Ethics, Morals, Laws, and Technology: Key Concepts and Frameworks

What is ethics?

The systematized principles and standards of right and wrong behavior, typically established and endorsed by a community or society.

What are morals?

Personal beliefs shaped by culture and upbringing.

What are laws?

A system of rules established by a governing authority to regulate behavior within society.

Why is ethics complicated?

Moral codes differ by time and place, making it difficult to determine which moral code is correct.

What is Virtue Ethics?

An ethical approach focused on cultivating good character and virtues such as courage, justice, honesty, and courage.

What did Aristotle develop?

Virtue Ethics, focusing on character, practical wisdom, and living a fulfilling life.

What did Socrates believe?

There was one true moral code and that no person should willingly do evil.

What did Plato believe?

People should have standards for determining what makes a good person and what makes good actions.

What is Deontological Ethics?

Ethics emphasizing duty, rules, and the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions regardless of consequences.

What does deontology mean?

Duty.

What did Kant believe about morality?

To do what is morally right is to do one's duty.

What did Kant consider the only thing that is good?

Good will.

How would Kant approach technology?

Technology should respect human dignity, autonomy, rights, privacy, and consent.

What is Rationalism?

Using reason and logic as ethical guides.

Who is associated with Rationalism?

René Descartes.

What is Descartes' famous statement?

"I think, therefore I am."

How did Descartes approach knowledge?

By systematically doubting claims that could be false and using logical analysis.

How would Descartes approach technology?

Through systematic, step-by-step analysis and logical justification for design choices.

What is Utilitarianism?

An ethical approach focused on maximizing well-being or good for the greatest number.

Who is associated with Utilitarianism?

John Stuart Mill.

What is Mill's main ethical principle?

Act in ways that produce the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.

What is Act/Preference Utilitarianism?

Choosing an act based on what will create the most happiness for the greatest number.

What is Rule Utilitarianism?

Following moral rules that produce good outcomes.

What is Humanism?

An ethical approach centered on human dignity, capabilities, and flourishing.

Who is associated with Humanism?

Martha Nussbaum.

What does Nussbaum's capabilities approach focus on?

What people are able to do and be rather than simply their material resources.

How would Nussbaum evaluate technology?

By whether it enhances or diminishes human capabilities, agency, relationships, and well-being.

What is Feminist Ethics?

An ethical approach focused on care, relationships, context, responsibility, and marginalized perspectives.

Who is associated with Feminist Ethics?

Carol Gilligan.

What does Gilligan emphasize?

Care, relationships, context, responsibility, empathy, and connection.

What is Phenomenology?

An approach focused on human-technology relations.

Who is associated with Phenomenology?

Don Ihde.

What does Ihde emphasize?

How humans and technologies mutually shape each other's existence and human experience.

What is a key idea about technology and ethics?

The issue is often not the technology itself, but how humans choose to use it.

Why are ethical lenses important?

They provide different perspectives for evaluating ethical decisions.

What is ethical behavior?

Behavior that conforms to generally accepted norms to meet the evolving needs of a society or group.

What is a virtue?

A positive character trait or habit that inclines people to do what is acceptable.

What is a vice?

A negative character trait or habit that is morally bad and detracts from ethical behavior.

What is integrity?

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles while consistently acting according to ethical standards.

What is the difference between ethics and morals?

Ethics are societal standards; morals are personal beliefs about right and wrong.

What is the difference between ethics and laws?

Ethics concern right and wrong; laws are rules established by governing authorities.

Can something be ethical but illegal?

Yes.

Can something be unethical but legal?

Yes.

What are the four ethical/legal combinations?

Ethical and legal; ethical but illegal; unethical but legal; unethical and illegal.

What does Kant emphasize?

Human dignity.

What does Descartes emphasize?

Systematic ethical reasoning.

What does Mill emphasize?

Consequences for human happiness.

What are personal lenses?

Background, experiences, values, and characteristics that influence how people perceive ethical issues.

What can influence personal lenses?

Education, culture, religion, gender identity, age, life experiences, and socioeconomic level.

What is critical thinking in ethics?

The ability to review one's own perspectives objectively and understand how others view the same issue.

Why can ethical conflicts occur?

People may interpret the same situation differently because of different personal lenses.

Why is ethics important to society?

It fosters trust, cooperation, and justice and supports societal stability.

What are tech consumer responsibilities?

Consider privacy, consent, fairness, intellectual property, environmental impact, and broader social consequences.

