Ethics and Value Sensitive Design Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What does ethics primarily focus on?

Describing societal customs

Providing fixed moral rules

Systematic exploration of moral ideas (correct)

Expressing collective opinions on morality

Which of these is a characteristic of descriptive ethics?

It describes existing morality and behaviors. (correct)

It only deals with hypothetical scenarios.

It formulates recommendations on how to act.

It focuses on moral justifications or criticisms.

What distinguishes a normative judgment from a descriptive judgment?

Normative judgments are always true or false.

Normative judgments evaluate what should be rather than what is. (correct)

Normative judgments are factual and objective.

Normative judgments describe past situations only.

Which of the following statements represents an intrinsic value?

Honesty as a fundamental principle in relationships. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between values and norms?

Norms prescribe how to act based on underlying values. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes an argument in the context of ethics?

A sequence of premises leading to a conclusion. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In what way does ethics differ from morality?

Ethics focuses on questioning moral decisions rather than fixed rules. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of a non-argument?

A mathematical equation stating a fact. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does Value Sensitive Design (VSD) primarily focus on in technology development?

Integrating human values throughout the design process (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main types of investigation in VSD?

Behavioral investigations (C) Signup and view all the answers

How is facial recognition technology linked to political implications in authoritarian states?

It supports mass surveillance to maintain control. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant concern regarding the origins of facial recognition technology?

Its development is tied to military and security applications. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the conceptual investigation in VSD aim to achieve?

Clarify values and find balance among them (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects a misconception about technology according to VSD principles?

Technologies inherently reflect the values of their users or designers. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What unintended consequence can arise from the deployment of facial recognition technology?

Increased racial profiling in some countries. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate goal of implementing VSD in technology design?

To align technology with moral and social principles. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary aim of Value Sensitive Design in technology?

To embed positive values during the design process. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of value refers to those that designers hope will be realized in actual use?

Intended values (A) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes designed features from unintended features in technology?

Designed features are intentionally included by the creators. (C) Signup and view all the answers

For a technological artifact to embody a value, which two conditions must be met?

Design intent and conduciveness. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'realized values' in the context of AI and technology?

Values that have actually emerged during the use of the technology. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does Van de Poel define a value in relation to technology?

A reason for a positive attitude towards an object arising from the object itself. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an unintended feature in technology?

Pollution generated by vehicle emissions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of value identified in the context of AI and technology?

Imposed values (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which ethical approach evaluates the morality of actions solely based on the action itself rather than its consequences?

Deontological ethic (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary challenge associated with consequentialist ethics?

Determining the best outcome is often difficult. (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to virtue ethics, what do moral virtues represent?

Desirable character traits and qualities (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does moral ontology in meta-ethics primarily investigate?

The existence of moral values independent of beliefs (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of deontological ethics as discussed in the content?

It fails to address the consequences of actions. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best captures the relationship between virtue ethics and personal and common good?

Acting virtuously promotes a harmonious relationship between personal good and the common good. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the consequentialist approach to ethics?

Morality is dependent solely on the outcomes of actions (A) Signup and view all the answers

In discussions of ethics, what is primarily explored within the field of meta-ethics?

The underlying aspects and theories of ethics (C) Signup and view all the answers

What are the values embedded in the institution or organization where technology is used called?

Values of the Institution (VI) (D) Signup and view all the answers

In which way can values interact in socio-technical systems?

Intentional-Causal (I-C) (A), Causal (C) (C) Signup and view all the answers

What do technical norms represent in AI systems?

Values that are meant to be intentionally supported (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the difference between human agents and artificial agents in embodying values?

Humans can develop values, while artificial agents cannot create values independently. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which method allows artificial agents to develop norms by themselves?

Environmental interaction (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern when the design of an artifact conflicts with broader social values?

Negative societal impact (C) Signup and view all the answers

How can technical norms be created in sociotechnical systems?

Through offline design or by learning through interactions (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately portrays the limitations of artificial agents in relation to values?

They can embody values but lack intentionality to create them. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the responsibility gap in AI systems signify?

