The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics (Cambridge Handbook Of... (Hardcover))

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have profoundly changed many aspects of life, including the nature of entertainment, work, communication, education, healthcare, industrial production and business, social relations and conflicts. They have had a radical and widespread impact on our moral lives and hence on contemporary ethical debates. The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, first published in 2010, provides an ambitious and authoritative introduction to the field, with discussions of a range of topics including privacy, ownership, freedom of speech, responsibility, technological determinism, the digital divide, cyber warfare, and online pornography. It offers an accessible and thoughtful survey of the transformations brought about by ICTs and their implications for the future of human life and society, for the evaluation of behaviour, and for the evolution of moral values and rights. It will be a valuable book for all who are interested in the ethical aspects of the information society in which we live. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 List of contributors 9 Preface 11 Part I Introduction and background 13 Part II Ethical approaches 13 Part III Ethical issues in the information society 14 Part IV Ethical issues in artificial contexts 16 Part V Metaethics 17 Acknowledgements 18 Part I Introduction and background 19 1 Ethics after the Information Revolution 21 1.1 Introduction: history as the information age 21 1.2 ICT as re-ontologizing technologies 24 1.3 The global infosphere or how information is becoming our ecosystem 26 1.4 The metaphysics of the infosphere 27 1.5 The information turn as the fourth revolution 28 1.6 The evolution of inforgs 29 1.7 The constructionist values of Homo Poieticus 32 1.8 E-nvironmentalism or the marriage of physis and techne 36 1.9 Conclusion 37 2 The historical roots of information and computer ethics 38 2.1 Introduction 38 2.2 Aristotelian roots 39 2.3 Wiener on human beings as information objects 41 2.4 Wiener on cybernetic machines in society 44 2.5 Scientific support for Wieners metaphysical assumptions 45 2.6 Wiener's pioneering contributions to computer ethics 47 2.7 Coining the name `computer ethics’ 49 2.8 An influential textbook and the `uniqueness debate’ 50 2.9 A classic computer ethics theory 51 2.10 Computer ethics and human values 52 2.11 The philosophy of information 53 2.12 Floridi's Information Ethics theory 54 Part II Ethical approaches 57 3 Values in technology and disclosive computer ethics 59 3.1 Introduction 59 3.2 How technology embodies values 61 3.2.1 Consequences built into technology 61 3.2.2 From consequences to values 64 3.2.3 Values in information technology 66 3.2.4 The emergence of values in information technology 67 3.3 Disclosive computer ethics 68 3.3.1 Methodology: multi-disciplinary and multi-level 70 3.3.2 Focus on public values 71 3.4 Value-sensitive design 72 3.4.1 VSD methodology 73 3.4.2 VSD in practice 74 3.5 Conclusion 75 4 The use of normative theories in computer ethics 77 4.1 Introduction 77 4.2 Value pluralism 80 4.3 Moral theory 82 4.3.1 Primacy of practice 82 4.3.2 Theoretical pluralism 83 4.3.3 Methodology 85 4.3.4 Applying moral theories 86 4.4 Mid-level theories: ground preparation and conceptual reconstructions 89 4.5 Design 92 5 Information ethics 95 5.1 Introduction: in search of a unified approach to information ethics 95 5.1.1 Information-as-a-resource Ethics 96 5.1.2 Information-as-a-product Ethics 97 5.1.3 Information-as-a-target Ethics 98 5.1.4 The limits of any microethical approach to Information Ethics 98 5.2 Information Ethics as a macroethics 101 5.2.1 What is IE? 101 5.2.2 What counts as a moral agent, according to IE? 104 5.2.3 What counts as a moral patient, according to IE? 107 5.2.4 What are our responsibilities as moral agents, according to IE? 109 5.2.5 What are the fundamental principles of IE? 110 5.3 Six recurrent misunderstandings 111 5.3.1 Informational objects, not news 112 5.3.2 Minimalism not reductionism 112 5.3.3 Applicable not applied 112 5.3.4 Implementable not inapplicable 112 5.3.5 Preservation and cultivation not conservation 113 5.3.6 A secular, not a spiritual or religious approach 113 5.4 Conclusion 114 Part III Ethical issues in the information society 117 6 Social issues in computer ethics 119 6.1 Introduction 119 6.2 Intellectual property 119 6.2.1 Property 120 6.2.2 Justifications of intellectual property 120 6.2.3 Physical property vs. IP 121 6.2.4 Legal protection of IP 122 6.2.5 Problems of IP 123 6.3 Digital divides 125 6.3.1 The concept of digital divides 125 6.3.2 Ethical issues of digital divides 126 6.3.3 Problems of current discussions of digital divides 126 6.4 Employment and work 128 6.4.1 Creation or destruction of employment? 