MIT21043 Chapter 02 - Ethics PDF

M.I. Fathima Nihla 1 Lecturer (Prob.) in MIT Department of MIT Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023  Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a bra...

M.I. Fathima Nihla 1 Lecturer (Prob.) in MIT Department of MIT Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023  Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 2  Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh  Homer's Iliad  The Icelandic Eddas  The Sumerian Farmer's Almanac  The Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 3 4 An Introduction to the Main Three Branches of Normative Ethics Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023  Descriptive Ethics: seeks to describe how people behave and/or what sorts of moral standards they claim to follow. (Think Anthropology or sociology)  Normative ethics: seeks to create or evaluate moral standards. it is an attempt to figure out what people should do or whether their current moral behavior is reasonable. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 5  Teleological -- look at “ends” or consequences of what we do.  Deontological – adheres to independent moral rules or duties; motives behind certain actions are right or wrong instead of focusing on the results (Duty-based).  The Golden rule  Religion (ex. The ten commandments)  Virtue ethics- Character-based Theories that look for the role one’s character plays in the decision making and how that decision will affect the character of others. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 6  Merriam-Webster Online defines "ethics" as "the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation“.  According to Kesar and Rogerson, "The term 'ethics' refers to a code or set of principles by which people live and involves a process of self-reflection“.  The definitions of ethics mentions "moral duty", "obligation" and "self- reflection", indiacating that it's not enough to simply know the difference between good and bad, but that your decisions and actions should be ethically correct, and that you have a responsibility to do so.  Clearly, we spend most of our time not doing "bad" things. We don't go around pushing people under motor vehicles. We don't go around damaging property. Why not? Is it because of the chances of being caught and punished? Is it because we were brought up "right"? Is it because we wouldn't like others to do such things to us? Have we never really thought about it before, but now that we have it sounds like fun? Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 7  How are good and bad defined? Who decided that something is socially acceptable, while some other action is not? What if an action does some good and some bad? Is it ever justifiable to do bad? Are there degrees of good and bad? Can bad things be done to prevent worse things from happening? Is something good or bad in itself, or is only the result of its actions (the effects) that determines what makes something good or bad? Who decides what's good and what's bad?  We are part of a society and we live in an environment. Our actions have consequences on others in our society and on the environment in which we live. Hopefully, we grow up learning how to be responsible and considerate, being "shown the way to behave" by our parents and extended family members. The test of our morality arises when we are faced with an ethical situation. A wallet lies on the pavement in front of you. What do you do? We're taught to take it straight to a police station, where they will do their best to make sure it gets back to its rightful owner. But are we tempted to look inside, just to see if it contains any money? Are we tempted to keep it? Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 8  Honesty  Integrity  Transparency  Accountability  Confidentiality  Objectivity  Respectfulness  Obedience to the Law Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 9  RULES  RESPONSIBILITY  RESPECT Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 10  The primary aspect of codes of ethics is to provide the basic framework for ethical judgment for a professional. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 11  The codes of ethics are guidelines for specific group of professionals to help them perform their roles, to know how to conduct themselves, and to know how to resolve various ethical issues.  The codes of ethics help the professionals to apply moral and ethical principles to the specific situations encountered in professional practice.  These codes convey the rights, duties, and obligations of the members of the profession. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 12  Inspiration  Guidance  Support for responsible conduct  Deterring and disciplining unethical professional conduct  Education and promoting of mutual understanding  Contributing to a positive public image of the profession  Protecting the status quo and suppressing dissent within the profession  Promoting business interests through restraint of trade Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 13  The codes institute ethical conventions. These ethical conventions can promote a minimum, acceptable level of ethical conduct.  The codes can also suppress the dispute within the profession. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 14  Codes of ethics are broad guidelines, restricted to general phrases. The codes cannot be applied directly to all situations.  Engineering codes often have internal conflicts, since several entries in codes overlap with each other, which may result in moral dilemmas.  The codes cannot serve as the final moral authority for professional conduct. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 15  Computer ethics is the study of ethical issues that are associated primarily with computing machines and computing profession. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 16  Don’t use a computer to harm other people.  Don’t interfere with other people’s computer work.  Don’t snoop around in other people’s computer files.  Don’t use a computer to steel.  Don’t copy or use propriety software for which you have not paid.  Don’t use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.  Don’t appropriate other people’s intellectual output. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 17  Think about the social consequences of the program you are waiting or the system you are designing.  Use a computer in ways that insure considerations and respect for your fellow humans. Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023 18 19 Thank You! Department of MIT / SEUSL 2/16/2023