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Week 1, Due: Thursday, 10 January
Read the Four Scenarios (Section 2.1.2, pages 55-59 of the text) and write one sentence answers to each question
after each of the scenarios. When asked to make a judgement, just give your initial reaction
(and one brief reason, if obvious).
1. Consider the "Too much ..." scenario handed out in class. Ethically analyze Clare's decision to become
proactive using LANSCAPE according to a Kantian approach and then a Utilitarian (Act or Rule) approach.
Is there a way that this action could have been done better? Explain.
2. Consider the "Too much ..." scenario handed out in class. Analyze Art's pending decision regarding use of
LANSCAPE to try to locate drug dealers according to a Kantian approach and then a Utilitarian (Act or Rule)
approach. Is there a better way to do what is being considered? Explain.
3. Answer problem 36 on page 97 of the text. How do the actions of Robin Hood differ from the action considered here?
4. Answer problem 37. In general, how does a government differ from an individual when it comes to ethical questions?
Are all governments the same when it comes to this question?
5. Read the article on moral psychology . What does the article say about the role of ethical theory
and ethical reasoning in our judgements of right and wrong actions?
1. Watch Frontline on Oregon Public Broadcasting
at 9:00 pm tonight (Tuesday, 22 January). Define two ethical questions
that are discussed directly or arise from what is discussed during the show. Growing Up Online
2. Read the article Friend Game from the New Yorker. What ethical issues does this story raise with respect to life in cyberspace?
3. Question 27, page 147 of the text.
4. Question 36, page 148 of the text.
1. Read the piece (now over 10 years old) discussing the NII and issues in extending copyright law to the Internet.
Consider the three recommendations and comment on what has happened in the past 10 years with respect to these recommendations.
2. Read the piece by Mark Stefik, an advocate for deploymwent of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology. What are the main arguments
given in the article in support of DRM?
3. Read the EPIC homepage. Read an article or two and report on what is said.
4. Go to Anonymizer . Consider their range of products (I am not employed.). Do these products raise any ethical issues?
What is theri role in the privacy debate.
Read the following items for discussion:
1. Watch the video of Dr. David Dill (clicking the slides as you go along). Note key points and irems for discussion.
2.Love the acronyms in the NIST paper on voting systems. What is software-independence mean here?
3. Several states, notably Ohio and Florida (where problems have ocurred), have moved to eliminate exit polls at election sites.
Do an ethical analysis of this proposed action.
1. Read the article on security from Princeton. What are the main ponts being made?
What is the controversy that is discussed?
2. Exercise 32, page 316 of the text. Perform ethical analyses of the decision to offer the course.
1. Read the Killer Robot scenario. List all of the ways this project went wrong.
Which of the software development decisons leading to the difficulties have an ethical aspect?
1. Based upon the Killer Robot scenario and other codes of ethics. Write a code of ethics or set of best management
practices that you would establish for employees of a software engineering company you are leading.
2. Governments worldwide are racing to develop military robots capable of klling autonomously.
In December, 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced a plan to spend $4 billion on
robotic weapons capable of identifying and eliminating threats without human intervention.
Your software company develops robotic software and hardware and is considering an application
to DOD to participate in this program. Some employees argue the whole program is not ethical.
Analyze this question using our ethical theories.