Chapter 44: The Practitioner from Within: Revisiting the virtues By Frances S. Grodzinsky
April 14, 2009
Chapter 44: The Practitioner from Within:
Revisiting the virtues
By Frances S. Grodzinsky
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“It is difficult to get from youth up a right training from virtue if one has not been brought up under right laws”
This means that youth should be educated. It is not so simple to guide him to all the theories. Still, the best way is to let him understand the theories and approach needed in order for him to grow.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn many things from this chapter since this would be the last chapter. Also, I want to know the title itself and the ideas that this author generated.
Review:
This chapter first discussed the character forming and action guiding theories. It is said that character forming is the most crucial since this is where a person would develop his character. A person’s decision would always lies on his attitude and not with the guiding theories. No one would first think of the theories he learned from high school, elementary and even college. He would always consider his characteristics. The character forming is more important than guiding rules since people would always rely on his character and not the guiding rules.
The biggest problem in the field of IT is that each theory is considered as separate from each other. I agree with this because in this chapter, this divides into different areas such as privacy, anonymity and etc. They are not given relation by all the authors. The result of this separation is a vast and broad theories that taking considerations as separate from each other.
This chapter also revisits the theories that were discussed in this book, cyberethics such as privacy, security, anonymity, piracy and etc. They are given different views and different ideas. I find out that even though some have similar topics which are privacy, I have seen the difference among the other philosophers. In that, I realized that it has large and broad scope. Also, I learned that there is no right and wrong since sometimes the words or belief of some of the philosophers varies or have conflict with other philosophers. There is a need to integrate all what they are saying in order for the reader to better understand their saying.
What I’ve learned:
I learned basically the virtues of practitioner. I learned what should each individual would expect for him to do in his field.
I learned the character forming and action guiding theories. I have seen their similarities. There are guiding rules in order for a person to develop his character into a good and ideal person. But still, the important thing is the character forming since you will be the one to decide what you should do in ethical situations.
Integrative questions:
1) What is Character Forming?
2) What is Action-Guiding Theories?
3) What is their difference?
4) What are their similarities?
5) What do you learn from this chapter?
Chapter 43: Ethical Issues in Business Computing
By Duncan Langford
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Clear guidelines need to be in force”
This means that we need guidelines in order to implement it in our business.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn the ethical issues in business computing. Also, I want to know the sides of Duncan Langlord with this chapter.
Review:
Every business would meet at certain point some ethical problems. No matter what the size of your business is, there will be always ethical issues that you should always prioritized. For example, in level one business would have collected software that is piracy. Being a professional person, we would think if this is right to have software that is a piracy. Even though it would cost you at higher price if you would buy the original ones, still it is in our hands to consider this kind of ethical considerations.
There are two kinds of data considerations. First is the nature of data. This means what the data is and what it can give to me as a person. Second is category. This means the data is in what category. The questions that will be raised here is “Can I access this kind of data?”
The main role of computers in business is to solve the problems of the business. I agree to it since we should use its functionality in order to achieve our goal.
This chapter recognizes the use of the computer in different size of businesses. I find out that there would be common ethical considerations in different kind of business no matter how big is the size was.
Also, no matter what the size of the business, they should see the advantage of having computer system. Some don’t realized that having computer system would eventually helped them managed their business. They only think that it would create them cost which I also agree but in the long run, we can see the advantage of having it.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that in every business, there is corresponding ethical concern. This chapter is related with code of ethics since it would remind us to act as professional in the industry world.
Also, I learned the use of computer to the business. I always think that the business that could only have that computer system would be the big companies, but I realized in this chapter that it is not important.
Integrative questions:
1) What is business computing?
2) What are the essential guidelines?
3) Give examples in level one business.
4) Give examples in level two business.
5) Give examples in level three business.
Chapter 42: Subsumption Ethics By David H. Gleason
April 14, 2009
Chapter 42: Subsumption Ethics
By David H. Gleason
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Satisfaction is short lived”
This means that our satisfaction does not last. One of the examples is eating. Sometimes the food satisfies to what our needs, but it would not last.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what is subsumption ethics since this is my first time to hear this term. Also, I want to know the side of David H. Gleason regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter talks about subsumption ethics. Subsumption ethics means the process in which the decision will be operated by a machine that would make a decision as to run or to stop it.
There are four ethical principles in order to create the framework of IT decisions. First is golden rule. The golden rule is about “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This means that because we are being paid by the stakeholders, we should also see to it that we are also doing our job. Second is the golden mean. This is the Aristotle’s happiness and virtue which means that happiness lies on that middle or mean which is not the extreme and not the deficient. We should be informed and judged other with just. Third is karma. This means that whatever we do, there are consequences. If our action is bad, then we should expect to have bad consequence. But if our action is right, then we should expect to have a good consequence. Fourth is ethical complexity which means that the job or work by a person does not have end. We are always accountable with the product that we are creating. Paying us and accepting our work does not mean that it is the end.
The difference of computers and human is that we can make decisions. Computers would only do what the users wants him to do. We, humans can choose what is best for us. This chapter suggest that because we are human, we should do the right action and not the wrong action.
What I’ve learned:
I learned primarily the subsumption ethics. With subsumption ethics, it forced the information technology to have ethical considerations. The subsumption ethics would help us to decide the best since there is a need to help us guide in decision making.
I learned the four ethical principles. I learned how important it is in the world of information technology.
Integrative questions:
1) What is subsumption ethics?
2) What are the four ethical principle?
3) What are the axioms of subsumption ethics?
4) Can you give examples of subsumption ethics?
5) How does subsumption ethics works?
Chapter 40: Software Engineering Code of Ethics: Approved By Don Gotterbarn, Keith Miller, Simon Rogerson
April 14, 2009
Chapter 40: Software Engineering Code of Ethics:
Approved
By Don Gotterbarn, Keith Miller, Simon Rogerson
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
Computers have a central and growing role in commerce.
This means that they are really aware of what the computers can give to them. Also, they know that computers are still growing.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know basically the software engineering code of ethics. In addition to that, I want to know the sides of the three authors regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter recognized the importance of having code of ethics. Now the law approves the software engineering code of ethics. It means that they have seen the importance of this in professional people.
There are eight principles that were mentioned in software engineering code of ethics. One is public. It means that software engineers shall act with the respect of the public interest. Second is client and employer. It means that software engineering should be knowledgeable to act in the interest of the client and employer. This is same with “customer is always right”. Third is product which means that the product should be effective and efficient. The software engineers should make sure that the product would really helped the company to achieve its goal. Fourth is judgment. It means that software engineers should maintain what the people is thinking to him. He must be equipped with discipline and integrity in order for his co-workers to follow him. Fifth is management. This means that the supervisors or managers of the software engineers should make sure to guide that SE to become ethical and do actions which is with ethical considerations. Sixth is profession. This means that the SE should maintain that integrity in order for him to be called as professional. Seventh are colleagues. This means that the colleagues should support and not discriminate their own co-worker. Last is self. This means that software engineers should learn from what he is doing. He must learn everyday as he worked in the business or firm.
What I’ve learned:
I learned primarily the eight principles which are public, client, product, judgment, management, profession, colleagues and self. I have seen the imporatance of each principles with the software engineers. Also, I learned the importance of having code of ethics in the field of software engineers.
Integrative questions:
1) What is Software Engineering code of ethics?
2) What is the preamble of this code of ethics?
3) What are the principle of this code of ethics?
4) Is software engineering code of ethics effective?
5) Is this applicable in the Philippines? Why? Why not?
Chapter 39: Ethical Considerations for the Information Professions By Elizabeth Buchanan
April 14, 2009
Chapter 39: Ethical Considerations for the Information Professions
By Elizabeth Buchanan
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“We are all becoming information workers”
This means that in the future we will be professional people so now, we should start to know what are our ethical concerns and what we should do in that situation.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know some of the ethical considerations for the information professions. Also, I want to know the side of Elizabeth Buchanan regarding this chapter.
Review:
This chapter talks about ethical considerations for the professional people. I believed that this chapter is very significant because this talks about the reason why there is a need to have code of ethics. In class, I learned that there are many code of ethics. This is maybe the main reason why it is important. Many businesses nowadays have seen the importance of having code of ethics and they really implement code of ethics in their business.
One of the best code of ethics that I really like is IEEE code of ethics because first of all it is very simple but yet understandable. Also, it is very concise and very specific. All information that a professional must have is written in that code of ethics.
What is code of ethics? Code of ethics is to give us a guide to be professional and especially to act as professional. There is a need for this in order to remind the professional people to act as professional. There is a big difference to act as a professional and a professional because sometimes there are professional people, but the important thing for them is money or to earn money. They are sometimes deceived by the money that will be given to them by way of using their skills or talents in order to harm other people. The code of ethics will be the one, we will reflect if we are on that situation wherein we should distinguish the right action from the wrong action.
What I’ve learned:
I learned the importance of code of ethics. I think all the businesses should have like this in order for the professional people to be reminded of their ethical mission. It is not good if a person would only recognized the money that he will gain if he would do that action, but also he should consider the ethical action.
Integrative questions:
1) What is code of ethics?
2) What should the primary role of professional person?
3) What is Robert McChesney view?
4) Give some code of ethics.
5) What are the different phases of ethical considerations?
Chapter 38: Written on the Body:
Biometrics and Identity
By Irma van der Ploeg
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Biometrics is not just about as narrow an identity check as some authors maintain”
We thought that biometrics is very small and narrow, but actually biometrics is very large. There are many dependencies in which biometrics depend.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know more about biometrics and identity. Also, I want to know the sides of Irma van der Ploeg regarding this issue. In addition to that, I want to know if biometrics is ethical and if there are disadvantages.
Review:
Biometrics are a finger print system that would store your fingerprint in order for identity. The process is so simple. First, you will touch the device, then your finger would be validated if you are the right person who can access that information. Finger print is not only the examples of biometrics, but there is still eye reader that would see if you are that person. This is very effective since it is said that each person has different thumb print.
So the question is when does the Biometrics used? This is used in companies wherein not all people should be given access. This is a solution for security measure. Also, some companies would have biometrics in order to track down the attendance of their workers. This is very helpful since you could monitor who attended the seminar and what time he got out from that work.
I can say that some of the examples of biometrics are not effective. One of the examples that are not effective are the token based identification scheme. What other workers would do is to have that thing and scan it in the device even though that person is not physically present in that building. I think there is no used for that token based identification scheme because some employees find a way in order to make it ineffective and inefficient.
Major buyers of the biometrics are businesses since they are really using its advantage in order to achieve their goal and to monitor what their workers are doing.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that some of the biometrics are useless, but some I believed is effective device. It really depends on the person characteristics, if he would not be ethical or not. The more chapters I learned, I realized that it is not the term such as privacy that would be the problem. I believed that it is the person who would take that privacy for himself. Education is really needed in order for them to be ethical in their journey in life.
Integrative questions:
1) What is a biometric?
2) What are the examples of biometrics?
3) What are the disadvantage of having biometrics?
4) What are some problems regarding biometrics?
5) Is Biometrics effective or ineffective? Why?
Chapter 37: Double Encryption of Anonymized Electronic Data Interchange By Albert Vlug and Johan can der Lei
April 14, 2009
Chapter 37: Double Encryption of Anonymized
Electronic Data Interchange
By Albert Vlug and Johan can der Lei
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“It is possible to automatically anonymize an electronic sender by the introduction of a gatekeeper’s postbox”
I also believed that it is easy to be anonymous since there is the gatekeeper. Gatekeeper acts as the middle man or bridge between the sender and receiver. If I am the sender, I will just give the message by anonymous and then it is now anonymize.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know that double encryption of the data interchange. Also, I want to know what are the issues behind this double encryption. In addition to that, I want to know why they make this double encryption.
Review:
While reading the chapter, I find out that the double encryption is same with what I am thinking. The process for me is very chaotic in a sense that the way to encrypt and decrypt a text file is so difficult. Based on what I read and know, the process is first a sender would send a file that would have encryption key. In that encryption key, the receiver would use it in order to decrypt the text file. I think not all people would know how to encrypt a text file and decrypt it. It is done so that to have secured text file and not for everyone to see. But nowadays, I don’t think that it is still existing because all of us want to have convenience in receiving and sending text files. In this, we have seen the biggest improvement and shift of sending emails.
One of the examples that was discussed here is the case of recoding patient information and doctor information. They data both have anonymized in order if someone would see it, they will not recognized who is that person. Also, he would not know the illness that the patient have. The sender of the data which is said to be the gatekeeper is anonymous and also the receiver of the email. This is very difficult to understand since I don’t know how they will do this. The gatekeeper are the ones who are like the postman that would transact the information done by the sender and will be received by the receiver. Encryption key is very important in order to open the decrypted file by the person who will received that email.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that it is easy to be anonynmous, if there would be someone who would act as a middle man. I also learned that having an encryption key has long process. Now I really appreciate the value of emails because it gives me convenience to send and receive emails from my friends. In addition to that, I learned the reason why there is a decryption key for the security, so that not all can see the emails I send to a friend. It safeguards my message to a friend.
Integrative questions:
1) How will the encryption key works in double decryption?
2) What is a gatekeeper?
3) What is the process of double decryption?
4) Compare emails before and now.
5) What is the reason behind double decryption?
Chapter 36: The meaning of anonymity in an information age
By Helen Nissenbaun
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
The value of anonymity lies not in the capacity to be unnamed, but in the possibility of acting or participating while remaining out of reach.
This only means that even though a person is anonymous, still he is capable to reach the internet. That is the advantage of having anonymous because the treatment is the same with other people who give their real name.
Learning Expectation:
I really want to know if the issue about anonymity is ethical or not ethical. I also want to know if it would be a good thing or not. In addition to that, I want to learn many things from this chapter in order for me to be ethical.
Review:
This chapter first asked “should anonymity be protected in information age?” If I would answer that question, I would say that anonymity should remaien in the internet. I think the person who is anonymous is already matured enough of what he is doing. He has the right reason why he chose to be anonymous. Also, I think with the information technology, it is better for us to used its advantage such as being anonymous.
Anonymity refers to being nameless. He does not give his real name. The advantage of being anonymous is that you could see what your friends are doing without them knowing that you are monitoring them. With information technology, it helps us to be anonymous and go to different websites that has malicious content.
But this chapter says that being anonymous in information age can be ethical and can be unethical. For example, a person who wants to buy perfume in the web, I don’t think that it would be ethical for him if he would remain to be anonymous especially if he is purchasing an item in the internet. I think he is not in the right mind to be anonymous.
The question of the author is that if the information technology can make the people not protected by anonymity. I don’t think that with internet, they can make the people share who they are. I think if a certain group of people would enforced us not to be anonymous, I think many people would not already used internet. Internet is very different among the rest, since it gives us a way to be anonymous.
What I’ve learned:
I learned basically the meaning of anonymity. In different cases, it is in the advantage of people to be anonymous. Being anonymous makes it have more freedom so I think it is not good to stop the people from being anonymous. But being anonymous has its cons. I think we should be given choices to pick if we want to be anonymous or not.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the meaning of anonymity?
2) What are the disadvantages of anonymity?
3) What are the conflicts of being anonymous?
4) Is anonymity ethical or unethical?
5) What are the advantages of anonymity?
Hello guests!
February 5, 2009
Hi! This is Ferline Chua. This is for my ITETHIC 
Feel free to view my book review in:
Handbook of Computer Ethics (27 chapters)
Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid (6 chapters)
Contemporary Moral Problems(12 chapters)
feel free to add comments click the sidebar
You can also visit my pbwiki
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you can visit my site 90.
Thanks!
egoism and moral scepticism
February 25, 2009
Review Questions:
1) Explain the legend of Gyges. What question s about morality are raised by the source?
The legend of Gyges is about a shepherd named Glaucon, who found a magic ring. The ring is said to be magic because it makes the person invisible. Because of that, he decided to seize the thrown of the king by way of seducing the queen and asking the queen to kill the king. There are two rings which he had given, namely to a man of rogue and a man of virtue. The rogue will use it without moral constraints since he knows that the ring will protect him from people. While, the man of virtue is likewise be the same with the rogue’s action since a man would do anything what he likes if he does not have any fears. The moral issue in this story that was raised is a person would not be moral if he will not benefit. Rogue and the man of virtue will not do good things while having that ring, if they don’t believe in any morality. But if one person believed that doing good things to everybody is good, then he would likely use the ring for the advantage of being good.
2) Distinguish between psychological and ethical egoism.
Psychological egoism means that all men are selfish whatever they do is in line with their own self. A person who believes psychological egoism will base their actions to only themselves, and not by helping other people.
While ethical egoism means that men have no obligations to do anything except their own interests. Thus, a person is doing actions just for the sake of their interests.
3) Rachels discusses two arguments for psychological egoism. What are these arguments, and how does he reply to them?
The first argument for psychological egoism is about a person never volunteers to do any actions, if they don’t want to do it. They must be doing what he wants to do. According to Rachels, this is wrong since a person sometimes have no option, but to do it. For example, a student who wants to passed the exam by way of studying. Even though the person does not like to study, still he needs to study in order to pass the exam. In addition to that the argument said that a person who only cares his own benefits or interest is sometimes called as selfish act. The example that was raised in this argument is a person who chose to help his friend rather than resting in his house. The person is said to choose to help his friend because he is merely doing what he most wants to do rather than resting in his house and he is doing “unselfish act”.
The second argument for psychological egoism is that unselfish actions produced a self-satisfaction in the person doing the act. Even though the person who tends to help his friend rather than resting, does not have regret that he chose to help since it gives him self-satisfaction. Our conscience will be the one to blame us if we don’t do anything to help our friend. If a man is selfish then this means that he will not bother to listen to their conscience. Thus, this is doing unselfish act.
4) What three commonplace confusions does Rachels detect in the thesis of psychological egoism?
The first is about the confusion of selfishness with self-interest. If a person who has growing wisdom tooth seeks a dentist then this is called as self-interest. But this will not be called as selfish since he is not hurting other people. Selfish and self-interest is a different term. A selfish act if you are not sharing your excess food to other people, but a self-interest is just eating the food that you must eat in order to be healthy.
Second is about the confusions that every action is based either from self-interest or other motives. One example of this is a person who is smoking even though he knows that it is bad in his health, still he continues to smoke because that is pleasure for his part. Then, we can conclude that his action is not based on his self-interest.
Third is confusion is that a concern for one’s own welfare is incompatible with any genuine concern for the welfare of others. This is not true since we would like that everybody including me is happy. There is no selfish act if we are thinking for the sake of everyone else.
5) State the argument for saying that ethical egoism is inconsistent. Why doesn’t Rachels accept this argument?
The argument that is saying ethical egoism is inconsistent is the third one which states that it is a false assumption that a concern for one’s own welfare is incompatible with any genuine concern for the welfare of others. There is no inconsistency because the ethical egoism does not apply to all scenarios. There can be sometimes a conflict with what you desire and the welfare of other people, but I can say that it depends to the person to choose the right decision. Rachels does not accept this argument since the word others can also mean our family and friends. Sometimes, we based our decision regarding their decision. Thus, I can say that we are not selfish if we listened to what our families and friends want us to do.
6) According to Rachels, why shouldn’t we hurt others, and why should we help others? How can the egoist reply?
According to Rachels, we should not hurt others and we should help others because we are living in the same society with other people. If we are doing the right thing by not doing crimes, then we are secured. It is our advantage that we are respecting the rules and obligations of the society. If we do our role in our society, then we are creating happy and secure life in the society. It is our own advantage if we are doing what is right.