128 6.4.2 The changing nature of work 129 6.4.3 Ethical issues of the changing nature of work 130 6.5 -Social’ issues of computer ethics and ways to address them 131 7 Rights and computer ethics 134 7.1 Introduction 134 7.2 Information and personality 135 7.3 Personal rights and global concerns 136 7.4 Freedom of speech 137 7.4.1 Free speech is a social good 138 7.4.2 Unlimited free speech does not exist 139 7.4.3 Securing the electronic frontier 140 7.4.4 Anonymous speech 141 7.4.5 Abuses of free speech and anonymity 143 7.5 Pornography and ICTs 144 7.6 Hate speech and ICTs 146 7.7 Gossip, and online harassment 147 7.8 Conclusions and future issues 148 7.9 Far future issues 149 8 Conflict, security and computer ethics 151 8.1 Computers in battle: ethical considerations 152 8.2 'Cyber-snooping’ by nation-states and terrorist networks 154 8.3 The 'strategic attack paradigm’ 156 8.4 Prospects for cyber deterrence and arms control 158 8.5 Will terrorists wage war from cyberspace? 159 8.6 Three paths to cyber terror 161 8.7 Conclusion: cyber war is more `thinkable’, more ethical 164 9 Personal values and computer ethics 167 9.1 Introduction 167 9.2 Theoretical themes 169 9.3 Virtual community 170 9.4 Gender identity and ICTs 174 9.5 Disability identity and ICTs 176 9.6 Older people and the Internet 179 9.7 Conclusion 179 10 Global information and computer ethics 181 10.1 Introduction 181 10.2 Global issues 182 10.2.1 Digital divide 182 10.2.2 Online global citizenship 184 10.2.3 Global deliberation and democratization 186 10.2.4 A broadened way of thinking in public deliberation 187 10.2.5 Deliberation by way of new technology 189 10.3 Global ethics 192 10.3.1 Global perspectives on privacy: from relativism to pluralism? 192 10.3.2 Pluralism: West and East 194 10.3.3 Ethical pluralism in global ICE: contemporary developments 196 10.4 Concluding remarks 198 11 Computer ethics and applied contexts 199 11.1 Introduction 199 11.2 Technology 199 11.3 Computer ethics 200 11.4 Media ethics 200 11.4.1 Freedom of speech and expression 201 11.4.2 Digital images 202 11.5 Business ethics 203 11.5.1 Monitoring and surveillance of employees 203 11.5.2 Biometrics 206 11.6 Criminal justice ethics 208 11.7 Medical ethics 209 11.7.1 Pharmacogenomics 210 11.7.2 On pharmacogenomics, computer ethics and justice 210 11.8 Bioethics 211 11.9 Environmental ethics 213 11.10 Conclusion 215 Part IV Ethical issues in artificial contexts 217 12 The ethics of IT-artefacts 219 12.1 Introduction 219 12.2 IT-artefacts 220 12.3 Science and technology studies and the status of artefacts 223 12.3.1 Ethics of technical artefacts 223 12.3.2 Intentionality 225 12.3.3 Ways to morally assess IT-artefacts 227 12.4 Are IT-artefacts (just) technical artefacts? 229 12.5 Artificial morality 231 12.5.1 Non-human moral actors 231 12.5.2 Agency without mental states 232 12.5.3 Artificial moral agents with mental states 233 12.5.4 Moral admissibility of artificial moral agents 234 12.6 IT-artefacts as moral agents: no longer a privileged human position 236 13 Artificial life, artificial agents, virtual realities: technologies of autonomous agency 237 13.1 Introduction 237 13.1.1 Introduction to the technologies 237 13.1.2 Autonomous agency 239 13.2 Ethics of virtual autonomy 241 13.2.1 ALife 241 13.2.2 Embodied artificial agents 243 13.2.3 Virtual artificial agents 246 13.2.4 Machine-centred VR 248 13.2.5 Anthropomorphic VR 249 13.3 Conclusion 251 Acknowledgements 251 14 On new technologies 252 14.1 Introduction 252 14.2 Newly introduced technologies 253 14.2.1 Privacy 253 14.2.2 Autonomy 255 14.2.3 Threats to safety 258 14.3 Future technologies 261 14.3.1 Catastrophic future scenarios 261 14.3.2 1984 263 14.3.3 Brave New World 264 Part V Metaethics 267 15 The foundationalist debate in computer ethics 269 15.1 Introduction 269 15.2 The FloridiSanders model 270 15.3 An alternative model for analysing the foundationalist debate 271 15.4 Is CE a legitimate field of applied ethics that warrants philosophical analysis? 