No single person or entity can be held accountable. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of passive responsibility?

Evaluating past incidents to assign blame. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why do AI systems complicate the control condition of responsibility?

They can act faster than human intervention allows. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of responsibility does active responsibility emphasize?

Preventing harm before it occurs. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What ethical dilemma arises from the use of autonomous systems?

Assigning responsibility for actions beyond human control. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'many hands' problem in the context of AI systems?

Complicates accountability due to multiple actors involved. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key challenge posed by autonomous technologies?

They challenge both control and epistemic conditions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a crucial component of the epistemic condition for responsibility?

Understanding and awareness of one's actions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Morality and Ethics

Morality is the totality of opinions, decisions, and actions, expressing what people consider good or right.
Ethics is the systematic exploration of moral ideas, focusing on questions and arguments about moral decisions.

Argumentation

Argumentation is the process of defending or rejecting statements.
Arguments consist of premises (A1, A2, A3) leading to a conclusion (B).
Not all statements are arguments; questions, orders, and exclamations are not considered arguments.

Branches of Ethics

Descriptive ethics describes existing moral customs, habits, opinions, and behavior.
Normative ethics evaluates and judges existing morality, proposing how to act morally.

Types of Judgments

Descriptive judgments describe facts (present, past, future) and are either true or false.
Prescriptive (normative) judgments offer judgments on how things should be, not necessarily based on what exists.

Values and Norms

Values are deeply held beliefs about what is important; they guide individuals and societies.
Intrinsic values are values in and of themselves, while instrumental values help achieve intrinsic values.
Norms are rules that prescribe or forbid concrete actions, derived from values to guide interactions.

Ethical Theories

Deontological ethics focuses on the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions, irrespective of consequences.
Consequentialist ethics evaluates actions based on their outcomes—the best outcome justifies the action.
Virtue ethics (Aristotle) emphasizes developing moral character through practicing virtues (desirable qualities).

Meta-ethics

Meta-ethics explores the fundamental nature of ethics itself, including its meaning, existence, and how we know moral truths.
Key areas of meta-ethics include moral ontology (properties of morality), moral semantics (meaning of moral terms), and moral epistemology (ways to know moral truths).

AI Ethics

AI ethics examines the ethical consequences of AI's impact on human lives and society.
Key concerns include the ethical behavior of humans in AI design and use, and the ethical behavior of AI itself.
The European Commission defines AI as systems designed by humans to operate in complex environments, using data to make decisions and take actions.
An agent is something that acts, intelligent agents make choices appropriate for their goals given limitations.

Human-Technology Interactions

Mediation theory views technology as actively shaping human perceptions and actions, not simply as neutral tools.
Different types of relations exist between humans and technology, including embodiment (seamless integration), hermeneutic (technology as a tool for interpreting the world), alterity (understanding technology as separate entity), and background (technology operations are largely unnoticed).
Instrumentalism theory conversely views technology as neutral tools, focusing solely on how they are used.

Value Sensitive Design (VSD)

VSD addresses technological design by intentionally including and balancing values in the design process.
It involves understanding human values, clarifying relevant values, and evaluating how well a design incorporates those values.
VSD examines intended, realized, and embedded values of technology from different perspectives, looking for consistency in the process.

Moral Status of AI

Philosophers debate whether AI can be moral agents, highlighting the need to address the distinction between human and AI intentionality and capabilities.
Traditional notions of morality, which rely on free will and consciousness, may not apply to sophisticated AI systems.
The concept of 'composite intentionality' suggests that both human and AI intentions shape outcomes.

Responsibility in AI Systems

The complexity of AI systems raises questions about responsibility for actions or consequences when human intentions and capabilities become intertwined with technology.
Existing frameworks of responsibility based on human control may be insufficient to account for AI's actions, necessitating new approaches to define, and manage moral responsibility with increasingly sophisticated AI systems.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the core concepts of ethics and the principles of Value Sensitive Design (VSD). This quiz explores various ethical judgments, the interplay between values and norms, and the implications of technology in society. Perfect for students interested in ethics, technology, and design principles.