Discussion Questions:
1) How Rachels answered the question raised by Glaucon, namely, “Why be moral?” If so, what exactly is his answer?
When Glaucon said that why man should be moral if he will not have an advantage of it, Rachels answered it by way of explaining that everybody has an advantage of doing all good things. If a person commits crime, it is his own sake that will be put to imprison. But if a person follows the rules and regulations of the society, then he will have a happy and secured life.
2) Are genuine egoists rare, as Rachels claim? Is it fact that most people care about others, even people they don’t know?
I believed that genuine egoists are rare since the majority of people are fulfilling their obligations in their society. A genuine egoist is said to be a person who is a selfish and thinks of their self-interest. I also believed that we care for other people even though we don’t know a person sometimes we tend to help them as much as we could.
3) Suppose we define ethical altruism as the view that one should always act for the benefit of others and never in one’s own self-interest. In such a view immoral or not?
I believed that ethical altruism is immoral. We should also care for ourselves and not only benefiting other people. It is immoral if we will just follow what others are saying. The right thing to do is to balance your self-interest with benefiting other people.
Book Review Egoism and Moral Scepticism
By James Rachels
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“The thing to be lamented is, not that men have so great regard to their own good or interest in the present world, for they have not enough”
I believed that man have not enough that’s why they are seeking for pleasures. We don’t have time to not try what is new. It is also said that it is better to try or discover new things because there is just limited time. Life has limitations and that is if a person dies.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what egoism is. Also, I want to know the different arguments regarding this chapter preferably from the sides of the author, Mr. James Rachels.
Review:
First, this chapter tackles about the legend of Gyges and its connection with morality. To have a brief background of this, the legend of Gyges started from a Shepherd named Glaucon, who found a magic ring while an earthquake is happening. He uses this ring to seize the thrown of the king which is I believed immoral thing to do. The later part of this, he gave the ring to a rogue and a man of virtue. This chapter had explained in details that rogue and the man of virtue will do the exact thing which is using its power in order for them to have an advantage or be benefited. The first question that was raised here is “Why man should be moral, if they have this kind of power”. I ask this question to myself and I find it hard to explain the reason why. This question is good for people to contemplate with their morality.
There are two views of morality skepticism. One is psychological egoism, which means that every man’s action is based on their selfish act or self interest. My view is the same with James Rachels. He and I believed that it is not true because sometimes we helped our friends without any exchange of it. I just helped because I want to help. Then an argument was again rise, a man’s action is based on his wanting to do it. I can say that this is true because sometimes I chose the most thing I would like to do. But in some aspects of my life or other’s life, our decision is not based on what we wants but also what other people would like us to do. This is another argument that Rachels is discussing. He believed that people are not selfish because we based our decisions to what our friends and families are saying. On the last part, Rachels said that man is actually not selfish.
What I’ve learned:
In the first part of reading, I thought that a man is actually selfish. But in the last part, I realized that Rachels is so true that man is not selfish. Rachels is successfully addressed and explains very well his ideas why he doesn’t consider egoism and moral skepticism. I can say that man sometimes do actions which are selfish. But sometimes man also does actions which are not their advantage, but the advantage of other people especially their loved ones.
I also learned the reason why people are adhering to moral laws. The reason given by Rachels is that it is the advantage of man if he acts right or good things to people. If he acts like a theft does, then the society or place he lived will not be good as he liked. For a country to be successful, people must contribute in order for them to have a happy and secured country.
Integrative questions:
1) Who is James Rachels?
2) What are his ideas regarding physical egoism?
3) What are his ideas regarding ethical egoism?
4) How do James Rachels defines the two egoism?
5) Are men inherently selfish or not selfish?
religion, morality and conscience
February 25, 2009
Religion, Morality and Conscience
By John Arthur
Review Questions:
1) According to Arthur, how are morality and religion different?
Morality is tending to follow our conscience in our different actions. While, religion believes that there is an almighty and powerful God that has control the nature by way of worshipping and praying to him.
2) Why isn’t religion necessary for moral motivation?
Religion is not necessary for moral motivation because religion is not enough, there must be ethics so that we would know what is right and wrong. A religion is said to be important so that people will do right. Religion will not give us answers to issues that morality can only give. Religion provides motivation to do the right thing. With religion, it helps us to be a decent person, not to commit crimes in which we will regret after. But it is clear that our motives doing the right thing are not related with religion. A person is doing the right thing because it is the right thing. Even though people have different religions, still it is not their basis why they are doing the good things.
3) Why isn’t religion necessary as a source of moral knowledge?
Religion is not necessary as a source of moral knowledge because in religion, we need first to read all the articles about our religion. For example, a catholic person requires reading a bible for him to know his religion. Also, some passages in the bible do not mean that there is a specific action that we must do in order for us to be considered doing the right thing. Passages will give us stories that accounts for doing right thing.
4) What is the divine command theory? Why does Arthur reject this theory?
Divine command theory states that “religion is necessary for morality because without God there could be no right or wrong. God, in other words, provides the foundation or bedrock on which morality is grounded.” Arthur rejects this theory because people can be knowledgeable without any understandings about God. Most people are doing the right thing because they know what is right and wrong and without any knowledge about God. Also, divine command theory also means that all actions are correct if it was commanded by God. Arthur defends it by saying that anyone else or God cannot make a thing right just by commanding it. For example, if God or parents commands us to jump, we should not jump because we might be hurt if we do that action.
5) According to Arthur, how are morality and religion connected?
Morality and religion are connected first by way of historical influence that led for the development of morality. Many senators who are writing laws for the country are religious people that help them to base their laws in their religion. Morality also influenced religion by way of gender issues, feminist issues and etc.
6) Dewey says that morality is social. What does this mean, according to Arthur?
Morality is social. This means that how a person interacts with people will also reflect that people will also do it for them. For example, a person killed somebody. Then people will have a bad image for him because of that certain action. If you are good with everyone, then all the people would also be good at you.
Discussion Questions:
1) Has Arthur refuted the divine command theory? If not, how can it be defended?
He refuted the divine command theory because for him morality will not be right if a person will just command it. For example, our parents said that we should kill a person. If we believed that divine command theory is right, then we can say that it is right. But, according to Arthur that it is not right since a person or somebody will not make issues right just by commanding it.
2) If morality is social, as Dewey says, then how can we have any obligations to nonhuman animals?
We have obligations to nonhuman animals because there are also living creatures that is in our society. They must have fair treatment same with human. I think that people are also interacting with animals, the same with people. Also, we should consider that animals are not the highest being of creation. Thus, we should consider their capability to interact with us and their actions.
3) What does Dewey mean by moral education? Does a college ethics class count as moral education?
Moral education means that we can also learn what is right and wrong by way of studying it in our class. I believed that each school has its responsibility to clarify the morality issues especially we are matured enough to think the right or wrong things. Yes, a college ethics counts as moral education.
Book Review Religion, Morality and Conscience
By John Arthur
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“Making cruelty good is not like making a universe that wasn’t made, of course”
I believed that this is true since there is no perfect world. Everyone is committing the mistake since they are not educated with morality. Also, not all people have this kind of opportunity to learn the arguments of morality.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what the difference of religion and morality is. I am confused on how this two is similar and different to each other. Also, I want to know is morality only social or considering as our conscience.
Review:
This chapter first tackles about what is the difference of morality and religion. Morality and religion is so different to each other. Morality is defining what is right with wrong actions. While, religion is worshipping and believing to an almighty person. To exemplify this kind of argument is sometimes there are people who are not going to mass or not worshipping any kind of religion, but he adheres to rules and laws of the country. The argument in this kind of issue is we can be good even though we have different religions. Also, we have different religions that has different knowledge on it, but the question in that is why people has unique learning about morality. Thus, we should consider morality is important than religion.
Also, religion is not necessary for moral motivation and moral knowledge because like what I have said we have different religions. Thus, we should have a unique idea or approach in order to have unity in things that are right. Also, reading bible does not give you answers in moral issue. It only gives what Jesus had done.
If there are relation with morality and religion, Arthur said that it would be that the person behind the creation of morality is religious people. They have a background of how the society should address the problem. But Arthur strictly explains that there is difference with morality and religion. We can see this because sometimes there are people who are very religious, but are maltreating her helpers in her house. If that person is very knowledgeable in religion, why are her actions is immoral?
What I’ve learned:
I learned that morality is social. Our action is based to what people are behaving. If we have seen that they are bad to us, we will also be bad to him or to somebody else. We are currently looking at what is happening in our society. For example, a war-minded country will think that war is good in order to solve their problems. Thus, it affects the way people think in that society. Also, if we did good things to other people, it will also return to having good friends with them.
I also learned divine command theory. I actually understand the point of Mr. Arthur, but also I understand the point of the opposing people. So, I am confused if what is my stand regarding divine command theory.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the difference with morality and issue?
2) Is Morality a social?
3) What is divine command theory?
4) What is the opinion of John Arthur regarding divine command theory?
5) How cans religion acts a morality guidance to the people?
master and slave morality
February 25, 2009
Master and Slave Morality
by Friedrich Nietzsche
Review Questions:
1) How does Nietzsche characterize a good and healthy society?
Nietzsche defines a healthy society by having a superior that will command the people and have the “will of power”. Thus, there is the person who will act as leader in the society. In order for the society to be rich, the principle of master and slave morality must be apply.
2) What is Nietzsche’s view of injury, violence, and exploitation?
According to Nietzsche’s view, life is actually injury, violence and exploitation. Even though, whatever we do, there will be these exploitations. The reason is people are will to power.
3) Distinguish between master morality and slave morality.
Master morality means the “power, strength, egoism and freedom”. Thus, we can say that master morality is about the characteristics of a commander in the society.
While, a slave morality is about “weakness, submission, sympathy, and love”. Thus we can say that this is the issues of the inferior people in the society.
These two moralities are different in a way that for example, according to a slave morality, an evil man arouses fear, but for the master morality, it is good. Man who are slave, does not want that their masters are slave. They afraid that every action they will get will make their masters get angry at them. While, for the master, they believed that it is good for the slave to have fear on them so that they will not harm them or get money from them. I usually experienced this kind of distinctions in real life and especially in businesses. For example, the clerks are following what their supervisors are saying because they are afraid at them. While, in the side of the supervisors, it is good to execute their power over their clerks.
4) Explain the will to power.
The will to power means that a person has the will to be successful. Every man also dreams that they will be rich and be powerful. No one wants to be poor and be a slave forever. Life is naturally will to power. According to this chapter, if there is a will to power, there is a higher chance for the people also to be suffered. If there are masters, there would be slave in the society. We all want that all people are equal, but how will our society be equal if we want to be powerful someday. The result of having the will to power is injuries, violence and exploitation (stated on the third question).
Discussion Questions:
1) Some people view Nietzsche’s writings as harmful and even dangerous. For example, some have charged Nietzsche with inspiring Nazism. Are these charges justifies or not? Why or why not?
I believed that every man has their mind to have faith or believe in certain things. Sometimes, there are also people who easily believed at some people because of their good marketing skills. In this question, I believed that Nietzsche’s writings acts as harmful and even dangerous. He might inspire some bad people to make a community that has a unique goal and harm intention to people just like Nazism. Nazism was formed by Adolf Hitler and has a unique goal by way of making slaves or killing not their similar breeds. If you are not a German and don’t have the quality of German like blue eyes and etc, you will be killed and be a slave. The charges against with Nietzsche are justified in his writing because it suggests that there should be a person who will command and the followers so that the society will be successful.
2) What does it mean to be a “creator of values”
This means that a person who is powerful helps poor people because the powerful person has abundance of power. The rich person honors himself as powerful, thus he has the hard heart that not everyone has. A person who creates values believed in the morality that he has. He does not need to approve his values because he knows that he is powerful and no one can judge him.
Book Review Master and Slave Morality
by Friedrich Nietzsche
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“Healthy society should allow superior individuals to exercise their “will to power””
I chose this quote because I believed that it is true. But I think the leader should also possess moral values to be able to better serve his people.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what the difference of master and slave morality is. Also, I want to know what is Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea about master and slave morality.
Review:
According to this chapter, master and slave morality are different to each others. Their beliefs are different based on their moralities. A slave morality believed that a person who produces fear to a person is bad. It is based on their experience since they don’t want that they will have fears in their masters. From the side of master, they should have provoke fears so that their followers would listen to them. I also understand the side of the master because it is for their betterment if they will execute fears.
This chapter discuss that life is essentially injury and exploitation. The more people have their will to power, the more people who will be injured and exploit because according to this chapter that having masters will also produce slaves. There is no equality based on this chapter. Also, Nietzsche’s suggests for the society to be successful, they need to have a person who will command and people who will follow what the leader commanded them to do. I also understand that it is easy for the country to be successful, if there are one leader because too much leaders will cause the country to be chaotic and have different groups and sides that are different from each other. Also, having no leader will make the country not moved since people who will follow does not have a leader that will command their actions. The best way is to have a person who will command. But in example with Nazism, I am not in favor of having Adolf Hitler to be the one who will command because his command is for the betterment of his class and not for everyone. A country leader should also consider the people who are included in their demographic markets, and not only the rich people. That is why, we should be very careful in appointing or choosing a person for the position of leader or president because if the person appointed is bad, he would use his power in order to take advantage with other people. But if the person appointed has good morals, then we can say that the country will be successful. And thus, will have a good and healthy society.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that according to Nietzsche for a society to be good and healthy society, there must be a person who will command and people who will follow him. That is the best way for the society to be successful. But I can also say, that it will be better good if the leader possesses moral values so that he can fulfill his promises and duty to the people he will served.
Also, the more people dream to become rich and powerful, the more people who will be exploitated and be slave. I know that it might be bad because that is a selfish act to do. But, I think it is very normal for people to dream on something that they think will make them happy.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the difference of Master and Slave morality?
2) Are the ideas of Nietzsche bad or good?
3) What is your side regarding the idea about master and slave morality?
4) How does will to power is related to injury, exploitation and violence?
5) How will the society be a good and healthy?
utilitarianism
February 25, 2009
Utilitarianism
By John Stuart Mill
Review Questions:
1) State and explain the Principle of utility. Show how it could be used to justify actions that are conventionally wrong, such as lying and stealing.
The principle of utility means that a person’s right action is in proportion with his happiness or pleasure. I can’t say that this is suitable in all scenarios in life such as lying and stealing. Some people lied to a person because of the pleasure of lying. We have different characteristics and values that are unique to some people. Some prefer to lie just for the sake to excuse them and be safe which is in their comfort or pleasure. After some people lied, they even get happy because of they have effectively done lying which is conventionally wrong. Thus, I can say that principle of utility is not true because it does not apply to all scenarios.
2) How does Mill reply to the objection that Epicureanism is a doctrine worthy only of swine?
Epicureans believed that the happiness or pleasure is the highest good. He objected this belief because he does not actually believe that pleasure is good. For example, one person’s happiness promotes good. I believed that this is also wrong since some people’s happiness is in conflicts with other people. Some would be happy if they have power which means they can slave other people which is for them their happiness, but for others are not. Mill suggests that we should not only consider our happiness but the happiness of everyone. He called Epicureanism as a doctrine worthy only of swine because I believed that the belief is for only animals who can’t think deeper unlike human. They can forced animals such as swine to think that happiness or pleasure is the highest good and animals would not bother to argue that objection or belief. Since we are able to comprehend, think and etc, we are capable of thinking what the highest good is.
3) How does Mill distinguish between higher and lower pleasure?
Based on how I understood it, higher pleasure means that there is the influence or temptation. For example, some people are deceived by the drugs since this kind of medicine promotes their pleasure or happiness. Some would prefer this kind of happiness since they know that it will eventually give them the highest pleasure by way of forgetting or feeling of numbness in their pains or problems.
While, lower pleasure means that the inferior pleasure that removes also their pains or problems in a specific time. I consider watching television as lower pleasure because some people would be happy if they watched tv. Television also gives pleasure to people especially the old ones. They sometimes forgot their problems because of just watching. Some people would prefer this lower pleasure because they believed that is the right to enjoy. I, for instance would choose watching tv rather than taking drugs, even though I know that drugs will give me much pleasure. I consider that lower pleasure is a good way to promote happiness to myself.
4) According to Mill, whose happiness must be considered?
Since Mill was not persuaded by the belief of epicureans that the happiness or pleasure is the highest good, he suggests that the happiness should be considered in the greater amount of people who would be happy. I also believed that it is the best way to promote happiness. We should consider the majority of people who will be happy for that decision because quantity in this scenario also represents as quality.
5) Carefully reconstruct Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility?
Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility is said to be not viable in the ultimate end. A person who will meet the end will not be happy since he does not want to end his life or his journey. Even though, happiness is our most desirable, it does not apply in the ultimate end of our lives.
Discussion Question:
1) Is happiness nothing more than pleasure, and the absence of pain? What do you think?
For me, happiness is not always pleasure and the absence of pain. I think it is more on contentment of the happiness or what you have. There are rich people who are not happy even though they have always get their pleasure. But if one person is contented on what he have and what God gave to him, then I think he would attain happiness.
2) Does Mill convince you that the so-called higher pleasures are better than the lower ones?
No, I don’t think that the higher pleasure is better than the lower ones. I consider that the lower pleasure is important than the higher pleasure even though the higher pleasure will give me the most pleasure, I still believed that lower pleasure is important and good.
3) Mill says, “In the golden rule of Jesus of Nazareth, we read the complete spirit of the ethics of the utility”. Is this true or not?
It is true since the majority is really important to decide for a certain action. Also, I think the more people contribute in a literature, will make it more better and good since many knowledge had been put in that literature. To relate with ethics, the majority of people will make decisions if a certain action is right or wrong.
4) Many commentators have thought that Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility is defective. Do you agree? If so, then what mistake or mistakes does he make? Is there any way to reformulate the proof so that it is not defective?
Yes, I agree that the thought of Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility is defective since a person’s desirable “happiness” is not evident to the ultimate end. No one would desire to die early because they are afraid of what will happen to them in the end. The mistake is Mills should emphasize that happiness can only get if they are living since he is not knowledgeable on the ultimate end’s happiness. Yes, there is a way to reformulate the proof. He can say that the principle of utility states that the right action of one’s person is based on happiness or pleasures while that person is still living in this world.
Book Review Utilitarianism
By John Stuart Mill
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“What was once desired as an instrument for the attainment of happiness had come to be desired for its own sake.”
The biggest question that everyone wants to answer is how we will attain happiness. Actually, we attain happiness by what we like to do or desire for the rest of our lives. We consider first ourselves and our loved ones than other people.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what utilitarianism is. Also, I want to know how the concepts of utilitarianism help the ethical aspects of the society.
Review:
This chapter first defines the principle of utility. This principle states that a person’s right action is based on his happiness. This happiness can be measure in their pleasure. Thus, we can say that the wrong action done by a person is in proportion with unhappiness. I don’t think that this would be the good way to define the right or wrong action done by one person. I take to consideration such act as stealing. I think some people stole just for the sake of they will have money which for me is not a good action. But if we would consider the principle of utility right, then I can say that stealing which promotes pleasure to some people is a good way. Also, pleasure such as smoking, for me is not a good way because it makes your health become dangerous and can even kill you. This principle of utility is not always right or suitable to any scenarios.