272 15.5 Are any aspects of CE new or unique in a philosophically interesting sense? 275 15.5.1 Have any new ethical issues or problems been generated? 276 15.5.2 Have any new ethical objects been introduced? 278 15.6 Does CE require a new ethical framework? 281 15.6.1 Are any new normative ethical theories required? 281 15.6.2 Are any new methodological frameworks required? 283 15.7 Concluding remarks 288 Acknowledgements 288 EPILOGUE The ethics of the information society in a globalized world 289 Introduction 289 Contraction 290 Expansion 290 Porosity 291 Hybridization 291 Synchronization 292 Correlation 292 Globalizing ethics 293 Global Communication Ethics vs. Global Information-Ethics 293 Global Information-Ethics and the problem of the lion 294 Global Information-Ethics and its advantages 296 The cost of a Global Information-Ethics: postulating the ontic trust 298 Conclusion 300 References 302 Index 331 Preface Luciano Floridi Part I. Introduction and Background: 1. Ethics after the information revolution Luciano Floridi 2. The historical roots of information and computer ethics Terrell Ward Bynum Part II. Ethical Approaches: 3. Values in technology and disclosive computer ethics Phil Brey 4. The use of normative theories in computer ethics Jeroen van den Hoven 5. Information ethics Luciano Floridi Part III. Ethical Issues in the Information Society: 6. Social issues in computer ethics Bernd Carsten Stahl 7. Rights and computer ethics John Sullins 8. Conflict, security and computer ethics John Arquilla 9. Personal values and computer ethics Alison Adam 10. Global information and computer ethics Charles Ess and May Thorseth 11. Computer ethics and applied contexts John Weckert and Adam Henschke Part IV. Ethical Issues in Artificial Contexts: 12. The ethics of IT artefacts Vincent Wiegel 13. Artificial life, artificial agents, virtual realities: technologies of autonomous agency Colin Allen 14. On new technologies Steve Clarke Part V. Metaethics: 15. The foundationalist debate in computer ethics Herman Tavani Epilogue: the ethics of the information society in a globalised world Luciano Floridi. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have profoundly changed many aspects of life, including the nature of entertainment, work, communication, education, healthcare, industrial production and business, social relations and conflicts. They have had a radical and widespread impact on our moral lives and hence on contemporary ethical debates. The Cambridge Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics provides an ambitious and authoritative introduction to the field, with discussions of a range of topics including privacy, ownership, freedom of speech, responsibility, technological determinism, the digital divide, cyber warfare, and online pornography. It offers an accessible and thoughtful survey of the transformations brought about by ICTs and their implications for the future of human life and society, for the evaluation of behaviour, and for the evolution of moral values and rights. It will be a valuable book for all who are interested in the ethical aspects of the information society in which we live. - Publisher. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have profoundly changed many aspects of life, including the nature of entertainment, work, communication, education, healthcare, industrial production and business, social relations and conflicts. They have had a radical and widespread impact on our moral lives and hence on contemporary ethical debates. This book provides an introduction to the field, with discussions of a range of topics including privacy, ownership, freedom of speech, responsibility, technological determinism, the digital divide, cyber warfare, and online pornography. It offers a survey of the transformations brought about by ICTs and their implications for the future of human life and society, for the evaluation of behavior, and for the evolution of moral values and rights. It deals with the ethical aspects of the information society in which we live