What does informed consent mean?

Knowingly and willingly giving information or rights after understanding what is involved.

What is passive consumption of technology?

Using technology without intentionally considering its ethical, social, or environmental impacts.

What does conscious participation in technology involve?

Awareness, accountability, deliberate action, transparency, inclusivity, and consideration of others.

What should tech consumers consider about privacy?

What data is collected, who has access, and how the information may be used or shared.

What should tech consumers consider about intellectual property?

The ethical implications of pirating or using another person's or company's work without permission.

What should tech consumers consider about environmental impact?

The broader consequences of technology purchases, including e-waste.

What is a tech practitioner?

A technology professional who has the ethical responsibilities of a tech consumer plus additional professional responsibilities.

Name examples of tech professional roles.

Software engineer, programmer, product manager, developer, data scientist, cybersecurity analyst, UI/UX designer, AI scientist, and robotics.

What is a stockholder?

An individual, company, or institution that owns shares in a corporation.

What do stockholders primarily focus on?

Financial performance, stock value, and dividends.

What is a stakeholder?

A person or group with an interest in a company's performance or impact, including employees, customers, suppliers, and communities.

What do stakeholders often prioritize?

Long-term stability, ethics, job security, product quality, and social/environmental responsibility.

What is the key difference between stockholders and stakeholders?

Stockholders primarily focus on financial returns; stakeholders have broader interests in the company's performance and impact.

What is the ACM Code of Ethics?

A professional code that provides ethical guidance for computing professionals.

Why are professional codes important?

They provide guidance for ethical behavior and professional decisions.

What was Apple's 'Batterygate'?

A case involving Apple slowing certain iPhones and later admitting it had altered device performance to preserve battery life.

When did Apple admit to the iPhone slowdowns?

December 2017.

What settlement did Apple agree to in 2020?

A $113 million settlement involving consumer fraud lawsuits brought by more than 30 states.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

The idea that businesses should operate according to principles and policies that positively impact society and the environment.

How does CSR go beyond legal obligations?

Companies voluntarily adopt ethical, sustainable, and responsible practices.

What can CSR help a company do?

Reduce environmental impact, address social problems, attract talent, improve engagement, and reflect its values.

What is cybersecurity?

Protecting networks, devices, programs, and data from unauthorized access.

Who is responsible for cybersecurity?

Everyone with access to digital systems shares responsibility.

When must cybersecurity be practiced?

Continuously, while adapting to evolving threats and technological changes.

Where is cybersecurity required?

Wherever digital assets exist, including networks, cloud environments, remote work setups, and mobile devices.

What is a vulnerability?

A weakness or flaw that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access, disrupt operations, or compromise information.

What is an exploit?

Taking advantage of a defect in a system or software before it can be repaired.

How can vulnerabilities be addressed?

Through timely identification and remediation, usually with fixes or patches.

What is a virus?

Malicious software that attaches to legitimate files or programs and replicates to spread and cause harm.

What is a Trojan horse?

Malicious software disguised as a legitimate application.

What is a logic bomb?

Malicious code that triggers harmful action when specific conditions are met.

What is ransomware?

Malicious software that encrypts a victim's data and demands payment for its release.

What is a rootkit?

Malicious software designed to hide processes or programs and maintain privileged access.

What is spear phishing?

A targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific person or organization, often using personalized information.

What is smishing?

Phishing delivered through SMS text messages.

What is vishing?

Voice-based phishing conducted over the phone.

What is a DDoS attack?

An attack that overwhelms a target with traffic from multiple compromised devices, making the service unavailable.

What is a botnet?

A network of compromised computers remotely controlled by attackers for coordinated malicious activities.

What happens during a DDoS attack?

A target is flooded with more requests than it can handle, preventing legitimate traffic from accessing the system.

What is hacking?

Gaining unauthorized access to computer systems or networks.

What is a black-hat hacker?

A hacker who uses hacking for malicious purposes, personal gain, or harm.

What is a white-hat hacker?

An ethical defender who identifies and reports vulnerabilities to strengthen security.

What is a cracker?

Someone who breaks into systems to bypass protections or copy software illegally.

What is a hacktivist?

Someone who uses hacking to promote political or social causes.

What is digital identity?

The collection of digital attributes, behaviors, credentials, and data points that represent and verify a person online.

What is PII?

Personally identifiable information, such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, and biometrics.

What are digital credentials?

Usernames, passwords, and authentication information.