But in the later part, this chapter also discusses that principle of utility also considers the quantity and quality of the pleasure which also means happiness. For example, I for instance need to think of the people who will be happy if I did this action versus the people who will be happy if I chose the another action. In that scenario, I will choose the highest number of people who will be happy for my action. It is said that the majority is very important in principle of utility. This is very evident when we vote for president or position in the society. The number of our votes are very important in a way that our votes is also consider as important to consists the number of votes by a certain person. The question that what is how will we measure the quality of pleasure. This chapter explains that it is merely the greater in amount rather than lesser amount.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that principle of utility also applies in our society. The last decision comes from the majority of people who will be happy rather than the minority of people who will be happy. The number of people who will be happy is important for the success of one’s country. That is why; Philippines also need unity so that each and everyone would be happy and have a successful country.
Also, the statement that the right action is proportion with our happiness or pleasure is wrong. I objected because some people would prefer smoking which gives them pleasure, than having a good health. Their action which promotes pleasure sometimes give them wrong actions.
Integrative questions
1) What is the principle of utility?
2) What is happiness?
3) How will we make decisions in the society related to utilitarianism?
4) What is the ultimate end of the greatest happiness principle?
5) What is the difference between lower and highest pleasure?
the debate over utilitarianism
February 25, 2009
The Debate over Utilitarianism
By James Rachels
Review Questions:
1) Rachels says that classical utilitarianism can be summed up in three propositions. What are they?
One of the three proposition is first actions are to be judged right or wrong solely in virtue of consequences. This is like doing karma. If we did good to everyone else, then we will receive blessing from God. But if we have made wrong doings, then our action will be judged in the society and even punished us because of doing that certain action. Doing good things to people have the best consequences.
Second of three proposition is what matters is the greater amount of happiness than the unhappiness of the cause of doing that action. We should make sure that happiness is greater than unhappiness. If happiness is greater than unhappiness then we can say that our action is correct. But if it is other way around, then we can say that our action is morally wrong.
Third proposition is we should measure the happiness of everyone else. Everyone will be equally calculated based on their happiness. If many people would be happy, then we can say that the action is right. This also means that majority in the society is important in the decision of the society.
2) Explain the problem of hedonism. How do defenders of utilitarianism respond to this problem?
Hedonism believed that happiness is the ultimate good while, unhappiness is the ultimate evil. The problem with was discussed by way of giving examples. First example is a young artist who was injured. Because of that injury, he might not play piano which he loves very much. The problem is the young artist did not injured himself, but the misfortunes or fate that the world brought to him. Certainly, he would be unhappy because of that accident. But, this chapter says that we cannot eliminate tragedies because it is not in our hands.
Utilitarian tried to respond in this problem by way of different kind of utilitarianism. Some would say they need to put down things that they will regard as good in themselves. But also some would suggest that there are three good things such as pleasure, friendship and enjoyment. Others also suggests ideal utilitarianism which means that right actions are the ones that has the best results, however goodness is measured. In addition to that, many believed in preference utilitarianism which means that we should act on maximizing the satisfaction of people.
3) What are the objections about justice, rights and promises?
These objections were explained through an example. First, it tackles about justices of an innocent man. The given scenario is if we are utilitarian and we have played a vital scene in the event. What happened is a riot between the whites and blacks. The blacks were accused of doing immoral thing such as rape to a white woman. Even though, we all know that the black really did not do the accusation, but if we are utilitarian, we can bear false witness by telling them that the black really rape the white woman. We based our action because to promote happiness to the majority of whites. We don’t consider the innocent man who we will accused for doing that action. There is no justice if we believed in utilitarian because we will be forced to bear false witness or lie. This is not fair to the minority people.
Second, it talks about the rights when Ms. York was photographed without any dress. The setting was taken in the police department and the guilty people are the policemen. With this event, Ms. York filed a case against the policemen for doing that immoral action. Certainly, Ms. York won the case. If we consider utilitarianism, what happen to Ms. York is correct since according to utilitarianism, we should consider the people who will be happy or unhappy with that action. The action is taking a picture of Ms. York who was forced to undress. The policeman, who is Mr. Story, made that action just for the sake of being happy. With that happiness, he spread the picture to all his other colleagues which we can say may be happiness for them. Thus, this action is morally correct if we believed in utilitarianism.
Third, it discusses the promises of one’s person to his friend. In fact, that person will meet his friend in a certain place. But when the time comes, he realized that he would be happy if he finished all his assignments for that day rather than meeting his friend in the place. If we believed in utilitarianism, we might not fulfill our promises since utilitarian believed that the right action is in proportion with the happiness it brings. Since doing assignments is greater than fulfilling our promises, then we will not fulfill our promise to our friend which is considered as morally wrong. We made promises so we should fulfill also our promises.
4) Distinguish between rule and act utilitarianism. How does rule-utilitarianism reply to the objection?
Rule utilitarianism is the new version of utilitarianism whereas, the old version is called the act-utilitarianism. Rule utilitarianism is based on the rules established by the principle, while the act utilitarianism based on that principle of utility.
Rule-utilitarianism will answer not by way of defining utilitarianism, but by way of asking questions like “what are the general rules of conduct tend to promote the greatest happiness?” Because we know that lying and bearing false witness is a crime, then we can say that it is morally wrong. Thus, that utilitarian should also consider the rules in order to promote happiness.
5) What is the third line of defense?
The third line of defense does not care much of the justice, right and promises. They say that they don’t need to make sure that their feelings are correct. To relate the example of justices, utilitarian believed that the person who will bear false witness is just doing the interest of many people. He believed that the action is preferable than having faced by other conflicts. Thus, act-utilitarianism is a perfect defensible doctrine that does not need to modify to be a rule utilitarianism.
Discussion Question:
1) Smart’s defense of utilitarianism is to reject common moral beliefs when they conflict with utilitarianism. Is this acceptable to you or not? Explain your answer.
I believed that example of justice, a utilitarian who will bear false witness should also consider the fact that he need to tell the truth. Even though by telling the truth will caused many deaths(like what the third defense is telling). As a citizen, we should tell the truth even though it will hurt other people because we are just saying the truth. I don’t believe that if a person will be faced by conflicts against utilitarianism, he should act as a utilitarian.
2) A utilitarian is supposed to give moral consideration to all concerned. Who must be considered? What about nonhuman animals? How about lakes and streams?
I believed that we should also give moral consideration to all the people even the animals because I believed that they should also have freedom just like people. For example, we should also not kill animals because they have also one life to live. If we killed them, they will also be unhappy just like people. Also, even the lakes and streams who does not have life should also consider since what we did in the lakes such as throwing dirt will have a corresponding consequence to us. Whatever we do in our environment will also return to us, that will promote unhappiness to all the people.
3) Rachels claims that merit should be given moral consideration independent of utility. Do you agree?
I agree that merit should be given moral considerations because it just for the welfare of everyone else. If there is merit, all the people will try to do good things to everyone else. But if there are no merits, then I can say they are free to do harm other people and even environment. A person who worked hard each and every day should have merit in order for him to continue his good attitude.
Book Review The Debate over Utilitarianism
By James Rachels
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“The ultimate doctrine is that, happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things being desirable as means to that end”
I chose this quote because this is true. We desire to be happy. But in reality, there are questions if we would be happy in the end. I think for us to be happy is to be good with all the people since in the end, there would be someone who will judge our right and wrong doings. All our desires in our life will not come along with us in the end.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what are the arguments some philosophers have to strengthen the concept of utilitarianism. In addition to that, I want to hear the side of both utilitarian and anti-utilitarian. With that, I can give my own stand in those opposing ideas.
Review:
This chapter argues the concept of utilitarianism although it has also right idea, still there are aspects that are wrong. This is the continuation of utilitarianism in the previous chapter. First, utilitarianism has three proposals namely actions are to be judged right or wrong solely in the virtue of their consequences. Thus, we can say that right actions have the best consequences than the wrong actions made by one person. Second, it also takes account the amount of happiness or unhappiness our actions caused. Therefore, the amount of happiness must be much greater than the unhappiness. Third, utilitarianism also gives important to each people’s happiness or majority of people who will be happy.
With that given discussions of utilitarianism, many objections were arise such as justice. The given example of justice is the accusation that the black man had raped the white man. Because of that, it arises the riots or strikes. As the person who has seen the real event and my testimonials are important in order to have peace, I can bear false witness by saying that the black man did really raped the white woman, which can be untrue. If I adhere to the concept of utilitarian, I can say that telling lies is a correct way in order for the white people to be happy because if they learned that it does not really happen, maybe they will feel guility which will also caused unhappiness to them. Since majority is whites and many whites hope that blacks really did that accusation, then I would definitely accuse the black to do immoral thing. Thus, he will be punished because of that moral action which he really did not do. This is just one aspect why James Rachels did not like utilitarianism.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that utilitarianism is not always correct. There are aspects such as justice, right and promises cannot be applied in utilitarianism. In addition to that, there are not only consequences that utilitarians should emphaisize but also the merits that was James Rachels wants to address in this chapter.
Moreover, happiness is not something that we thought as good. Examples like having a friend who is a hypocrite, who we thought as a nice friend, is for me it brings unhappiness because we don’t know his true self. Also, no matter we do if there are tragedies that will come to us and will promote unhappiness to ourselves, we cannot do anything. We can try to be happy with all the problems or undertakings that will happen. We think that having friendship and no problems in life is a good thing. Thus, it will give us happiness. But actually, it does not give us happiness.
Integrative questions
1) What is the argument regarding justice?
2) What is the argument regarding the rights in this chapter?
3) What is the argument regarding promises of one’s person?
4) What is ideal utilitarianism?
5) What is preference utilitarianism?
categorical imperative
February 25, 2009
Categorical Imperative
By Immanuel Kant
Review Questions:
1) Explain Kant’s account of the good will.
Good will also means good determination. If we are determined to get what we want, then we can get it. In life, it is difficult to really get what you would like to have, but if you are determined, patient and have good motive, then you would be successful in your chosen career. According to Kant, good will can be bad because the more people strive to become rich, powerful and famous, the higher chance that we will have conflicts with other people who also want to become rich and so on.
2) Distinguish between hypothetical and categorical imperative.
Hypothetical imperative means that we don’t know what it contains, but rather we know what the condition it sets before what is the contain. While, categorical imperative means that he would know what it contains, there are no conditions applied.
3) State the first formulation of the categorical imperative (using the notion of a universal law), and explain how Kant uses this rule to derive some specific duties toward self-and others.
The first formula which is the notion of a universal law is just a part of categorical imperative. The best example would be self-love. Self-love means to shorten our lives because of the pains and undertakings in our lives. Then we can say is this morally wrong or morally right. The answer would be morally wrong since it cannot act as universal law. A law can be universal law if it applies to all the people. Who is on the right mind to commit suicide if they are happy and even had misfortunes. Thus, universal laws are morally correct. Kant uses the rule in order to let the people know their duties in their self and also others.
4) State the second version of the categorical imperative (using the language of means and end) and explain it.
Persons are said to be not subjected to end since their existence of their well being has value for us. Thus, we can call them as objective ends which means things whose existence in itself an end and because of their existence, they would serve as means.
Discussion Question:
1) Are the two versions of the categorical imperative just different expressions of one basic rule, or are they two different rules? Defend your answer.
I think these two versions of the categorical imperative are just different expressions of one basic rule. I think they have similar views and that is we should based our action the same treatment with everyone else by not simply acting as means. The same treatment that I used here is the first formulation about universal law. While, acting simply the means is the second formulation about means and ends.
2) Kant claims that an action that is not done from the motive of duty has no moral worth. Do you agree or not? If not, give some counterexamples.
I agree with Kant’s claim that an action that is not done from the motive of duty has no moral worth since everyone should consider their duty as an individual. The example that the book gave is the retailer who equally charged all his customer the real same price which I can say she is doing his duty as a retailer. She has the duty to act fairly in all his customers. Thus, I can say that she has the moral worth.
3) Some commentators think that the categorical imperative(particularly the first formulation) can be used to justify nonmoral or immoral action. Is this a good criticism?
Certainly yes, I think that commentators have good arguments about categorical imperative. I also think that the first formula can justify if the action of one’s person is morally correct or wrong. It can be a good arguments because after reading the portion of the first formula, the idea that pops out in my head is “is the self-love can be justify as morally wrong because it does not apply as universal law?” But nonetheless, I think it has a good criticism.
Book Review Categorical Imperative
By Immanuel Kant
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law”
This is what categorical mean. We should act on the things which would also apply to all the people. The best example would be the self-love. We should ask ourselves “Can be self-love imposed to all the people?” Then if not, we should not do or commit suicide since it is not applicable. I like this kind of quote because it gives knowledge or wisdom to all the people who will read this chapter. Thus, I can say we should act on the universal laws.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn about categorical imperative. Also, I want to know the ideas of Immanuel Kant regarding categorical imperative. In addition to that, I want to be familiar with all the aspects of categorical imperative.
Review:
This chapter first defines the good will. According to this chapter, it is hard to get what you really wanted in life. But if you have that good will, it would be possible for you to easily picture out the things you want to have. For me, this good will also means good determination. If we are determined and our motive is good, then I can say we can be successful. Others who are not determined in their life is not successful in their chosen career. This can also be bad or harmful with others since sometimes the more people are willed to power, the higher the chance that they will easily have conflicts with other people. If there are gifts of fortune that will appear in our life, it is more easy not to be tempted if you have this kind of good will since you will not be influence and your principle in life will not be modified by the power, wealth, and fame. Because of the principle of good will, it helps us to be away from temptations in life.
This chapter also talks about the motive of duty. A person’s action is sometimes considered as duty, but actually it can be for their self-interest. For example, a retailer sells an item equally the same price with other people. A retailer who has good values does not want to overcharge his customer not because he has a good value or duty, but actually because of the purpose of self-interest.
Categorical imperative means if an action is can become a universal law. For example, a person who wants to commit suicide because of his problems and pains cannot be an action for all the people since there is what they call self-love. Not all people wanted to kill themselves because of their undertakings. Everybody has different principles that cannot be apply to other people. The question is can the self-love be imposed in the society. Certainly, if self-love means to shorten their lives just because they don’t want to experience the pain, then I can say that not all people would agree on it. Even though, we love our lives, still it is not by committing suicide is the best solution for the elimination of pains or distress.
What I’ve learned:
I have learned the meaning of categorical imperative. It means if the action can be a universal law such as the word self-love. Definitely, it cannot be a universal law because not all people are in pains or distress. Then we can conclude that self-love is morally wrong since it cannot be apply to all the people.
In addition to that, I discovered that our actions are for our personal advantage. The best example would be a person who does not have money, but will do his best just to have loans even though he knows that he can’t pay for it. As a citizen, we should fulfill our promise if we say that we will pay him for the specific time. This personal advantage cannot also be a universal law since everyone will give importance in their only self.
Also, I realized that categorical imperative is actually evident in the society since for example a person who gets tired by way of showing his talents cannot be apply as universal law. If that laziness would be apply as universal law, then all people would be lazy. Every man should show his talents.
Integrative questions
1) What is categorical imperative?
2) What does good will mean?
3) What does the formula of the end in itself mean?
4) What is self-love?
5) Can self-love be a universal law? Why or why not?
the nature and value of rights
February 26, 2009
The Nature and Value of Rights
By Joel Feinberg
Review Questions:
1) Describe Nowhersville. How is this world different from our world?
I imagine Nowheresville, a place where each and everyone knows their duty and obligations to one another. I don’t envision a place where it is ugly so I think nowheresvilleans respect each other which is unlikely to happen. Nowheresville is different from our world in a way that in that place there is no imposed rights. Thus, all the people has no claim rights which we have in the real world.
2) Explain the doctrine of the logical correlativity of rights and duties. What is Feinberg’s position on the doctrine?
The doctrine of the logical correlativity of rights and duties means that all duties requires rights and also all rights entails duty. Thus, we can say that rights and duties are the same. Feinberg’s position in the doctrine is in both yes and no. He believed that duties can be rights and duties can be different from rights.
3) How does Feinberg explain the concept of personal desert? How would personal desert work in Nowheresville?
Based on the example given in this chapter, I think personal deserts are way for a person to claim a right. In nowheresville, the students were not obligated to do their best. They are only obligated to perform, not being too less and not being too much. If their performance meets the expectation, they will not claim for rewards of their performance. Students should be happy because they are given rewards. Also, they don’t have rights if they don’t like the rewards. People who have no knowledge of rights will be proud of his own deserts. They don’t have claim rights because they are no imposed rights in Nowheresville.
4) Explain the notion of a sovereign right-monopoly. How would this work in Nowheresville according to Feinberg?
The notion of a sovereign right –monopoly means that if one country self-governed us, we have no right to complain since we are not knowledgeable of our rights. There can be duty of the sovereign to treat us well or treat well the people, but if he harm us, we have no right to complain. It is also said that the sovereign only have sinned to God, but not in us. In a sovereign right-monopoly, he can do all things, and incur obligations or duty toward one another, but this duty is not directly promised to each other, but rather to God only. In nowheresville, this will work because there are no rights and only duties or obligations are imposed.
5) What are claim-rights? Why does Feinberg think they are morally important?
Claim-rights means a person have claim to the rights. For example, a person gets our right, then we can claim by way of complaining that our rights were neglected. I believed that claim-rights are morally important because if we don’t claim our rights, people would abuse us. For example, a person who abuse our rights, if we will not complain about it, then maybe he would repeat it again and again. Claim-rights is important for the people to know that we are equal and should be given equal rights no matter what are our status in life. Also, if we will not talk, they will not know our sides as a person who is victim of the rights.
Discussion Question:
1) Does Feinberg make a convincing case for the importance of rights? Why or why not?
I think Feinberg really made a convincing case for the importance of rights because I have now convinced that rights are important for each of us. Also, making use of Nowheresville, I have realized that having rights make us more knowledgeable on what should we claim to other people.
2) Can you give a noncircular definition of claim-rights?
For me, claim-rights mean that we are given the rights to assert because it is our own rights. We can complain over our rights since it is our own rights.
Book Review The Nature and Value of Rights
By Joel Feinberg
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“We go in search of rights and are directed to claims, and then back again to rights in bureaucratic futility”
I believed that rights and claim are related with each other. If there are rights then we can claim our rights, but if there are no rights, then we can’t claim it. There are laws or rules that are imposed in the society for us to claim and know our rights as an individual.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn the nature and value of rights. Also, I want to know the ideas that made Joel Feinberg different from the rest of the philosophers.
Review:
Joel Feinberg tried to experiment by way of letting the reader imagine the world of Nowheresville, a place where there is no rights, rules or laws. I imagined this kind of place as people who are free, but also has respect to one another which is the difference from the real world where we live.
After imagining Nowheresville, he compares duty and rights. In Nowheresville, everyone has the duty, but the question is “Is there rights if there are duties”? In the next reading, he answered that in a sense yes and in a sense no. I also believed that duty and rights has some correlation with each other. But if we define duty and rights, there are two distinct words that can be related due to some examples. Duty is obligation, responsibility and liability; while rights are things that you have rights like freedom of speech and etc. The difference of duty and rights is for me duty is required, but rights are not required for you as a human being. Feinberg let the reader imagine Nowheresville in order for us to gave importance to the rights and think “What if we don’t have rights?” According to Joel Feinberg, people in Nowheresville does not have moral claim if they are treated unjustly which is maybe good or maybe not good. It depends on who was victim or not.
One thing that strikes me in this chapter is in Nowheresville, the teachers or parents are not obligated to reward their students or children. But in the real world, we are very frustrated if our teachers or parents did not recognize our performance especially if we performed our best. In nowhersville, the students and children were not frustrated. And they will be happy if they will be rewarded by their parents or teachers. But the question is “what if the reward does not meet the expectation of the student in nowhersville”? The answer would be they don’t care as long as they have been rewarded since they have no claim rights or moral claims that in the real world there is.
