Ethical Dilemmas Related to Technology

Anonymous Coward writes "I have a relative who will be teaching a college class on the topic of ethical dilemmas brought about by new technology. Unfortunately, he doesn't keep up with technology news, so he's not sure what the most relevant dilemmas are. For example, 'If robots came alive, would we be justified in killing them?' is one that might come up if nothing more relevant were suggested. (OK, it might not be that bad, but you get the idea. He was using Netscape 4.76 on system 9 until last week.) So, what are the most relevant ethical dilemmas brought up by technology? Note that I am looking for ethical dilemmas, e.g. 'Is Activity X moral?' rather than legal dilemmas like 'Is the DMCA constitutional?' Now is your chance to guide the young minds of the future toward stuff that matters."

Comments

Introduction to Engineering Ethics

[sielwolf]

You are in luck as the class I TA for does a section on engineering ethics. The main resource we use is Introduction to Engineering Ethics by Schinzinger & Martin. It covers such topics as the Challenger Disaster and the Yuca Dam and shows some nice ethics tidbits. Like how various groups involved denied responsibility because lack of authority ("We were just doing our little part") and how little things can have big effects. It also then parlays such large, obvious disasters into standard workplace ethical uses. Overall a nice little book.

The book description:

Introduction to Engineering Ethics provides the background for discussion of the basic issues in engineering ethics. Emphasis is given to the moral problems engineers face in the corporate setting. It places those issues within a philosophical framework, and it seems to exhibit both their social importance and their intellectual challenge. The primary goal is to stimulate critical and responsible reflection on moral issues surrounding engineering practice and to provide the conceptual tools necessary for pursuing those issues.

As per new ABET 2000 guidelines, more and more introductory engineering courses cover engineering ethics as part of their instruction. Students preparing to function within the engineering profession need to be introduced to the basic issues in engineering ethics. This book places those issues within a wider philosophical framework than has been customary in the past and aims to stimulate critical and responsible reflection on the moral issues surrounding engineering practice and to provide the conceptual tools necessary for pursuing those issues.

Re:Replacing people with machines

[Minna Kirai]

Hopefully the course instructor is already aware of that particular question, since Luddites have been around for 200 years.

Open Wi-Fi access points

[ralzod]

This was a good one brought up on /. recently... The Ethics of Stealing Wireless Bandwidth?

Re:Responsibility

[egoff]

Someone's been watching too much Futurama.

Someone's been reading too much US patent number 4,666,425.