Caftori's cs-310I-01 Computer Ethics: Roger Gilman presentation
CS-310I Computer Ethics
Roger Gilman's presentation
Moral Health Insurance System (M-HIS)
Insurance = Protect+Promote Valuable and Vulnerable things (PPVV)
Morality = Practice (repeat of actions) of moral principles (principles are
complex rules that include conditions of their application).
M-HIS consists of the practice of certain moral principles for the purpose of promoting and protecting valuable and vulnerable things.
e.g. things of moral worth may be humans, human institutions (democracy,
science), animals, etc.
Ethics: the philosophical study of morality.
Philosophical work consists in the application of 2 sets of tests
to evaluate the worth of Ideas and Actions:
Set of Rationality (or reasonableness) tests
...
Set of Impartiality tests
Impartial means unbiased, non-prejudiced, fair
Thus: Morality requires us to be rational and impartial at the same time.
It requires us to do 3 things:
.
1. Do the Right thing
...
2. for the Right Reasons
(Justify our judgements)
.
...
3. toward all objects
. of moral worth (*)
.
.
(*) Objects of moral worth have intrinsic value, not only instrumental
value.
Instrumental value = is a means to a further value. Intrinsic value
= is value in itself (because the thing values itself).
2. Need Right Reasons because some actions cause great harm.
"Right" justifies actions, non-accidental reasons, is a universalizable
reason (not universal reason, should be universal even if it's not).
"harm" to wellfare (material or biological) and dignity (rights, such as
free speech right)
"harm" leads to punishment for doing wrong (not doing right).
Three criteria for the Principle of Universalizability:
Noncontradictory (reasons and actions) of any other good reason.
Consent to as permissible but not required
Mutual
Four subsystems of the M-H.I.S.
Justification sub-system = most fundamental is
the principle of Universalizability
Motivation: to actually do right things
Moral education or development (by imitation, etc.)
Moral decision-making model
Principle (form of our obligation) of Universalizability only acts
on maxims of actions that can be willed as universally permissible (Immanuel
Kant)
Aristotle: It is unreasonable to treat similar things (you and other persons)
differently, or treat different things similarly. (Principle of Respect).
Principle of Respect
Never treat a personm merely as a means (instrumental value = tool =resources)
to someone else's ends, but rather treat them as ends in themselves.
(have an intrinsic value = for being itself).
Two ways to use people:
respect
consent (free and informal)
mutually beneficial
disrespect
Four sub-principles of respect
Beneficience = benefit, help (when the cost is reasonable) (1.1 ACM)
Non-malefiesence (do not harm) (1.2 ACM)
Fairness (1.4 ACM)
Autonomy (freedom of speech, etc.) (1.5-1.7 ACM)
Corrolated with every rule there is a right.
2. Motivation: incentives to do right things.
political (external):
Criminalize selected behaviors
Democratize our social institutions (family, religion, economy)
Create professional codes of ethics techniques: voting, grievance, etc.
psychological:
Develop a well-functionning conscience
Develop good chracter traits (habits, attitudes, virtues [trustworthiness])
Commit to a set of moral ideals
Conscious (awake, aware) <> conscience = a set of feelings associated with
right things and wrong things.
To analyse a case study with several stakeholders involved, follow Dr Gilman suggestion below:
The actions of each stakeholder in the situation involves a
different/separate maxim that can be tested by the set of impartiality tests
(or more narrowly by the 4 subprinciples of respect).
This is equivalent to
reusing the 6-step procedure for each stakeholder who's action-response you
want to consider. I had suggested that, at the beginning just consider and
test the main character's potential responses to the situation. A
full-fledged analysis would consider the responses (the obligations) of all
players.
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