What I’ve learned:
I have learned that rights are very important. Having rights will give each of us moral claim. For example, a parent neglects his son which should be the right of the son. But if there are no rights like in Nowheresville, then the child does not have moral claim to the parents which is for me is wrong. In a good sense of having no rights will also make us more contented. For example, in nowhersville, the student were not expecting more on rewards or prizes if they have won because they don’t have moral claims which is I think good since they are contented. If there are no rewards and prizes, still the students who do their best is still said to be happy.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the difference of Nowhersville and the real world?
2) What is the relation between duty and rights?
3) What does Joel Feinberg wants to express by way of imagining Nowheresville?
4) What will happen if the world does not have rights?
5) What is the difference of the people living in Nowhersville and the people living in the real world?
taking rights seriously
February 26, 2009
Taking Rights Seriously
By Ronald Dworkin
Review Questions:
1) What does Dworkin mean by right in the strong sense? What rights in the sense are protected by the U.S Constitution?
According to Dworkin view, if a person has the right thing to do, we should not interfere with his action. Thus, we can say that there is respect on the dignity of one’s person. The rights that are covered in the U.S constitution are free speech, equality, due process and etc. These are some rights that the constitution are being protected.
2) Distinguish between legal and moral rights. Give some examples of legal rights that are not moral rights, and moral rights that are not legal rights.
Legal rights are a constitutional right which means they are already stated in the law. While, moral rights are ethical rights that should be respected on one another. The legal rights are following the laws such as if there is a sign of no parking; we should not park our car in that certain prohibition. The example of moral right is to respect one another by way of not interfering to other’s work.
3) What are the two models of how a government might define the rights of its citizen? Which does Dworkin find more attractive?
The first model states that there should be a balance between the individual right and the rights of the government. If the government stops the right to freedom of speech, then it has done wrong in individual’s right. This is said to be false because it is difficult to balance these two components such as the people and the government.
While, the second model states that each and everyone should respect the rights of people. Thus, the government should first understand the rights of the people, while the people should also respect the government. This is the most attractive because this is much acceptable in the society.
4) According to Dworkin, what two important ideas are behind the institution of rights?
According to Dworkin, the two important ideas that are behind the institution of rights are faith and respect. Faith means we should believe that the lawmakers are knowledgeable on the rights we have. They know what moral rights should be considered as part of constitution and what moral rights that should not be considered are. Second is respect. We should respect the law in a way that we should try to avoid to break the law. Even though law is said to be not perfect, we should try to follow the rules or laws that are embarked in the constitution.
Discussion Question:
1) Does a person have the right to break a law? Why or why not?
For me, a person has the rights. Therefore, they have the right to break the law. But first, they should be knowledgeable on laws that they would break since it is their way to defend themselves. Also, each and everyone should be accountable for the actions they did. For example, a person who breaks the law should know the consequences of doing that action.
2) Are rights in the strong sense compatible with Mill’s utilitarianism?
I think the rights that Ronald Dworkin is saying is compatible with Mill’s utilitarianism because according to Mill, utilitarianism means that a person’s right action is based on their happiness. Thus, a person who wants to spend his money is can be considered as his rights because it is still his money. In the same with Mill’s theory, the spending of money is considered as right action because he is happy or enjoying.
3) Do you think that Kant would accept the rights in the strong sense or not?
I think Kant would not accept the rights in the strong sense because Kant believed that it is moral to interfere with other people especially if that person knows that he is in that right position to interfere. While, Dworkin believed that it is not good to interfere with other people’s right.
Book Review Taking Rights Seriously
By Ronald Dworkin
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“Not all legal rights, or even Constitutional rights, represent moral rights against the Government.”
I believed that legal and moral rights are two distinct words. I think the rights of a person are first started in moral rights. After studying moral rights, they will think if they will try to make it legal right or constitutional rights.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn more on the rights and the society. Also, I want to know what does Ronald Dworkin wants to say to the readers especially the citizens of the society.
Review:
The idea of Ronald Dworkin is if a person has the right to do something, we should not interfere to what he is doing. For example, a person wants to play lotto for the rest of his life, we can’t stop his hobby because he has the right to do what he wants to do with his money even though our suggestion is the right thing to do. Also, this chapter says that the right thing to do and saying that someone has the right thing to do is different. We should not interfere of other’s right because it is like stopping them to express their rights. The example of human rights is taken in America, where they have seen that there is a need to let the people express their rights. I think America’s right is very similar to Philippines, wherein we have seen that many people have protested in order to express their ideas and government were trying to stop them. I think this chapter “taking rights seriously” is very important for the government to know that interfering is to stop the people to express their rights. There are many laws that are stated in the constitutional laws, but actually governments do not adhere to it. Also, it is said that Supreme Court does not guarantee us to have a perfect decision or equally judged us, sometimes there are discrepancies that we can’t avoid.
One thing that I was still finding answer is “Does the man have the right to break the law?”. I believed that each of us has the rights. Thus, I can also say that we have the rights to break the law if the law is immoral or wrong. I think it depends to the person if he wants to break the law. I just want to say that he should be in the due process and not by informal protesting that can be viewed as terrorist actions. In addition to that, I think people are knowledgeable on the consequences if they will try to break the law.
What I’ve learned:
I have learned the notion of rights according to Ronald Dworking. He believed that if the person has the right thing to do, we should not interfere with him. I also believed that Ronald has a very good notion of rights. I think we should refrain from doing interfering to one’s work because every people has the right to express their sides even though they are in the wrong side.
Man has the right to express his ideas, but the government has also the right to protect his people. The state only wants to protect anti-riot since majority of the people would be affected if it starts with a person who just express his ideas. I think this is a very good argument.
Integrative questions
1) What are moral rights?
2) What are legal rights?
3) What is constitutional right?
4) What is Dworkin view regarding the rights?
5) What should the government do in order to protect his people?
a theory of justice
February 26, 2009
A Theory of Justice
By John Rawls
Review Questions:
1) Carefully explain Rawls’s conception of the original position.
The original position means that justice depends on the primitive condition of the country. This also means that the person does not know his status, place in the society and etc which strengthen the word justice. This wants to ensure that there is no one who has advantage on someone else and disadvantage because of his status. The understanding of original position is about fairness that each and everyone should have if there is justice.
2) State and explain Rawls’s first principle of justice.
The first principle states that “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.”. Based on the definition, the first principle wants to say that there each and everyone should be equal to one another and all the people have the right to be heard by all people. Thus, no matter what is your status in life, you are given a chance to be heard in the court for your testimony.
3) State and explain the second principle. Which principle has priority such that it cannot be sacrificed?
The second principle states that “Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both reasonably expected to be to everyone’s advantage, and attached to position and offices open to all.”. The second principle is said to apply to the first principle because of the distribution of income and wealth that makes us different among the rest of the people. It is also said that everyone’s income is not need to be equal, but justices must or should be accessible to all the people.
The principle that has priority is the first principle since according to this chapter that the principles of justice’s ordering is based on the priority level since the equality of rights is the first principle, I can say that it should not be sacrificed. The distribution of wealth should be the same with the equal opportunity of one another.
Discussion Question:
1) On the first principle, each person has an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty as long as this does not interfere with a similar liberty for others. What does this allow to do? Does it mean, for example, that people have a right to engage in homosexual?
The first principle allows the people to have basic equal basic rights. Thus, we should have equal opportunity same with other people. When it comes to gender issues, I think there is not much problem especially in this 20th century, when all things are allowed. I believed that each of us should be given rights or opportunities. They should have a right to engage in homosexual even though we are catholic, still there should be equality. We should allow this because there are also human. We should let homosexuals to do what they would like to do as long as it is still not hindering human and moral rights.
Book Review A Theory of Justice
By John Rawls
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“There are surely circumstances in which they fail.”
This refers to the principles of justice. I also believed that the two principles does not apply to all circumstances since there should be a unity in order for us to imposed the principles of justice. Also, it is not in our hands that we can make all the people equal to one another.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn the principles of justice. I want to know John Rawls ideas about the theories of justice.
Review:
The main goal of John Rawls is to present understanding about justice through giving us the principles or theories that are found in justice. There is also so called original position which means the primitive condition of culture. This is a theory so as to know more about justice. One feature in this situation is the person does not know his place or position in the place. He does not know anything which corresponds to having equality among other people. This theory is resembled as the veil of ignorance because the person does not know his status in life which does not give bias. This is fair to both parties and we can say there is the sense of justice if there is the word fairness. Our status sometimes makes us to have an advantage with someone else because we can pay the best lawyer that will help us in our problems. In addition to that, another feature is to think that parties are not interested on each other.
In trying to understand the concepts of justice, one should clearly determine which principles of justice would be chosen in the original position. The first principle aims to have equal basic freedom. The example of this is the right to vote and freedom of speech. The second principle relates to the arrangement of social and economic inequalities. The example would be the income of each individual in the society. These principles are said to be applied in a structure of society. It is also said that the first principle is related with the second principle and vice versa.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there is a problem regarding the second principle which is concerned in the arrangement of social and economic inequalities. The truth is there is really inequalities since some people have more money than someone else. The distribution of income is not the same with one another. We can’t avoid distributing money in a fair way. We can’t use money in order for us to win a case which prohibits fairness to one another. We should avoid being too unjustly when our actions is wrong. Everyone should benefit from the justice which the country has.
Integrative questions
1) What is the first principle of justice?
2) What is the second principle of justice?
3) How does the two principles different to one another?
4) How these two principles do relates to each other?
5) What is John Rawls view regarding ‘A theory of justice”?
the need for more than justice
February 26, 2009
The need for more than justice
By Annette Baier
Review Questions:
1) Distinguish between justice and care perspectives. According to Gilligan, how do these perspectives develop.
Justice perspective means adhering to laws, rules and regulations of the society. While, care perspective means the love, care and etc. Males are more on justice perspective, while female tends to focus on care perspective. These perspectives were developed through moral development which focuses on the development of female and male. As the female and male grows, they have seen that these perspectives are visible in our lives.
2) Explain Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. What criticisms do Gilligan and Baier make of this theory?
Kohlberg’s theory of moral development starts from pre-conventional level to a post-conventional. The example would be when we were starting to went to school and we tried to fit in the community. In order for that child to fit in the group, he used to answer the tests and exams. Gilligan and Baier find out that Kohlberg’s questionnaires are mostly verbal. Thus, it can be fictional. Gilligan believed that the development of female and male are different with each other. Gilligan find out that female’s idea about morality is different with males. They conclude that females are more matured by way of realizing care perspective rather than justice perspective.
3) Baier says that there are three important differences between Kantian liberals and their critics. What are these differences?
The important differences between Kantian liberals and their critics have seen in the chapter. The first was the relationship between equals. The power of the parent and child is different since they should not be equal. But now, we consider teenagers like adults since in some countries, if a child is 18 years old, he or she should be independent from her family. Second is its freedom of choice. It is said that a child can’t choose his family just because she has the freedom of choice. Gilligan find out that women tried to choose if she will abort his child or not and enter to being a mother. Last is the authority over emotions. A parent should not strictly imposed rules if the child can’t follow it.
4) Why does Baier attack the Kantian view that the reason should control unruly passion?
Baier believed that we should not worry about the passions the person have, as long as they can control it. Kantian’s view is that unruly passion tends to less useful when we fill the role of being a parent. It is said that being a father, they should control their violence by way of loving their children. For example, the child failed in the test, the parents especially the father should control even though his focus is on the legal sense. Kantian theories on controlling emotions, rather than on growing desirable emotions are the challenged that Baier wants to attack.
Discussion Question:
1) What does Baier mean when she speaks of the need “to transvalue the values of our patriarchal past”? Do new values replace the old ones? If so, then do we abandon the old values of justice, freedom, and rights?
Based on how I understood it, it means that to replace our values in the past, we should replace with the new value that is based on morality. I don’t think we can’t abandon the values of justice, freedom and rights. I can say that we just replace it by way of improving the values of the old justice, freedom and rights.
2) What is wrong with the Kantian view that extends equal rights to all rational beings, including women and minorities? What would Baier says? What do you think?
Kantian view is wrong in a way that they don’t believe on equalities. I believed that males and females should be equal. Baier also believed that female should be given opportunity same with males.
3) Baier seems to reject the Kantian emphasis on freedom of choice. Granted, we do not choose our parents, but still don’t we have freedom of choice about many things, and isn’t this very important.
Definitely, we have freedom of choice. But I think when morality comes to our life like abortion of our child is still I consider as immoral since a person should be responsible for her action. I believed that we have choice on things which does not have conflicts with morality. But if there is conflict, we should do the right thing to do. Freedom of choice is vital in our lives. That is why we should decide on the right thing to do.
Book Review The need for more than justice
By Annette Baier
Book: Contemporary Moral Problems
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534517242
Quote:
“Since the reality of interconnection is experienced by woman as given rather than freely contracted, they arrive at an understanding of life that reflects the limits of autonomy and control”
I believed that moral development of male and female is different. Males are more viewed as in the violence side compare to female. Since they understand life, they know what is important and that is the care, not by justice.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn the difference of the opinion of John Rawls and Annette Baier. Also, I want to know what other areas or aspects I should know in theories of justice.
Review:
Annette Baier like Gilligan has the same opinion compare to other philosophers. Baier believes that justice perspective is not enough for moral theory. As a woman, she believes that there should be care perspective. She also explains the moral development of woman and compare it with men. We all know that men are focusing on rules, laws and etc which can be recognized as justice perspective, while women are focus on love, care and etc that tends to recognized as a care perspective. As a woman, it is evident that women tend to care like a mom did to her children. Also, it is not only Gilligan and Baier who also agree that there should be care perspective, but also there are male philosophers that agreed to their theories or has the same theories. Gilligan knows for a fact that women are unlikely to take only justice compare to men. The difference of the perspective can be seen in the difference of gender.
Baier points out two evils which are isolations and powerlessness. Isolations means the detachment of loved ones. This is evident if we are put in jail, which makes us isolated from our needs. Second is powerlessness which also means weakness. The two dimension of moral development are to satisfy the community with other people and to aim for the equality. This is evident in our childhood since we went to the school and we tried to fit in the group so that we will not be isolated. I also remember that when I was a child I want to fit in the group and aim for equality among other people.
We all know that blacks and women used justice perspective in order for them to have now position in the society. And they have effectively done it very well since it is evident that there are not only whites who are on the position, but also women and blacks.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that Gilligan’s and Baier’s point of view is different from Kohlberg. According to Kohlberg, moral development starts from pre-conventional level to a conventional level, which there should be a test in order for that person to be accepted in the group. For example, a kid starts to develop his morality in the school. He tried to fit in the group in order for him to be accepted. Also, there are tests so that the kid will perform his best. I also find out that girls are deficient in legal sense compare to males which I believed is also true.
Integrative questions
1) What is the difference between Gilligan’s view and Kohlberg’s view?
2) What is the difference between male and female’s perspective in justice?
3) What is moral development theory?
4) What are the two evils said by Baier?
5) What are the two perspectives?
Chapter 1: The market at the Bottom of the Pyramid
March 28, 2009
Ferline C. Chua March 28, 2009
Third Year BS-IS/ OOA
ITETHIC
Sir Paul Pajo
Book Review
Chapter 1: The market at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Publishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“The bottom of the pyramid aims to help the poor.”
I chose this quote because in this we will see the significance of the Bottoms of the Pyramid. Traditionally speaking, we focus on the rich people who can afford the products that we are selling. We never thought that poor people can be a higher value to our products and services.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn the new strategy of marketing in the bottom of the pyramid. Also, I want to know when the bottom of the pyramid was originated and who are the people first who uses this kind of strategy.
Review:
First, this book discussed who is the person behind this book which is the Fortune of the Pyramid. His name is C.K Prahalad. Because of his experiences in teaching and other fields, he had successfully written several books that he was introduced and recognized to people.
Many businesses always target those who can afford to buy what they are selling which this book does not agree because they believed that poor people have also purchasing powers. The purchasing power is not that small. I believed that because there are many poor people, they are dominant than the rich ones. Because of the wrong conception that rich are only the ones who can be targeted by the big companies, many small companies also believed on that wrong conception. With this, the wrong conception was changed to right thing that is Poor can also represent bigger market in the society.
The question I have before I would know what is the bottom of the pyramid is why is it called bottom of the pyramid. We all know what the structure of the pyramid is. We will see that as soon as we draw the pyramid, the structure becomes bigger and wider compare to the top. The top ones represents the rich people. They are on the top because there are less rich people compare to the dominant poor people which is on the bottom. That’s why this book called as the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid because if we will target poor people as our target market., then we might be successful because not all companies target this kind of people. This chapter wants to suggest if you want to be successful, we should focus not only the top but also the bottom of the pyramid.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned that the businesses who are successful are the ones who are taking the risks. I can say that thinking of new strategy in order to earn profit is so difficult and we must be ready to take the risk if we want to be successful just like other outstanding companies. Since we know that there are many companies that are serving the people, business men should have a new strategy in order for him to get many customers in buying his products and services. I believed that bottom of the pyramid is a new and good strategy since many big companies are targeting and continuing to served the rich or on the top of the pyramid. This book is created in order to see or realized that bottom of the pyramid can be successful.
Integrative questions:
1. What is Bottom of the Pyramid?
2. Who is C.K. Prahalad?
3. Is Bottom of the Pyramid effective or not?
4. Explain what is the concept of the bottom of the pyramid?
5. How does this bottom of the pyramid originated?
Chapter 2: Products and services for BOP
March 29, 2009
Book Review
Chapter 2: Products and services for BOP
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Publishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“Innovation in the educational process is vital.”
I chose this quote because this has deep meaning. A person does not only need to be educated to what he learn, in order for him to be known with his products and services, he must have innovation in order to sell his products which is important for the consumers to support your products.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what are the products and services that would benefit the poor people. Also, what are products and services that would be applicable for the poor people to used in their different lives.
Review:
As more people are affected with the financial crisis, what the businesses can do is to make innovation in order for them to sell their products and services. Nowadays, people are educated in things what to buy and what products is not needed. Because of that, not only the poor people are having problems in finances but also the businesses. Businesses should not stick to the traditional way of doing business. There should be a vertical solution in order for them to capture many markets. What the business can do is to help the poor people to buy only the good quality that they produced. As a business analysis, we should see the factors that would be a problem for the markets to purchase such as the economic problem, people are now too tight and would seldom buy products that would served their needs and wants. The businesses role become different from the previous years because of the decline of economic growth.
This chapter also discusses the twelve principles of the bottom of the pyramid. The twelve principles are price performance, innovation, scale of operations, eco-friendly, functionality, process innovation, deskilling of works, education of customers, designing for hostile environment, distribution or assessing the customer, and challenge conventional wisdom. These twelve principles are important because we can check if the business is doing Bottom of the pyramid. We can see easily if they are really innovative based on the principle that I have discussed. I like the principle because it does not only for the purpose of being innovative but at the same time being economic friendly or contributing to the welfare of the environment which is seldom to do by some of the big and stable companies.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned the twelve principles of the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. I think the principle is effective because we have tried to use it in our analysis of the businesses who are innovative like smart and starbucks. Also, we have seent hat these companies are not only earning for themselves but also contributing for the environment. These 12 principles would guide the companies to improve their processes if they want to be social responsible. Also, this would help the starting the company to focus not only the profit but also the way to help the economy of the country. It is not the money that is important but being a good entity in helping the environment.
