
7.6 | Computer simulations | 304 |
7.7 | Software engineering | 307 |
7.8 | Software warranties | 311 |
8 | Work and wealth | 329 |
8.1 | Introduction | 329 |
8.2 | Automation and unemployment | 330 |
8.3 | Workplace changes | 336 |
8.4 | Globalization | 342 |
8.5 | The digital divide | 346 |
8.6 | The "winner-take-all society" | 350 |
8.7 | Access to public colleges | 354 |
9 | Professional ethics | 365 |
9.1 | Introduction | 365 |
9.2 | Is software engineering a profession? | 366 |
9.3 | Software engineering code of ethics | 370 |
9.4 | Analysis of the code | 379 |
9.5 | Case studies | 384 |
9.6 | Whistleblowing | 389 |
Image credits | 405 | |
Index | 407 |