The foundation of computer ethics

Abstract

N orbert Wiener's monumental computer ethics bookThe Human Use of Human Beings, first published in 1950, ~ makes important use of ideas that can be traced as far back into history as Aristotle. Combining Aristotelian ideas about animal physiology, behavior and the purpose of a human life with the new science of "cybernetics" (the science of "information feedback" which Wiener and others had recently created), Wiener laid down in 1950 a comprehensive foundation that remains today --half a century later --a powerful basis for practicing computer ethics. Wiener's ethical approach, however, is significantly different from Aristotle's, since he adopts as ethically central three "great principles of justice", rather than using virtues and vices like Aristotle. The present essay lays out the major components of Wiener's computer ethics foundation in order to initiate among philosophers a long-overdue discussion and examination of Wiener's computer ethics accomplishments. Presented here is an exegesis of Wiener's main ideas, rather than a philosophical defense or critique of them. Such a project would be a very ambitious undertaking that would require a book instead of an article.

Análisis ético de la información en el escándalo Pegasus

“…O la ética pragmática la cual considera que los juicios morales no deberían basarse en la acción que se realiza, sino en los resultados de esa acción [34]. La ética informática se ha estudiado durante décadas, centrándose primordialmente en el impacto que las tecnologías de la información tienen sobre las diversas sociedades [35], sin embargo, hay que hacer un énfasis, en que la tecnología es el medio, pero la regulación y protección es hacia las personas que conformamos la sociedad [36].…”

Beyond distributions and primary goods: Assessing applications of rawls in information science and technology literature since 1990

“…Various works have recognized the value of wide reflective equilibrium for reasoning about not only justice, but a wide range of ethical issues. van den Hoven () has argued that wide reflective equilibrium represents an appropriate methodological approach for computer ethics, and others have followed him in this assertion (Bynum, ; Himma, ; Tavani, ). Elia (), in his discussion of ICTs and transparency, describes the method as particularly valuable for “testing broad moral principles against empirical data, situation difference, and intuitions or judgments regarding specific cases in an ongoing and potentially revisionary way” (p. 147).…”

Flourishing Ethics

“…The ethical issues that Wiener analyzed, or at least touched upon, decades ago included topics that are still considered 'contemporary' today -ethical issues involving information networks and globalization, virtual communities, teleworking, computers and unemployment, computers and security, computers and religion, computers and learning, computers for persons with disabilities, responsibilities of computer professionals, the merging of human bodies and machines, 'agent' ethics, artificial intelligence, and a number of other topics as well. (See Bynum 2000Bynum , 2004Bynum , 2005Bynum , 2007 12 Indeed there is evidence that Wiener considered Aristotle's biological writings to involve mostly categorizing. (Wiener, 1950, p. 78) then, is utterly dependent upon internal information processing:…”

“…His information ethics ideas, however, were not extensively examined by computer scientists or by computer ethics scholars until 1999. (SeeBynum 2000) 14 According to Moor, ''Policies are rules of conduct ranging from formal laws to informal, implicit guidelines for action. ''(Moor 1999, p. 65) …”