Integrative questions:
1. What are the twelve principles of the BOP?
2. Is the 12 principles effective or not?
3. How effective is the 12 principles?
4. Who created the 12 principles?
5. How does these 12 principles relate with the BOP?
Chapter 3: A global opportunity
March 29, 2009
Book Review
Chapter 3: A global opportunity
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Publishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“The BOP can be a source of innovations”
I believed that BOP can be a source of innovation because first of all it is not traditional. The traditional way of doing business is to target the rich people which do not have innovation because you stick to old practices. Also, it is easy to target the rich. Thus, you are not taking risk in business to be successful.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn how the BOP can be a source of innovations. Also, I want to stress the discussions of the chapter two with this chapter like the 12 principles. I want to know if there are companies who are adhering to these principles.
Review:
This chapter stressed out that BOP can be a source of innovation because if you would follow all the twelve principles it will guide you to become a successful business. The principle is very effective because it does not only concentrate to the business but also it focuses to contribute to the environment. I think if the companies would follow the 12 principles, they will not have a hard time reaching to their customer. As a customer, I would choose companies who are also helping the country to be successful. One of the companies that are implementing the 12 principles is Starbucks because of their way of composing. Instead of planting coffees, they reuse or recycle it which eventually helps the environment. As a customer, I would be greatly happy to help the business. While the companies are improving on their products and services, they can also apply innovation to their processes.
This chapter also suggests companies to start a new tactic by way of engaging to the concept of Bottom of the Pyramid. One should consider the fact that poor people can be a target market in order to sell the items. The company should just have a convincing way to approach and encourage the poor people to buy their items.
This BOP is concerned in especially rural places which there is no growth. It is difficult to take this risks since we know that it is hard to reach their places because of their different rural places. Sometimes, the cars and other transportation vehicle can not go to them in order to help them. Thus, we can see that there is a problem to reach them.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned that whatever happening in our society, we should consider it as an opportunity. I believed that because there are financial crisis that are happening in our society, we should now take this opportunity to show what our company can give to those people. We should consider the people who will be also needing us or our products and services. This is our chance to be innovative but at the same time solving the problem of the world which is poverty.
Integrative questions:
1. What are the BOP markets?
2. What is a global opportunity?
3. How would BOP help the society?
4. How will the company used BOP
5. Cite some companies that are using BOP as a strategy.
Chapter 4: The ecosystem for creation
March 29, 2009
Book Review
Chapter 4: The ecosystem for creation
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Publishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“A business system is at the heart of the ecosystem for wealth creation”
I find this more science concepts because there is a word system and ecosystem. I believed that business is the heart of everything since business is important. The businesses does not only earn profit, but also they are the ones who are serving people. Also, a business should adhere to the twelve principles of the BOP
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what the private sector is. Also, I want to know what are the ideas of Prahalad to the ecosystem for creation.
Review:
This chapter discusses the private sector. Based on my understandings, private sector is a social organization that runs in order to help socially and also served its purpose. I believed that this chapter is interesting because we want to know how the ecosystem can create wealth in our life. Everyone wants to become rich and successful to their respective careers. Like what I excerpted some quote in this chapter that “ a business system is at the heart of the ecosystem for wealth creation.” It is said if you want to earn profit go to business. It is not easy to earn money and we know it. One of the purpose of firm is to earn profit. Thus, it is their center or heart.
Private sector is an organization that reach people. It is said that there are three entities which are government, business and the social organization. Social organization is in the center because they don’t have any biasment. They are the ones who solved problems if the customer and the business does not have any agreement. I got this information from Mr. Ben Quinones. He said that businesses wants to charge their customer in a higher price which is normal in order for them to earn more money. But if we are the customers, we want to be charged at a lower price. I believed that this is true. No one wants to be charged at a higher price. No one would give all his money to the firm which is understandable. What the private sector can do is to help these two entities have an agreement. In that, they will agreed on what they like, not higher price and not lower price. They will be both happy. That is the role of the private sector in order to solved issues of the different entities.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned that private sector is essential. Now I realized that the role of private sector is important because it create a market and a good value of the products and services charged by the firm to their customers. What I said earlier in the review is very true. Thus, there should be one who would interact with the customers and the firm in order to understand their own sides. Thus, with a warm approach of social organizations, it is not difficult for the company and the customer to be united. It is difficult to implement unity in the Philippines since everybody is looking only for their self-interest which is again for me normal. Thus, Because of the need of the Filipinos, I think such private sector is needed in the country.
Integrative questions:
1. What is the private sector?
2. What are the roles of the private sector?
3. Can private sector help in an economic sense? In what way?
4. What is ecosystem?
5. How does Prahalad define the business system?
Book Review
Chapter 5: Reducing Corruption: Transaction Governance Capacity
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Pub
A business is said to be doing corruption if they charged their customers at a higher price which is not lishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“Most developing countries do not fully recognize the real costs of corruption and its impact on private-sector development and poverty alleviation”
I think the corruption that this chapter is talking about the businesses men who have big mark up price for their products and services. It is like a corruption because it is like asking the people to give us more money even though the cost is just so small. They are only the ones who are benefited and not the people they served.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn how BOP can help to reduce the corruption in the government. I don’t have any idea as to how the Bottom of the Pyramid be related with the corruption that is happening in the country.
Review:
This chapter is much related with the previous chapter because this is the continuation of the discussion in the chapter four. I think the word corruption means in this chapter is that everybody is concerned for making money. Thus, they forget their purpose of their existence. They forget that they can be social responsible to their customers. The businesses should not only think of earning money, but also they must find a way to help or reach their customer. I am amazed of some companies who are adapting corporate social responsibility. Even though it is not required for them to do it, still I really admire them for adapting to it, One of the companies that I have read that has this kind of CSR is Jollibee corporation. With their outstanding profit, they also help poor people by way of feeding them. Even though it is small, still poor people would admire them. Thus, it would increase good image. I have also read that Jollibee has organization that helping the talented and skilled kids to be educated and literate. Thus, people would likely support the purpose of Jollibee because of their good actions which has a big difference when compare to other companies or corporations.
A business is said to be doing corruption if they charged their customers at a higher price which is so plenty. Like what is happening in the government about Fertilizer scam. They only debated this scam after they have bought the fertilizers already. It is said that fertilizers are charged as very expensive and there are corruption that is happening in that agreement. I think that it does not only affect the government but also us. Instead of paying for the debt of the country, the money they get from our respective tax will be given to the chosen powerful people. And the bad thing about this fertilizers scam is that the businesses had cooperated with this corruption thing. If we think of the BOP, it would result to reducing corruption in the government.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned that businesses can be considered as corrupt if they add greater mark up price which results to burdening the people. Many businesses are thinking of their self-interest by means of letting the poor people to buy what they need. An example that can be apply is the rice. Some would charged it at a higher cost when there is not enough supply. How can they charge the people at a higher cost if they don’t have money to buy what they needed.
Integrative questions:
1) How can the BOP reduce corruption?
2) What is the role of government in this chapter?
3) In what way can the businesses be corrupt?
4) How will we know that a firm is corrupt?
5) How can we stop this corruption?
Chapter 6: Development as Social Transformation
March 29, 2009
Book Review
Chapter 6: Development as Social Transformation
Book: The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Bottom-Pyramid-Eradicating-Publishing/dp/0131877291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234441981&sr=1-1
Quote:
“Development as Social Transformation”
I really like this quote because first of all, this is what we really needed. We need to be developed as a corrupt country. We should transform in a nice country in order for the country to be successful and be known.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn the ideas about development as social transformation. Also, I want to know how will the BOP can solve the problem of poverty.
Review:
This chapter is about being developed as a country. In order to be developed, we must each contribute. It is not only one person who will contribute but also us. I think the reason why we are not developing is because we have no unity at all. We don’t care if the country is corrupt. There will be people who would protest, but also there would people who have no care as if they are not living in that country. I believed that as a citizen in this country, we should be aware of what is happening in the Philippines. Also, I believed that protesting is not the greatest solution for the companies or government to hear our sides. I think more of good communication. This is the problem because we are not given a chance to communicate with them and hear our sides.
In this chapter, it is said that there is this capability in order to become profitable by way of staying or targeting the BOP. But the question is how will we earn money to them and encourage them to buy at our stores. The only thing that they can be forced to buy as is the word innovation. With the advance in the technology, I think it is not hard for us to be innovative. Also, we must think what the poor people needs. They actually needs a cheaper item but has also good quality. They really don’t want to buy items if that product will not last too long. Thus, they are choosy on buying products and services. I have read many articles about BOP. And all this businesses has the same reason why they become successful. I have seen that they uses information system in order to be innovative and also to cut the cost but remain as having the good quality.
What I’ve Learned:
I learned that business can help to transform the country to be successful. The main reason why the country is not successful is the problem about poverty. But if these businesses had contributed by way of implement BOP in their processes, I think it is a great impact for the poor people. Poor people can now choose from the businesses that has cheap prices. They can now afford the items they really need. Thus, they can now budget. With the money they saved, they can used it for their emergency. Thus, it would reduce people who are poor.
Integrative questions:
1) How can the BOP solve the problem of poverty?
2) What is the role of businesses in order to solve this problem?
3) Can they help?
4) What is the impact of businesses who are adapting to BOP?
5) Do you think that it is applicable in the Philippines?
Chapter 1: Ethics and the Information Revolution
By Terrell Ward Bynum
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Computer is changing everything”
I chose this quote because even though this is short, I believed that it is true. This is really happening in these days. Before, computers are for research, but now, they used computers in order to communicate with other people in far flung areas. Computers are not only for communication, research, but also it helps the business to be on top or be successful. This made us realized that computers can not only be for individuals, but also for group of people achieving a common goal. Computer is for everybody. And with computers, everything is possible.
Learning Expectation:
I expect a brief introduction of how the information was formed. I want to know what computers can give to us. In addition to that, I want to strengthen my knowledge about computers, and cyber ethics.
Review:
First, this chapter discusses the importance of using computers. We have seen that because of its existence, we are capable to use its advantages. Also, this chapter discussed how the computers have helped us in different aspects of our life. Before, we know that computers have used in order to make some research, and until now we are trying to filter the information which is relevant because of its numerous information.
This chapter wants to stressed what Moor has said. Moor believed that computer is a universal tool. I certainly agree with it because I have seen that in different places, they make use of computers in their transactions. Computers helped individuals by minimizing the task performed by people in order to do just an activity whereas the computers can also do it efficiently and effectively. I have seen in most businesses that they used systems such as computer in order to make certain activity without a need for more people to hire. That means it is cheaper rather than paying certain individuals to do the task.
If we think about what are we into, we always think of computers, gadgets, and other media tools that greatly influences us. It makes us more knowledgeable in terms of how to made use of other gadgets. And with that, some people tried to be creative by way of making a gadget that everyone would be needing and wanting. Thus, we are already in the knowledge age because of this new information that changed our lives and especially influences the way of our thinking.
With information technology, there are no firewalls meaning we can go without limit. I think that is one of the advantage of having computers and internet nowadays. It does not limit us to what we should have. But it gives us no boundaries at all. We appreciated the open source in the net, because in that we can make use of it without a need of paying for that certain software.
But, I think the disadvantage of having attached with computers if the information technology would fall down. I think everyone would be affected of this if this would happen.
What I’ve learned:
I learned the meaning of computer ethics. We thought that it has broad meaning. But actually, it only deals with a way to analyze and identify the impact of information technology to all the people. There would be pros and cons that the information technology would give to us. There are books like cyber ethics in order for us to know how to solved the issues if that would happen to our workplace, and our own careers.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is James Moor stand in this chapter?
2) Who is Walter Maner?
3) Who is Deborah Johnson?
4) How does Donald Gotterbarn define computer ethics?
5) How does computer helped in our own workplace?
Chapter 2: Ethics Online By Deborah Johnson
April 5, 2009
Chapter 2: Ethics Online
By Deborah Johnson
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Anonymity creates problems of integrity”
I chose this quote because I believed that anonymity actually creates problems of integrity. I don’t upload pictures in other websites that I don’t have security. Also, in creating facebook or multiply accounts, I see to it that only my friends are the ones who can view my account. It is hard during these days for people to hide their self from a stranger because of this kind of trend which is exposing the information to the public.
Learning Expectation:
I expect what does Ethics online mean. Also, I want to know the stand of Deborah Johnson in this controversial issue. Also, I want to know more about Deborah Johnson.
Review:
This chapter introduces how people or government people made use of information technology to make some outstanding speech. First example would be Al Gore. He said that he would build an electronic superhighways for the future. Even though the concept is unique, the bottom line is the government people made use of this in order to caught attention the people. Even they are already traditional, we have seen that they know what computers can do especially nowadays where everybody make some creative systems. Second example was the elected president, Barrack Obama. We have seen that he won because of the donations that each individual contributed and offered to him. That is not difficult to do because you must have only pay pal gateway, computer and that’s it.
This chapter is about online communication. One of purpose of computer and internet is to talk with our loved ones not thinking of their distances. This chapter said that the most disturbing is the human behaviour. Not all people are kind hearted meaning they would not do any bad actions in the web. One of the thing I really hate are the viruses I got from different pcs. I believed that there would be no virus if people would not create viruses. I don’t think that their behaviour is ethical because they would cause harm to people. I was surprised when I read about raped online. I think it is related with the cyber sex. They used webcams in order to sell their bodies to unknown people which is again unethical. They did not realized that it caused harm to themselves.
The more people are using the computers, the more problems and issues evolving in the computers. I think the main solution is to educate the people. Also, I’m doing this kind of reader to educate the one who read this kind of problems especially in computer age.
Deborah Johnson made use of the issues about Anonymity. She believed that it is dangerous. Thus, anonymity should be restricted. But, I think we can’t do anything in this kind of issue. But she believed that we don’t need to eliminate anonymity. Actually being anonymous is not that bad. I think it depends to people who would be anonymous. Sometimes being anonymous has its advantage, but some it would really caused harm to other people.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there are certain moral issues that we don’t need to eliminate. I think we are not capable to eliminate the advantages of using computers such as being anonymous. What we can do is to educate them of being an ethical person while using the means of computers.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is Ethics online?
2) What is Reproducibility?
3) How will we solved the problems of anonymity?
4) What are the three general rules in online ethics?
5) What is the danger of being anonymous?
Chapter 3: Reason, Relativity and Responsibility in Computer Ethics
By James H. Moor
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“We are entering a generation marked by globalization and ubiquitous computing”
Our generation is said to be lucky because we have experiences such globalization like the evolving of computers and many gadgets. When compare to the past there are limitations to what they can do. For example they can only communicate to people face to face. But now we have emails that could help us to reach our loved ones.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what our responsibilities in computer ethics are. Also, I want to know more about reason, relativity and responsibility in computer ethics.
Review:
This chapter discusses about the impact of computing. We can see that every year, there are many gadgets that were introduced and are doing great than the old inventions. It is not recommended for us to change our cell phones every months because every year, there will be new cell phones that businesses offers. We have felt that there are communities in the web. We will not have a problem in knowing certain business because we can seek for their help anytime and everywhere because of the availability of the internet especially in the Philippines. We are lucky because Philippines is also one of the countries who are technologically minded. We are aware of the impacts of this kind of new information technology because of that we don’t have a problem regarding on how to use it and the reason to use it. In Philippines, there are no limitations to what we can view compare to other countries.
One of the stories that caught me attention is the recently news about Northern California. It was broadcasted that one sixth of the phone calls didn’t connect because of the extensive use of internet. People can’t live without internet. Surfing in the internet, blogging, updating their social networks, emailing to a friend is their routine activities each day. Most people loved to used internet. Because of how the people used it as their daily routine, this chapter strongly believes that ethical theories should be raised in order to eliminate unethical actions in the web.
This chapter also talks about routine ethics position and cultural relativism. This chapter said that “Routine ethics makes computer ethics trivial and cultural relativism makes it possible”. I also believed in that phrase. Routine ethics make it more trivial because we have seen that some ethical problems does not only exists in the web but actually in other fields. For example being a professional person. In the web, there are policies that we should act in accordance of being professional such as not creating worms, or viruses that would greatly affect the user of the web. Also, in other fields such as being scientist. They are grounded by the fact that they should invent certain things based on what the people needs, and not what the people would not like to have.
What I’ve learned:
This is my first time to hear about routine ethics position. Based on how I understood it, it means that ethical problems in web don’t have any difference with ethical problems in other fields. I have seen that some of the ethical problems that are in the web are also seen in the other fields. The way to solved the problem is the only difference of the ethical problems in the web and other fields.
Another term which I learned is cultural relativism. Actually that term is already discussed in our class. I was able to make connections of what I learned regarding cultural relativism in the class and in this chapter. There are certainly rules and regulations in each of the countries. Every countries has its own different way to judged if it is wrong or right. If you are on that country, you should know what your responsibilities are as a citizen of that country.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is Routine ethics position?
2) What is Culture relativism?
3) How does the author characterize computers?
4) What does the author mean when he says that computers are informationally enriching?
5) What are the examples of information enriching?
Chapter 4: Disclosive Computer Ethics By Philip Brey
April 5, 2009
Chapter 4: Disclosive Computer Ethics
By Philip Brey
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Self-governance is required for self realization”
I chose this quote because I believed that this is right. We should govern ourselves in order to realized what we should do as an ethical person.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what disclosive computer ethics mean. Also, I want to know who is Philip Brey and his stand regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter discuss the importance of having disclosive computer ethics. According to this chapter, disclosive computer ethics is concerned about the values of the people with the use of computers or information technology. What the author wants is to introduce disclosive computer ethics. Disclosive computer ethics is said to be similar with the mainstream computer ethics. Main stream computer ethics is the standard model of applied ethics. It is used already in the applied ethics.
What is good about disclosive computer ethics is that it focuses on controversial issues than the technology used since we can’t do anything in order to eliminate technology. Also, there would be moral theories in order to solve the controversial issues. But, this disclosive computer ethics should not focused on the theory itself. There are four key values that this disclosive computer ethics should tackle such as justice, autonomy, democracy, and privacy.
Disclosive Computer Ethics would require the need for multi-disciplinary It is called multi level disciplinary because it has many levels. First level is what they call disclosure level. It is the initial stage wherein some computer systems is analyzed if it will have any conflict with privacy and justice. Second level is called theorethical stage. Jim Moor believed that changing of setting in any kind of application would eventually yield moral values. I also agree with this because in every social network I have, I see to it that only my friends can accessed my information or my page. No one can give comments if they are not my friends or relatives. Programmers should make sure that privacy of individual people should be maintained and secured from a strange person. With changing the settings, it gives us security that our information will be kept by the administrators of the application. The most issue that the philosophers want to solved is the problem regarding privacy. There would be conflicting sides because in the net, everything should be remain as public. What should the programmers do? To create software that would enable privacy or make it public to all the people. With theories, programmers would learn what to do in that situation. Third is application level which means how the programmers would apply what they learned regarding their ethical values.
What I’ve learned:
I learned more about the concepts of disclosive computer ethics. Also, I learned the difference of disclosive computer ethics with the mainstream computer ethics. In addition to that, I learned the multi-level disciplinary areas of this disclosive computer ethics. Moreover, I learned the key values of this computer ethics such as justice, democracy, autonomy and privacy. I think these four areas are important for us to realize it while making use of information technology.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is disclosive computer ethics?
2) What is mainstream computer ethics?
3) What are the three steps of mainstream model?
4) What are the four key values of disclosive computer ethics?
5) What are the multi-level disciplinary areas of disclosive computer ethics?
Chapter 5: Gender and Computer Ethics
April 9, 2009
Chapter 5: Gender and Computer Ethics
By Alison Adam
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“I can resist everything except temptation”
This quote points out the difference of men and women. The author, Alison Adam strongly believes that the women can resist everything except temptation. Women are able to distinguish easily what is right and wrong when compare to men. But there are not sufficient studies that would support this basis. The bottom line is that women have good behaviour.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know how the gender was related with computer ethics. Also, I want to know who is Alison Adam and her stand regarding this issue. In addition to that, I will be happy to know the difference of men and women when it comes to decision making in ethical concerns.
Review:
This chapter discusses two major issues regarding gender and computer ethics. First is the problem of women’s access to computer technology. I believed that this is not a problem in the Philippines because we are in the democratic place and there is no discrimination when it comes to all the women. For some countries, this is a big problem because they believed that men are important than women. Even though it is already traditional, some other countries does not support this kind of equality between men and women. I will just based this problem in some other countries since this is not applicable in the Philippines.
Second problem is if there are differences between men and women in making decisions and judgements in information technology world. Based on this, I like this second problem since every people has its own judgment and sometimes it is because of their gender. The decisions of men would differ from the decisions of women.
The issue about gender problems are already decreasing because we are now aware of the people around us. We know that we have no right to judge other people because of their gender. What I really don’t like is how the people before treat women as more minority than men before. I think with information technology, it enables us to be aware of the capabilities of women. Based on how I observed in the working place, IT consultants are not only men, but also there are women. They are given a chance to show their skills in this kind of field, Information Technology. I really appreciate the fact that because of the globalization and the computer has been developed; many females were now given an opportunity to be the same with men which means that there are no discriminations.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there is not enough theory regarding the gender issues in computer ethics. The studies that the author discussed in this chapter are not related with each other. It is difficult to study this chapter because of its unauthorized theory. Philosophers will have a hard time to based their judgment with the existing theories since it is said that there is lack of theory to support the issue.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is the difference between ethical decisions and ethical processes?
2) What is “a plea for feminist ethics”?
3) What is the two strand of gender and computer ethics?
4) What is quantitative research methodology mean?
5) What is qualitative research methodology mean?
Chapter 6: Is the Global Information Infrastructure a democratic technology?
By Deborah Johnson
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Hammers, like all technologies, are polypotent in their social functions, effects and meanings. ”
This quote addresses us that hammers are only things. Hammers are the same with other invention tools. It depends to the person how he will used the hammer with his embedded values. What the hammer would only do is to do his function and meaning as a thing.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what the title itself means. Also, I want to know what is the global information infrastructure mean, if it is the information technology. This is my second issue to read the stand of Ms. Deborah Johnson. I hope that I would learn in this chapter and succeeding chapter.
Review:
My understanding about global information infrastructure is right that it also means information technology. My answer to the title is yes, the global infrastructure is a democratic technology. I believed that all of us would agree on that issue. It does not limit us to certain things we know, or place we are physically living, but it enables us to learn in the net and reach other countries by not doing it physically. Because GII or global information infrastructure gives us democracy, it means that it creates values.
The infrastructure that we know is entertainment, banking, shopping and etc. But with the GII, the infrastructure was recreated in order to have a touch of technology. We can withdraw without any banks, since there are available atm machines around the malls. First, we would think how was the atm machines related with information technology. If we think how the atm machines processed, we would now see that there is a bigger portion of programs in that system. Without any new technologies, we cannot build an atm machines that would support our needs or wants.
If there are advantages of having democracy in the web, there would also be the disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is privacy. Because it creates us democracy, people are not concerned of the people’s feeling if they always looked that certain person page. We have no limitations. Thus, we don’t care to view any pages without their permissions. We even stalk to a person and that is the problem about privacy. In order to solve this issue, that person should think what should be exposed to public and what things to remain as private.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that before, philosophers believed that there are no embedded values in technologies. I also think before that this is right since technologies are not able to understand, feel and think which makes it differ from human behaviour. They strongly believe that the technology will have a value if the people will already used the technology. But if no one would use it, there would be no values attached to it. The best example of technology is guns. Certainly guns should not be given values since it can harm or protect people’s lives It is not the guns who will decide on what he will do, but it is in the humans hand. Thus, that belief is certainly right because there would be value if people would used it and it depends to the person on what he will do in the guns. Guns actually created to protect people, but not to kill the people. That’s why philosophers called technology as value-neutrality.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is value-neutrality mean?
2) Do technologies have embedded values? Why and why not?
3) What are the two claims in STS?
4) What are the properties of technology?
5) What are the two claims of Winner regarding technologies having values?
Chapter 7: Applying Ethical and Moral Concepts and Theories to IT Contexts: Some Key Problems and Challenges
April 9, 2009
Chapter 7: Applying Ethical and Moral Concepts and Theories to IT Contexts:
Some Key Problems and Challenges
By Frans Birrer
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Responsibilities inside institutions are often defined in an unstransparency made.”
This quote means that institutions like schools have responsibilities to educate the students what should each of them be doing in their definite career. Because of not educating them, it would result for the students not to know what ethical principles they should apply in given situation.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn about the key problems and challenges in IT contexts. Also, I want to know the sides of Frans Birrer and his similarities and differences from other authors in this book, cyberethics.
Review:
This chapter suggest three conditions in order to apply moral concepts in IT context. First is we must know to what kind of questions such concepts and theories can be applied, and to what they cannot. Second, we must know the limitations of specific concepts and theories. Third is we must have sufficiently knowledge of the domain to which we want to apply them.
This chapter also tackles about the role of experts. It is also said that some experts taken for granted their ethics values because of its broad scope. Some experts are confused to what they can do because of its large scope which makes it difficult for the experts to apply their ethics. There are actually principles in ethics such as ACM code of ethics. I really like the ACM code of ethics than other code of ethics because it is lesser compare to other principles. Also, the ACM code of ethics is more specific and easy to understand for the purpose of letting the experts comprehend in that certain principles.
One of the articles that I really like in this chapter is about the expert who is not really expert in that given project. Also, the client who is ignorant when it comes to technical stuff. They expert would actually suggest any information technology that would help the clients and hide the truth that he knows nothing about the project. No one would admit that they cannot do it, if the other partner would not know that the expert is not really expert in that project. The result of that is having a bad outcome of information technology. What the clients needed are not the ones that the expert had been given. Nowadays, many users were victimized because of the experts who are not thinking of the ethical practices that he should embody.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that in the career world, there are problems such as a question of the ethical values embodied by group of experts. It is seldom to see that there are great experts who have also right values when it comes to work. They have a problem to decide in what actions they should be doing when compare to people who have great principles learned from their respective schools. It is so sad to learn that experts are not really expert when it comes to situations that will decide them what to do such as doing the right action or wrong action. It is in their hands to actually do their action. But this chapter says that every action has its consequences. We should know what is right from wrong so that the consequences is also rewarding to us. There are institutions like schools that would teach us what to do in certain scenarios in our chosen path, but it would be in our own behaviour what to do.
Integrative Questions:
1) Give one of the roles of experts when it comes to computer ethics?
2) What is “demarcation of computer ethics” means?
3) What are social issues in computing?
4) How would you distinguish ethics in a narrow sense and broader sense?
5) What is the most disturbing fact in this chapter?
Chapter 8: Just Consequentialism and Computing
April 9, 2009
Chapter 8: Just Consequentialism and Computing
By James Moor
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The ends do not justify using unjust means.”
This quote means that we should use just approach like just consequentialism by James Moor. We would know the consequences of our actions if we based the approach of having just. Sometimes, good can be bad because it may be good for us, but actually it is bad for other people. We should not only think ourselves but being just with other people.
Learning Expectation:
This my second time to hear about just consequentialism. I also met that term when I was having reviews in contemporary moral problems. And I also find out that the person who wrote about just consequentialism is also the author in this chapter, James Moor. But nonetheless, I’m expecting to learn more about just consequentialism.
Review:
This chapter discuss the importance of having just cosequentialism as a theory. James Moor believed that just consequentialism is a practical theory and is a good approach to ethical problems in computer ethics. I also agree with his point. We should think if it is just with the other people.
James Moor suggest that we should develop computing policies that would be just with all the people. We should not think to only the ones who will need to benefit, but we should consider all the people who will be affected by our system. The best example would be in creating principles like ACM code of ethics. If we are on the top management, we should not only concern with the other top management position, but also the people who is surrounding the company.
James Moor also introduced the article about the good as the enemy of just. The story is about the company who wants to market their services by giving out to people’s personal information. If we are in that company, we should think of the feelings of the people who will be used in order to send this personal information. That would be conflict with privacy since no one wants to send to all the people the relevant and personal information of them. The article is entitled as the good because in the short run, it is overwhelming to see that many people supported it since everyone wants to know relevant information about a certain person. But in the long run, it would caused unhappiness to people who will be victim in that marketing strategy. The just consequentialist people would first know that the marketing strategy of selling personal information is bad. Having a good principle that would support just consequentialism is right in order not to have biasment with other people.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that the good becomes the enemy of the just. The example that I stated in the review is about the selling of personal information of people by companies who wants to earn profit. For them it is good since they can achieve their goals by earning profit. But the people who would be used in order to sell the items will be unhappy. Thus, it is unjust. Sometimes good becomes the enemy of the just because of this example. The difference of being unjust and just is that if our policies is unjust, it would actually create goodness in the company for a short term. But if our policies are just, then the company would run in a long way without a need to hurt other people.
Integrative Questions:
1) Explain the ends do not justify any means that harm people.
2) Do you agree on that first integrative question? Why and Why not?
3) Do you believed in having just consequentialism as an approach?
4) What does “computing in uncharted waters” mean?
5) What is the enemy of just?
Chapter 9: The Internet as Public Space: Concepts, Issues and Implications in Public Policy
April 9, 2009
Chapter 9: The Internet as Public Space:
Concepts, Issues and Implications in Public Policy
By Jean Camp and Y.T. Chien
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“No universal service for schools or libraries that fail to implement a filtering or blocking technology for computers with internet access”
I really agree with this quote because in my school, they would implement a blocking technology in order for us not to play games while inside the laboratory. We can only access the proper content websites. Schools never forget to filter the relevant information from the improper information in order to educate the students while surfing the internet using the school’s internet service.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn more about the concepts of internet. Also, I want to know more about Jean Camp and Y. T. Chien. I want to know how these two great people define internet and address the issues about public policy.
Review:
This chapter talks about internet. In the past, there is a debate about what is Internet or what its role in the society is. They are having a hard time to really define internet because it is broad or general. These two authors suggest that internet is more than multi-media. The four media types are publisher, distributor, broadcast, and common carrier. Internet is associated with multi media because internet tackles all the four types of multimedia. First, users can distribute any items in the web. Second, any user can broadcast any information he wants to address to people. Third,users can be carrier of the author and the reader. Last is publisher. There are many websites that offers us to publish our article and videos. With the advancement of technology, internet is more of the multi-media.
Surfing in the internet is like going to mall, walking in the park, sitting in a bench. These activities ask for physical space in public domain. We are part of the world. Thus, we are asking for space and to use it. The only difference is surfing in the internet is recently new trend. Sometimes, we want to be part of the community in order for us to be heard and to take part of it.
This chapter also discuss the opportunities and barriers we have with the internet. The internet provides 24/7 for people to have convenience. The only problems of schools in providing the students access with such students is to how to provide proper content websites. They don’t want to let the students just play games, visit porn sites, or anything that is not related with the subject matter.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that educators were also threatened with the availability of internet. One should consider not to depend much on the use of internet because it would threaten the essence of teaching. Even though you are not going to school, you can learn from the internet. But actually, I believed that interney is also self-learning tool. It will helps us to figure out to ourselves without a need for asking for people to help us. Also, with minimal cost of accessing relevant information, everyone would consider to research in the internet than scanning books in the libraries.
Also, I learned the primary problems of the internet in a university. We would consider what to focus if it would be to control the information by way of filtering the proper information, it will have a conflict with individual’s freedom. There are universities in order for us to learn, and give us the proper education. Thus, I understand the reason why schools are filtering the relevant information from improper information.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is the stand of universities in accessing the internet?
2) Do you agree that any fields should consider to access the web?
3) Do you agree that there should be a way to filter information in schools? Why and Why not?
4) What is the four types of multi-media?
5) How would you define internet?
Chapter 10: The Laws on Cyberspace
April 9, 2009
Chapter 10: The Laws on Cyberspace
By Larry Lessig
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Cyberspace is unavoidable, and yet cyberspace is unregulable”
This means we can’t avoid cyberspace. Every nation has its own laws in order to minimize what would happen in the use of internet. Cyberspace is also called as unregulable because even though there are laws in accordance with cyberspace, still we cannot fully enforce that law. Also, even though there are policies, still it is not in our hands to stop the people and let them behave in a proper manner.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn what are the laws in cyber space. Also, I want to know who is Larry Lessig and his ideas regarding laws in cyber space. In addition to that, I want to connect what I learned before to this chapter.
Review:
There are four constraints that this chapter discusses. One of the constraints is law. Every actions should be accordance with the law. The law provides us the rules and regulations we need to follow or else there would be corresponding consequence, if we violated the law. Law is essential in the country in order for the people to be disciplined and know their limitations as a person.
Second constraint is the social norm. The social norm acts the guide for the people to be similar with other people. One person will not make himself funny or come out using pajamas because people might laugh at him. It is not normal if a person would go out wearing pajamas. It is what they call as social norms.
Third constraint is market. They are the ones who regulate what the company would provide. They would think if their offered products and services will be benefited by the customer. The higher the demand of the people to buy the product, the higher the price will rise. Thus, market are the ones who demand the price because they are the ones who will consume the products.
Last constraint is nature or architecture. The problem is that we are physically limited in our world. We can’t reach other places easily. I cannot see what is happening on my neighbour house if there is a wall that acts as barriers between the two houses.
These four are all constraints in the real world and also in the cyberspace. Cyberspace is the world where everyone is connected with the use of internet and information technology. It is said that it is difficult to monitor the people who will buy certain items in the cyber space, while in the real world, it is easy to see if that person could buy that certain items. The example would be the porn magazines that should not be distributed to kid. But with internet, a kid can just search it and he can now get what he needed which is I believed the government cannot regulate.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that laws are difficult to regulate in cyber space. Even though some social networks require a person to be 13 years old in order for him to register for his account, still there is no assurance that the person who is signing up is 13 years old. We can’t monitor the person which is the biggest constraint in the cyber space. It is easy to hide yourself in cyber space, which is hard thing to do in the real world.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is the connection between the events of Russia and cyberspace?
2) What are the four constraints in cyberspace?
3) How can you differentiate the real space and cyber space?
4) Is there any laws that can monitor the people to access the proper websites?
5) What would the government do regarding the issue about cyber space?
Chapter 11: Of Black Holes and Decentralized Law-making in Cyberspace
By David G. Post
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“In cyberspace, we must understand how code regulates”
This means that we should also know how the program works. The user should not only used the application, but should try to understand its processes. It is not only the programmer who would think of the codes, but also the users who will use its benefits.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn what a black hole is and decentralized law making. Also, I want to know the sides of David Post regarding this chapter.
Review:
This chapter tackles the story about the incident that happened in a professor name Tom Field. The email address of the professor was listed in the RBL or Realtime Blackhole List. The professor was rejected to send a mail to his recipient because this RBL thinks that the email address is a spam. Thus, he would not allow this spam to transfer the message to the recipient. Before he would successfully transfer the message, the server of the recipient would look if the email address is listed in the RBL. Thus, he is unable to send any messages even though it is not really a spam. The question that was raised is why should there be a RBL? There should be a RBL in order for the recipient not to received any spams from other senders. But the problem is it is not reasonable means to address the problems of spams.
The author wants to say that there are really problems in cyberspace. But this author reminds us not to suggest a proposal if it would be messy and chaotic just like the RBL. Even though RBL has its own purpose that is to eliminate spams, still it is not effective since of this incident happened to the professor named Tom Field. There should be a policy making, but this author suggest that it should be effectively planned so that there would be no incidents that would occur just like this. If we would just recommend a good proposal, the internet would be stable and the people can used its full functionality without a need to get angry or be impatient in using the internet. Each of us should contribute what we know in order to have a centralized decision making.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there is a need to centralized the decision in order to have a better decision. Also, we are the ones who are using the internet, thus we should take care of it. We should avoid to make RBL that is not effective for everyone to use. We should first plan our actions if it would be for the betterment of the users. And stop what we are proposing if it would make the internet more unstable.
I learned the incident happened to Mr. Tom Field. This is my first time to hear that incident. This would helped me to realized the importance of proposing an application. And think first of the people who will be affected with this kind of system.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is RBL?
2) What is the problem regarding RBL?
3) Is RBL effective? Why or Why not?
4) What does Post mean of decentralized decision making?
5) What is better decentralized or centralized decision making?
Chapter 12: Is Cyberspace burning?
April 9, 2009
Chapter 12: Is Cyberspace burning?
By Ray Bradbury
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The only other way to rate these areas of cyberspace would be to rate entire chatrooms or news group rather than individual messages.
I think in order to implement any changes, the people should also be asked if they would like to implement the changes before implementing it. Since the people are the ones who use the internet, they should be the one to decide if they would want a group if people to regulate the contents in the cyberspace.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know why the author ask that kind of question, “Is cyberspace burning”. I want to know what facts he learned about cyberspace. I think this is new and I would learn many things from this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is entitled as “Is cyberspace burning?” because the author believes that there would be people who would proclaim to censor information that is very vulgar. One of the people who would do that is the government because they are also concern of people who would fight back to them. Also, they are concerned of people who follow what these people have published. Writing a book and publishing an article in the internet is a very powerful tool because it sometimes persuades the reader to join them and tempt them to make rebellions. This is what the government does not want to do. Actually this article is already happened in other countries, they are finding a way to censor vulgar words in the net. Many Protestants would not like these since this would be against the freedom of speech. If there would be a law that would prevent the people to publish harmful words in the net, it would cause for people to be limited to what they should be saying.
Before there is also a law that prevents people to published an article in the books if it is against the government. They burned the book in order not to spread it. This is what the author is concerned about if the cyberspace would also be burned. But his answer regarding the title is “No, cyberspace is not yet burned”. He believed that if there is already smoke, there can be fire which is he believed soon cyberspace will be burned. If that would be the case, it would be against the essence of having cyberspace. The importance of cyberspace is to give the people freedom to talk, join the community and discuss certain issues.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that cyberspace should not be censored, filtered or manipulated because it will just ruin the essence of having cyberspace. If the cyberspace would be burned, the internet will become homogenize meaning regulated by a group of people.
Also, I learned the six reasons why self-rating schemes are wrong for the internet. After I read this chapter, I can’t imagine what the internet would be look life if there would be people who would regulate the information coming in and coming out of different websites. I think many people would not used internet if it would happen since no one wants to be forced to certain limitations.
Integrative Questions:
1) What are the six reasons why self-rating schemes are wrong?
2) Is cyberspace burning?
3) Do you agree to have the content be censored in the cyberspace?
4) Who are the ones who will regulate the information?
5) What is the negative effect that would happen if there would be people who would regulate the information?
Chapter 13: Filtering the Internet in the USA:
Free Speech Denied?
By Richard S. Rosernberg
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“We’d rather block more than less”
I chose this quote because I believed that this is true. It is more better to block websites that would cause harm to people, rather than not regulating or blocking any websites that would cause harm to other people. Sometimes with the use of internet, kids who should not be given access, are given access in the school. Thus, will create more harm to people because of not regulating.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know the importance of this chapter. Also, I want to know what is the difference of this chapter with the previous chapter. In addition to that, I want to know more about Richard S. Rosernberg and his ideas regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter discussed the definition of filtering or blocking software. This chapter suggests there should be a way to filter in school in order to monitor what the people can only do. The features of blocking are oversimplification, overbreadth, feasibility, subjectivity, full disclosure and security. First is oversimplification which means that the blocking system should distinguish the relevant information from improper information. Overbreadth means the filter system should also see to it that the exclude information will not be used by the students in their projects. Feasibility means the system should describe its contents by way of easy to imagine. Subjectivity means the rating system should be subjected. Thus, everyone should self-rate the blocking system. Full disclosure means that there should be no other way around in order for the student to see the blocked websites. Last is security. This means that parents should also agree to protect the children to the maliscious websites in the internet.
This chapter discussed the essence of filtering. The reason of filtering or blocking website is for me is right because in order for students to learn and focus attention to their teacher, there should no temptations such as playing online games that is not relevant with the subject matter. Thus, blocking of websites in any laboratories or schools is allowed because that is one of the essence of the school – to educate the people.
The story about a group of people filed a lawsuit in America was also discussed in this chapter. The libarary staff had to download the x stop, a filtering software in order to blocked websites which is irrelevant. What this group of parents did is to file a lawsuit because that X stop actually blocked all the websites which the students is needing.
What I’ve learned:
I learned the conditions which David Jones implemented in filtering information. First condition suggest that the specific websites should be approved by the Library Board since he knows what is better for the students. Second condition is the implementation of the censorship website should be controlled by the library staff which is accountable. Just like in the laboratory, there are assistants in order to implement the censorship. Third condition is the blocked websites should have corresponding reason why it was filtered. The example would be if the website allows the student to play games then he would respond by saying that it is a game and he need to regulate it so that the students would pay attention to the lessons rather than playing games online. Last is the members should be entertained if they want to reconsider the website to remove in the blocked list. Sometimes the laboratory does not know that the information is really needed by the student. The example would be facebook. We all know that it is a social network, but actually the facebook apps which is in the facebook is needed in order to learn something or make an application in the facebook.
Integrative Questions:
1) What are the features of filter system?
2) How would you define filter system?
3) Do the libarians have the right to blocked websites which is not relevant?
4) What is your idea regarding the issue of blocking?
5) What can the parents do in order for them to guide their children in the use of internet?
Chapter 14: Censorship, the Internet and the Child Pornography Law of 1996 By Jacques N. Catudal
April 13, 2009
Chapter 14: Censorship, the Internet and the
Child Pornography Law of 1996
By Jacques N. Catudal
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The law is devastating the lives of very good people”
This means that laws are not effective just like CPPA. Sometimes it creates harm to people which is the opposite that a law should do.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know the importance of this chapter. Also, I want to know what is the difference of this chapter with the previous chapter. In addition to that, I want to know more about Richard S. Rosernberg and his ideas regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter talks about the agreement that was created in order to prevent the children to buy certain pornographic material. But with internet, it would be very hard for the government to secure the agreement. This is the concern or problems of the government into how would they prevent the children to read pornographic materials in the web.
The reason as to why the government does not want the child to see a prornographic material is because the government does not want that the minor to engage in sexual conduct. Because of his immature thinking, he would think that sex is good and he should try it. Without any pornographic materials that a certain minority will not look will not cause for him to try it out.
The amended law is called child pornography prevention act or CPPA. It aims to protect the child from those child pornography. The court finds the CPPA not effective since the court believed that targeting the regulation is the effect of pornography to a child, which is said to be not the nature of the pornographic material. One of the example is an anime generated character. It is not a human being. Thus, they should be exempted in CPPA.
Second is CPPA’s protection are inadequate. CPPA does not discuss the adult people who would reveal their body in the internet. The point in this is the adults have the right to protect them from embarrassment same with the minority.
Last is CPPA can harm the minors. Everyone does not want that there would be certain people who would look at them, each and everyday and monitoring what they do. Minors want some trust be given to them so that they would not rebel.
What I’ve learned:
The government has the right to filter out the pornographic websites since a child can access it easily without a guardian, parent, teacher at his side. Even though it is against the freedom, I believed that it is the right thing to do because if a child will be faced by controversies about sex, he would likely to do it. I think what the government can do is to amend a law which prohibits a person to make a website that would show some pornographic scenes. What we can do as an IT person is not to make any pornographic websites that would encourage a child to try it out.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is CPPA?
2) What are the three problems about CPPA?
3) What can you say about the pornographic issue?
4) How would you know that the amended law is effective?
5) What should the government do?
Chapter 15: Censorship, the Internet and the Child Pornography Law of 1996 By Jacques N. Catudal
April 13, 2009
Chapter 15: Censorship, the Internet and the
Child Pornography Law of 1996
By Jacques N. Catudal
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The law is devastating the lives of very good people”
This means that laws are not effective just like CPPA. Sometimes it creates harm to people which is the opposite that a law should do.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know the importance of this chapter. Also, I want to know what is the difference of this chapter with the previous chapter. In addition to that, I want to know more about Richard S. Rosernberg and his ideas regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter talks about the agreement that was created in order to prevent the children to buy certain pornographic material. But with internet, it would be very hard for the government to secure the agreement. This is the concern or problems of the government into how would they prevent the children to read pornographic materials in the web.
The reason as to why the government does not want the child to see a prornographic material is because the government does not want that the minor to engage in sexual conduct. Because of his immature thinking, he would think that sex is good and he should try it. Without any pornographic materials that a certain minority will not look will not cause for him to try it out.
The amended law is called child pornography prevention act or CPPA. It aims to protect the child from those child pornography. The court finds the CPPA not effective since the court believed that targeting the regulation is the effect of pornography to a child, which is said to be not the nature of the pornographic material. One of the example is an anime generated character. It is not a human being. Thus, they should be exempted in CPPA.
Second is CPPA’s protection are inadequate. CPPA does not discuss the adult people who would reveal their body in the internet. The point in this is the adults have the right to protect them from embarrassment same with the minority.
Last is CPPA can harm the minors. Everyone does not want that there would be certain people who would look at them, each and everyday and monitoring what they do. Minors want some trust be given to them so that they would not rebel.
What I’ve learned:
The government has the right to filter out the pornographic websites since a child can access it easily without a guardian, parent, teacher at his side. Even though it is against the freedom, I believed that it is the right thing to do because if a child will be faced by controversies about sex, he would likely to do it. I think what the government can do is to amend a law which prohibits a person to make a website that would show some pornographic scenes. What we can do as an IT person is not to make any pornographic websites that would encourage a child to try it out.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is CPPA?
2) What are the three problems about CPPA?
3) What can you say about the pornographic issue?
4) How would you know that the amended law is effective?
5) What should the government do?
Chapter 16: Internet Service Providers and Defamation: New Standards of Liability By Richard A. Spinello
April 13, 2009
Chapter 16: Internet Service Providers and Defamation:
New Standards of Liability
By Richard A. Spinello
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The internet itself has the potential to become a defamation prone zone”
I agree with this quote since a person would write what he wants in the internet without anyone controlling or commanding him what to do. In internet, we have respective voice that everyone can hear us. With internet, it gives us freedom to speak what we want to say with everyone else. Thus, it can become a defamation prone zone.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn more about internet service provider. I want to know if they are accountable in and liable in giving right and proper contents in the web. If ever, are there are legal laws if one internets service provider does not give what is expected.
Review:
This chapter talks about what is the role of internet service provider. As we all know, ISP means to give individuals access to the internet. There are many questions raised such as if they are liable if an individual defames someone else through internet? If this question will be answered by me, I think ISP is not liable in that situation because first of all the ISP can’t control people not to talk or is against with the freedom of speech. Also, I believed that ISP’s role is to give individuals access to internet meaning, they should not be liable if a certain person would utter bad words. Also, the essence of having internet will be ruined or destroy if ever the ISP will control it.
This chapter discuss the actual case wherein an ISP firm won the case. The ISP is CompuServe while the one who appealed is the Cubby Inc. CompuServe was accused of disseminating an electronic newsletter with illegal contents. But the Court justified that the CompuServe is just a distributor meaning they should not be liable. The examples of distributors are libraries and book stores. They are the ones who distribute books, cds, dvds and etc to the people, even though the book is plagiarized, still they are not liable since they are not the creator of the work or book. This chapter suggest that publisher, common carrier and distributor are different with each other. If the ISP is a publisher, then he would be liable to his service. If the ISP is a common carrier, he would be liable if he does nothing such as stopping the defamatory message. If the ISP is considered as distributor, then it would depend if the distributor is a magazine or newspaper.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there are actual studies conducted by some great philosophers as to know if the ISP is accountable or liable in defamatory messages in the web. Also, there are actual cases such as CompuServe vs the Cubby Inc. But I think now, there are no appealed cases in the Philippines like the giving example. For me, it is not the ISP should be studying if they are liable, but the ones who are publishing the real stories they made or they typed in their respective blogs because in writing bad words, they are actually destroying the image of the person they are writing.
Integrative Questions:
1) What do you mean of defamation?
2) What is Communications Decency Act?
3) What is ISP?
4) What is Zeran Case?
5) What is CompuServe and Cubby Inc. Case?
Chapter 17: Digital Millennium Copyright Act
April 13, 2009
Chapter 17: Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“No liability for taking down generally”
This means that the service provider will not be liable to a certain person if the service provider is in good faith. For example, the internet service provider blocked the malicious content in the website, then he will not be held liable since he is only doing it for his good faith.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn what Digital Millennium Copyright Act is. Also, I want to know who made that act and what the reasons why they did that act are. In addition to that, I want to be answered if Digital Millennium Copyright Act is really needed to be included in laws.
Review:
This chapter talks about what is Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This means that no one has the right to copy a copyrighted work if there is no permission. He cannot get the right which the copyright owner have with his work. Also, this copyright act explains the duration of the copyright which only lasts for 2 years. I think this is enough for the copyright owner to again renew his copyright works. After reading this chapter, I realized that copyright law is a broad term because there are numerous sections that were discussed in this chapter. First is section 1202 which means integrity of copyright management information. It means that the copyright owner should provide right information such as he is the real owner of the work. A person who is not the copyright owner of the work will be held liable if he used the work of a copyright owner. If we want to use the work of a person, we should first ask for their permission. I think this is a good way in order to show that you are respecting the works of a person. Also, the act also reminds us to not to distribute to someone else the copyright work. For example, the book’s chapter is photocopied by everyone else without any permission. The act says that we should not photocopy the copyright work if we are not the authority of the work.
This chapter talks about online copyright infringement liability. This means that there are limitations or extents in which the service provider can only give to a certain person not the owner of the book. For example, i am uploading information in a certain website that is not shared to everyone. That website should make sure that everything will be available to me and the website itself. If I chose to make it private, it would be me who can access that information.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that copyright act such as digital millennium act is very broad and general. The whole chapter describes the digital millennium copyright act and I think that it tackles all of its concepts. There are many sections that were discussed and very relevant for me to undertand the concepts of copyright. Also, I learned that every two years, the copyright owner should see to it to renew the work since copyright works only last for 2 years.
In addition to that, I learned that the Internet service provider will not be liable if his actions are based on good faith. I think this is really important for us to know what is the extent or limitations of the ISP in the internet.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is Digital Millennium Copyright Act?
2) What is service provider?
3) What is monetary relief?
4) What are the conditions for eligibility?
5) What is accommodation of technology?
Chapter 18: Note on the DeCSS Trial
April 13, 2009
Chapter 18: Note on the DeCSS Trial
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The implication is that congress cannot legally restrict one’s ability to transmit this code lest they violate the first amendment’
This quote says that the first amendment is not effective and efficient since there are conflicts with other constitutional laws.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn what DeCSS Trial is. Also, I want to know if this is important for us to read this. In addition to that, I want to learn what is this chapter wants to say to the readers.
Review:
This chapter introduces a case about the Napster and Gnutella which allow the users to swap MP3. The music industry tried a way in order for the Napster to stop what he is doing since trading music is said to be illegal.
In addition to that, this chapter talks about the DeCSS trial. The question that was raised here is if the DecCSS is a privacy tool that would enable the people or users to copy dvd files in the web. Or is it fair use?
This chapter explains what is DeCSS. The story behind this is a group of person wants to watch a movie in the computer. Before, it is not easy to watch dvd in the computer since there is still configuration of CSS. What the group of people did is to decode the code and store it in DivX which is a tool in order to compress huge DVDS and store in manageable software. With the advancement of technology, everyone can download the movie without any problem. There is no problem since Johansen posted the DeCSS source code on the web in order for everyone to view the movie. After this, many websites followed by way of posting DeCSS source code. The movie industry was frightened because many people would go to internet and downloads their movie that they like rather than buying or purchasing in a physical music firm.
There are eight major Hollywood studios that filed a lawsuit in order to stop spreading of DeCSS code. They accused certain group of people that their actions is a theft because they are posting DeCSS source code which is a type of serial keys that a store would only give if a person would buy that certain movie.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that the first amendment act is not effective because there are conflicts such as the issdues about property rights. Some people believed that copyright makes the owner have broad power, they suggests to make it more specific in order for all people to understand what the copyright act is talking about.
In addition to that, I learned that DeCSS violated DCMA law because Judge Kaplan find out that DeCSS is more than privacy tool because it gives everyone a way to encrypt a video and view the video in their respective computers. But the pro DeCSS believed that there is no use for “fair use” if the copyright material is encrypted and nobody can view or access that material.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is DVD?
2) What is DeCSS?
3) What is fair use?
4) Is DeCSS a fair use?
5) What does Judge Kaplan find out?
Chapter 19: A politics of intellectual property: Environmentalism for the net By James Boyle
April 13, 2009
Chapter 19: A politics of intellectual property:
Environmentalism for the net
By James Boyle
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Ownership and control of information is one of the most important forms of power in contemporary society”
This means that in order to know our power, we should also own certain property. Sometimes it is based on our property that we are categorized to the amount of power we have. This is the most biggest problem since it is difficult to claim intellectual property than claiming physical real property.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn what a politics of intellectual property is. Also, I want to know the relationship between the politics and intellectual property. In addition to that, I want to know if the government is the one who is responsible to regulate the intellectual property.
Review:
Intellectual property means the work that you have made in the web that you used your knowledge. This is one of the biggest issue since everyone else does not have a way in order for them to say that it is their own work. But with creative commons, it would allow the owner to choose from variety such as to share it to the public or not. Intellectual property is just like a real property in which we need to save it, use it and claim it that it is our own property. One of the examples of intellectual property in the internet is blogging. All of us would agree that it is one of our traditions to write blogs in the internet because it shares what we think to the public. But if you find out that there is a one person who copied your stories in the net, you will feel angry at them. That is very normal since it is your own property and somebody is claiming the right to own that certain piece of work.
This chapter points out that there is a need of politics in intellectual property. Based on my understandings, there is a need for a group of people to regulate the intellectual property in order for everyone not to abuse this kind of property. It is morally wrong if a person would copy all the information of somebody else without any permission because it shows a way to disrespect the owner of that work.
The more we are in that cyberspace, the more we contribute in intellectual property. We actually does not realized that writing stories in the web is actually intellectual property.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that we should now work on intellectual property. There should be a way to regulate the property of each person. Even though it is not a physical property, still it is important because in intellectual property, you are appreciated by your own inventions. Also, I think another solution would be letting the people be educated meaning everyone should know that claiming other’s intellectual property is bad. They should be aware of the feelings of people, if somebody would claim their inventions.
Integrative Questions:
1) What is intellectual property?
2) What is the case study about copyright on the net?
3) What is the analogy to environment saying?
4) What are information issues?
5) Is the environmental analogy of rhetorical value?
Chapter 20: Intellectual Property, Information, and the common good by Michael C. McFarland
April 13, 2009
Chapter 20: Intellectual Property, Information, and the common good
by Michael C. McFarland
Book: Cyber Ethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The fundamental problem with intellectual property as an ethical category is that it is purely individualistic”
This chapter discusses the fundamental problem regarding intellectual property. What this suggests is that we, as the creator of our works should control other people to access it or it depend to us if we want to share it with everyone. There are creative commons that we can used in order for us to protect our work from other people who will claim our own.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn what intellectual property is. Also, I have questions that I want to answer in this chapter like what is the extent of intellectual property.
Review:
This chapter is about intellectual property. Intellectual property is said to be contradict the actual definition of property. A person’s property is considered as property if it can be measured, and always been an object. Actually, from other sources, I learned that intellectual property has no concrete definition since if you define it, it will have conflicts with other meanings. Some lawmakers find it hard to make a law regarding this kind of property because of its extent that they still are questioning. This intellectual property has always been a big issue regarding morality issues because compare to a car, we can keep it that others might not get it, while, this kind of intellectual property gives us a hard time to store in our web because some people would copy the exact thing. The examples of intellectual property are poems, music, photos and etc. It is not the cd, what we consider important but the content of cd that we made effort in trying to organized in the way we want it. The more technology helps us, the more intellectual property became an issue since it is easy for a person to get our works without out authorization as long as it is in the web.
There are five conflicts over intellectual property that was discussed in this chapter. One of them is the issue about plagiarism. We all know that sometimes if we are lazy to do an assignment, we tend to “copy and paste” which is convenient to use rather than thinking what to write in the assignment. Because of the means of technology, it helps us to be open with other ideas that do not limit us to what we know. This is conflict since some students, or users tend to get the whole information without citing their sources which is under the intellectual property of the owner. This is the biggest problem in the web since with technology, we are tending to depend on its advantages.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that there are two basic justifications regarding intellectual property. First is Lockean Theory which means that a person has the right to claim his property if he made efforts on it. For example, transforming a tree in a chair made by us is considered as intellectual property because we have applied efforts to it. That’s why it is considered as our property. Even though a tree is not ours, still we used it in a useful manner. Second is Hegelian theory. This means that others should not claim other works because they violate the people’s freedom. For example, we make lyrics based on our personality. Thus, if others will get it, it is like they are getting the biggest part of us which is our property.
Integrative questions:
1) How will you define intellectual property?
2) Why is it that the owner of the movies does not charge some small stores regarding the problems of pirated movies that has a conflict with intellectual property rights?
3) What are the five cases that this chapter discusses?
4) What is Lockean theory?
5) What is Hegelian theory?
Chapter 21: Is Copyright Ethical? An Examination of the
Theories, Laws and Practices Regarding the
Private Ownership of Intellectual Work in United States
By Shelly Warwick
Book: Cyber Ethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Copyright, in as much as it attempts to balance the interests of creators and society, could be considered based on ethics”
I think the government has the responsibility to balance the happiness of creator and society. We should not only focus on the society because of their great number, but we should focus what is really ethical in this given situation of copyrighting.
Learning Expectation:
I expect that I will learn how the copyright was questioned if it is ethical. I expect that I will learn how other philosophers consider this not ethical and ethical in a way.
Review:
This chapter answers if the copyright is ethical. This chapter based their example in the laws applied in United States. I think I will not find hard time to know the laws of America since it is said that Philippines has based their laws in the constitution of America. We all know that the lawmakers are the one who make laws in the state. It is also said that the rights of copyright holders were created by the government only because no one will be the one to facilitate copyright than the government. This chapter also wants to stress out why the big companies are protesting if many individuals pirate their software without any authority. I think the answer is that the company’s wants to earn profit based on the software they make. If the process of pirating will not stop in the country, it will be the disadvantage of the company to earn profit. Many people would tend to buy pirate movies that the real one since pirate movies are cheaper than the original ones. The point of the question given is that the software should be free for everyone who wants to use it. If we believed that everything should be free, and everything should be considered as for the public, then we can regards the big companies not ethical because they want to make money out of it. That is the point of this chapter. I also understand their point but if we would assess it, there would be no income for the company if they will not let the people to pay for it. In that way, I understand the problems of the company if copyright will not be followed in the country. Based on this given problem, we have seen that copyright laws are important in the society. There should be copyright laws that will give the creator to earn money based on their own works. I don’t consider copyright laws as a selfish way in order to make profit. The state is such a utilitarian but when it comes to this, I think they are knowledgeable in knowing what is really important. I know that sometimes the state is just concerned with their people, but I don’t think it is right if we would not grant the creators the right to earn from their own works. Thus, I can say that copyright is ethical even though it is not in line with the utilitarian theory.
What I’ve learned:
This is my first time to read issues if copyright are ethical. Before reading this chapter, I can’t really understand why some people would regard copyright as not ethical. But while reading thoroughly, I realized that they still have point or United States has some point. But now, I am sure that they have revise their copyright laws and they make it for the benefit of the creator, not the whole society. This chapter is an exceptions of the utilitarian theory. Utilitarian theory means that an action is considered as right if the majority of people is happy. Based on the copyright laws before in the United States, a creator has no natural rights regarding their work since it would be for people to use their work.
Integrative questions:
1) Is copyright ethical?
2) What is the first copyright law in the US?
3) What is the extent of copyright?
4) What is the best way to balance the society and the creator regarding the copyright?
5) What ethical theory was not applied in this chapter?
Chapter 22: On the Web, Plagiarism Matters More than Copyright Policy by John W. Snapper
April 13, 2009
Chapter 22: On the Web, Plagiarism Matters More than Copyright Policy
by John W. Snapper
Book: Cyber Ethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“It would be plagiarism but not piracy for me to take the works of an obscure 19th century poet and try to pass them off as my own”
This quote simply discusses the difference of piracy and plagiarism. I think with this given examples, the readers realized the differences of the two terms which is very significant.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know how the plagiarism become more important than copyright policy. Also, I want to know the ideas of John W. Snapper regarding this kind of issue.
Review:
For me, these two terms is much related with each other. I can say that this is very related because first of all if you claim a work that is not yours especially a copyrighted work meaning you plagiarized a work. I can also say that plagiarizing a work is more rampant than copyright policy because sometimes people don’t copyright his own work or inventions. With the advancement of technology that gives us convenience, we forget to say our source or reference because we are already used to getting faster way of information without acknowledgment. We can easily copyright an information in the web without seeking any permission in order for us to do it.
Copyright is different in a way that in order for a person to say that it is his own work, he needs to copyright it. In order for that person not to have a hard time in claiming that it is his own work, then he must copyright rather than having other ways of saying that it is his own inventions. There are certain processes or steps to achieved copyright work. This is managed by government that acts as people who regulate this kind of policy. If you don’t copyright your work, it will be your problem to say that it is yours because it is easy for a person to claim other’s work especially if he did not copyright it.
While, plagiarism is just copying a source without acknowledgment. It is easy since we can egt what we wanted with the use of internet,
What I’ve learned:
I thought before that plagiarism and copying a copyright is similar with each other. In this, I learned that plagiarism and copyright policy is somewhat different from each other. Also, we should focus more on plagiarism because realized in this chapter that it is more rampant than the copyright policy.
I also learned the use of copyright. I learned that it is important for us to easily claim ours and avoid people from copying our inventions.
Integrative questions:
1) What is plagiarism?
2) What is privacy?
3) How does plagiarism and privacy differ from each other?
4) How does plagiarism and privacy similar from each other?
5) What is the use of copyright?
Chapter 23: An Ethical Evaluation of Web Site Linking
by Richard A. Spinello
Book: Cyber Ethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“One person may morally alter at will some of the rights, duties, liberties, power or immunities of another person”
Based on how I understood it, I think each person has the right to give opinions regarding such issue. There is no right or wrong like ethics. It is based on how the people understood and belief.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn more about website linking. I want to know why website linking should be evaluated.
Review:
This chapter discusses what is deep linking means. Based on how I understood it, if a person has deep linking, instead the person goes to the homepage, he would now view the certain page in his website. This is said to be not good since the reader will not be able to view all the contents of website. But for me, there is no problem with that because the essence of website linking is just to point to that certain page. I disagree to what the author wants to imply.
But I also get the point of the author, he believed that all the contents of website should be read because sometimes the homepage is really important in order for the reader to view what is essence of the website and to know the author of the website.
Actually I read the case about ticketmaster versus Microsoft case. With the use of linking, instead iof going to the homepage of the ticketmaster, it allows the reader to view the respective page of Microsoft which the ticketmaster eventually filed a lawsuit. I think with this kind of case, I believed that ticketmaster should not do it, they should talk first about it. Also, there is a problem in search engines related with deep linking. For example, I want to buy clothes in ebay, I would not directly go to the website itself such as ebay.com, I would chose to go to the search engine and type what I wanted. Then the respective page of ebay will be viewed. Ebay does not like this since they are not earning from their homepage itself.
What I’ve learned:
I learned the three theories such as utilitarianism, lockean theory, and personality theory. I also learned the right to manage should have the right to generate income. I also believed that it is right since every people should be deserving if they are doing very well. Just like by doing book reviews, I think students should be given good grades if they are doing all the assignments, seatworks, and projects asked by the teacher compare to other people who does not do their assignments. This right to income is related with deep linking by way of search engines. Actually google earn profit by way of linking. They would give the information needed by the people and then link it in order for the person to just click the respective information they want.
Integrative questions:
1) What is deep linking?
2) What is website as intellectual propery?
3) What is maria’s on line art gallery case?
4) What are the three theories that has encounter traditional literature?
5) What is personal theory?
Chapter 24: The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric Raymond
April 13, 2009
Chapter 24: The Cathedral and the Bazaar
by Eric Raymond
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The hacker culture that I long to observe is already alive.”
This means that hacker is rampant nowadays are are already starting to grow.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know about cathedral and bazaar.
Review:
Certainly all of us would love open source. With thousand people efforts to produce an open source, they have successfully did it. What is so amazing that they are only connected through the internet. We can see that there are cooperation and unity that they have used in order for them to be successful.
This chapter is called as cathedral and the bazaar. They have used cathedral to relate with operating systems and other tools because it is said that these two must be carefully crafted by individuals. Before, there are no beta that will be released in order for them to test the application. So developers before are carefully implementing or testing the application. The author used the term bazaar because according to him, he used to run his open source project in a bazaar style. And that was successful. Whenever he has projects, he does not only used what he learned in his job or what he learned in Linux, but what open source can give it to him. With open source, we are given this chance to learn something that we are unable to learn from our work. I personally am able to think because of the open source. You as a developer do not only need to download all the source, but also to understand each codes you have encountered. If you encounter some problems, you will try to solve it by your own skills and what you know as a developer.
This brief history of hackerdom discussed what the real programmer is. Based on what I learned, real programmers are the people who are associated with batch of scientific computing. They are the ones who discovered things and make things work out. But nowadays, we have this kind of open source that makes it possible for people to hack. We have now the culture of open source which is a big difference from the past.
Second, they mentioned about the early hackers. Before, we all know that the first computer network was called Arpanet. This allows them to link together as a community. The hacker culture was spread out and eventually has this kind of hacker dictionary. Because of many computers that came, many universities bought it and the hacker culture more grew. This whole paragraph only shows that there are eventually hackers or hacker culture is alive in the past through many network computers such as Arpanet and etc.
What I’ve learned:
The press misapply the term hacker to refer to computer vandals, which continues up to this new generation. Hackers actually means as a real programmers. They are the ones who make programs, applications and software for the needs of people.
As many years came, new microcomputers offer low cost and high speed performance which other old microcomputers were threatened. But their big problem before is the cost of buying software such as operating system to run in their microcomputers. Unix remained expensive and not everybody can afford to buy it. Other operating systems stop to distribute. This makes the world of hackers stop since unix was ending in failure.
With this problem, a student names Linus Torvalds developed a free UNIX kernel using free software tool kits. With his initial attacked, many people attracted and want to help to develop Linux, a full featured of UNIX and open source. They believed that to be able for this Linux to be successfully develop, this must be created by tight small groups. The early beginning of Linux, it was contributed by huge numbers of volunteers in the internet. To maintain the operating system, they need to used it and have some feedbacks to it. Almost everyone contribute to make this Linux works.
We have seen that network people helped each other to make Linux works. After Linux, they have discovered internet and what internet can give to them.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the cathedral of bazaar mean?
2) What do the author mean of hacker?
3) What are the necessary preconditions for bazaar?
4) What do the author mean of “when is a rose not a rose”?
5) What is a fetchmail?
Chapter 25: Towards a theory of privacy for the information age’
By James H. Moor
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“An individual or group has normative privacy in a situation with regard to others if and only if in that situation the individual or group is normatively protected from intrusion, interference and information access by others.”
This means that a person wants to be protected from other people. They are afraid that they will be hurt by others.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know more on privacy. Also, I want to know the ideas about James Moor regarding this kind of issue.
Review:
This chapter talks about the issue about privacy. This is same with other chapters that talks about privacy issues. With the given technology, it is easy for people to copy and claim it. Many are using internet to have reference materials and they tend to plagiarize other works. Since teenager are fond of faster way to create things, they relied on internet and its advantage. They forgot to acknowledge the author of the information they used.
There are two standard ways of privacy. First are instrumental values which means that it lead to something that is good. While, intrinsic value means that it is good in them. Privacy is associated with instrumental value because with the internet that is public, we are able to know certain information. I agree with this because I used internet as a source for me to understand certain things. With the internet that is not private makes me more knowledgeable and makes the internet become functional.
The author says that privacy does not directly harm you. Autonomy and privacy is different from each other. A person can have privacy even if he does not have autonomy. Thus, James Moor concluded that privacy is not essential condition for autonomy. Everyone values privacy itself.
Based on how I understood it, privacy is said to be not in the core values. Core values are what the people wanted such as happiness, freedom, knowledge and etc. These are the things that they would like to have and is essential in their life. For example, knowledge is essential for us to be on schools, and live a normal life. Without any knowledge, many people would not respect us.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that we cannot solve issues such as privacy because for me even though we will make an amendment, still the people is the one who can make it. Each of us should only be knowledgeable as to what their extent or limitation in other people’s life. We should not interfere with other just like one of the commandments in ethics. We should think of privacy as a way to restrict people from accessing our private information.
Integrative questions:
1) What is the publicity principle?
2) What is the justification of exceptions principle mean?
3) What is the adjustment principle mean?
4) What are the policies for private situations?
5) What is the definition of privacy of Charles Fried?
Chapter 26: The structure of rights in directive 95/46/ZEC on the Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data
By Dag Elgesem
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Each case has to be considered separately”
I believed that this is right since every case has different scenarios. Sometimes giving out of personal information is good but sometimes it is not, this quote says that each case should be considered as independent because of the different reason it has.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know more about the structure of rights. This chapter is for me broad so I want to understand each concepts of this chapter for me to easily digest the information that it would like to address to the reader.
Review:
This chapter is about the structure of rights in directive 95/46/EC. The directivesis about the protection of the people concering the processing of the personal data. The directive has several layers of provision: The data quality should have a connecvtion with the purpose of collection; it should also be accurate and up to date. The data should be legitimate, the subject of the data should give his consent with regards to the information shared. The sensitivity of data is also put into consideration. Personal data which falls to the special categories of dare including the race, origin, religion, politics, health and sex, which can be harmful to the subject’s interest one are not permitted, unless a consent is given. The data subject has the right to be informed about the data processed about himself, he has the right to access and change his personal information. He also has the right to refuse the release of data that would affect personal aspects regarding to himself.
Personal data are used for different purposes. It should not be processed if the subject does not expect the date collection to take place. Privacy is restricted access, it is a limitation of how individuals can access other people and tnhat the spread of information can contribute to a loss of privacy and security.
Control is essential in privacy. Privacy has three aspects. There is the protection of personal communications, the restriction on physical and informational access and the protection for expressing an individuals self identity through activity. Information privacy protects the indicudual from the use of personal information and it gives control for the individual to choose who has the access to the information revealed.
What I’ve learned:
I learned mainly the structure of the personal information. I learned how it was process and the things that should include in the personal information. While reading the chapter, I realized that giving out personal information can be dangerous if there would be people who will used your information to harm you. One of the problems is privacy issues because we don’t want that other people would know our basic personal information. There are limitations as to people who can access from our information. But I believed that there are advantages if this giving out of personal information would be implemented. One of the example I believed is people would easily trace the person’s identity if he is a killer or has criminal records.
Integrative questions:
1) Is giving out personal data harmful?
2) Can you cite examples that would make the personal data helpful to the society?
3) What are the three aspects of privacy?
4) Is giving out personal information applicable in the Philippines?
5) What are the hindrances or problems that would happen if this giving out personal information would be implemented?
Chapter 27: Privacy Protection, Control of Information, and Privacy enhancing technologies By Herman Tavani and James Moor
April 13, 2009
Chapter 27: Privacy Protection, Control of Information, and Privacy enhancing technologies
By Herman Tavani and James Moor
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Privacy is the claim of individuals, group, or institutions to determine for themselves when, how and to what extent information about them is communicated to others”
Privacy is just similar with other terms in which there is limitations. Not all information should be considered as privacy matters because it should be for the public to know that basic information you have.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know about the privacy protection, control of information and privacy enhancing technologies. Also, I want to know more about the ideas of the two authors such as James Moor and Herman Tavani.
Review:
This chapter is divided into two main parts. In first part, this chapter tackles all the criticisms about the control of information as to the issues about the privacy protection concerned. Second part discusses the privacy enhancing technology that would control the personal information, if it is effective in ensuring that our personal information will be secured in that software.
Privacy is not the absence that each one would see in us, but actually the control of our information. Sometimes there are people who wants to access our private information even though they should not access it. We misinterpret the real meaning of privacy, we thought that if ones person is in private meaning he is absent and does not want people to see him. But actually, privacy means the control of information from us. There are things which I can say is public and there are also things that would remain as private.
The problem is said to be on the control part. Since we have large databases and networks, we have a hard time to control our information accessing by other people. I think the control is easy if the person knows what he wants to do. There are pictures, videos and text that is shared to public, but they can be set as a private. I think this is the purpose why there are “set to private” button in our different social networks. The personal information can be controlled by solely the owner itself and not other people.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that normative privacy and descriptive privacy is different from each other. We always distinguished privacy as normative privacy and not descriptive privacy. Normative privacy means the right to privacy, while the descriptive privacy means the privacy exists as a matter of fact. We always used normatively in knowing if the certain place is restricted. For example, the house is seen as private or restricted outsiders to look at the house because it is normatively private. Even though the house has less equipments, still it is not our basis for us to consider that it is private.
Integrative questions:
1) What is normative privacy?
2) What is restricted access theory?
3) How will you define privacy in this chapter?
4) What is descriptive privacy?
5) How would you differ normative privacy and descriptive privacy?
Chapter 28: Toward an Approach to privacy in Public: Challenges of Information Technology By Helen Nissenbaum
April 13, 2009
Chapter 28: Toward an Approach to privacy in Public:
Challenges of Information Technology
By Helen Nissenbaum
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable=
Quote:
“The important thing is that there be some information which is protected”
I think this is right because some information can be public and some should be private. Not all information should be private.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know the approaches in order for the privacy to be public. Also, I want to know if there are challenges if the information would remain to privacy. I want to know the sides or ideas of Helen Nissenbaurn in this issue.
Review:
This chapter describes the privacy like a sphere shape in which it is hard to make limitations. The problem with this privacy is because of its scope. No one has clearly define the scope of the privacy since according to Carl Friedrichs that it has broader scope. The inner space is safeguarded by the line that surrounds the inner space from the outer space. The outer space is the ones who want to access the information that is private. There is the line in which the outer space and the inner space should be separated from each other. It is called the private realm.
There are two misleading assumptions about privacy. One is there is a realm of public information about persons to which no privacy norms apply. This means that there are things which is considered as to be shared with everyone else. One of the example would be your gender, this is very common way to see that you are that person. We could not do anything if people would know our gender because it can easily see in our image. Second is an aggregation of information does not violate privacy if its parts, taken individually do not. One should consider as person who are accessing our privacy information, if that person is taking note of all our personal information. Sometimes we cannot blame them, because it is available in our social networks. And it is one of our tradition to see what is happening to our friends, know what is their updated personal information.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that we should consider that not all are regarded as privacy matters. There are things which is private, and there are also things that would remain as public. Before we would blame other for accessing our private information, we should consider if that information is really private or we have written it in a public way.
I realized that if we deprived people from knowing our private information, they will think more if we hide many information from them. They will easily questioned us if there are no information that we shared in the public.
Integrative questions:
1) What are the two misleading assumptions about privacy?
2) What is personal realm?
3) How does the author define public realm?
4) What does this chapter highlights?
5) What the biggest challenge in the information technology?
Chapter 29: Kidd, Privacy, and Distributive Justice
By Anton H. Vedder
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“’Privacy rules and conventions, as they are traditionally conceived of, do not apply”
This quote means that even though we will make a software that has good functionality, but if it will have conflict with privacy, then your system would not be that effective. Privacy will rule than the system that you build.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what KDD means. This is my first time to hear this word. Also, I want to know distributive justice and its relation with privacy. In addition to that, I want to know the sides of the author, Anton H. Vedder regarding this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is about knowledge in discovery in database, privacy individuality and fairness. Through KDD, relevant information from data is gathered. The KDD process includes the collection, enriching, checking, coding, analyzing and interpretation of the data.
Personal data is defined as the information gathered about a person, it is often protected by privacy laws. The directive 95/46/EC of the European parliament was found for the protection on the processing of personal data. Personal data is gathered for specific compatible purposes. It should not be collected in excess, other than its purpose. And it should be accurate and up to date to prevent misinterpretations. The data should be legitimate; the subject must give consent for the data processing. The date subject has the right to his personal data; he has the right to know the information relating to the data.
The consequence of KDD affects individuals; people are judged and treated as a group rather than as individuals in their own self. Because of KDD people are also susceptible to discrimination; data may be used for denying provisions. Others may use the cyberspace to research an individual’s, which may contribute to information regarding their health or personal issue which can hinder progress in their lifestyle.
There is unfairness in the use of group’s profile. Distributive profiles are composed to members of group with other people. There are cases wherein individuals are judged unrightfully just because of the basis of their profile
There is a consequence on privacy conceptions. It makes it hard to label the problem areas of using personal data of applying it to group profile and it also makes it different to take in the intensity of these problems. Privacy rules do not apply to group profiles. Privacy is categorical, the data is collection from personal information of individuals; and when attached to groups, the information revealed can have a negative consequence.
What I’ve learned:
I learned the KDD, its purpose. I learned that it is a tool in order for a person to know the personal information.
I also learned that the way to protect individuals against negative consequences of the use of group profiles is in the careful assessment of the ways on how the profiles are used. There should be an investigation and evaluation done on the data collected. It should be taken into consideration that there is a positive and negative in the use of same produced information.
Integrative questions:
1) What is KDD?
2) What is distributive justice?
3) What is categorical privacy?
4) What is the purpose of KDD?
5) Is KDD ethical or unethical?
Chapter 30: Data Mining and Privacy By Joseph S. Fulda
April 13, 2009
Chapter 30: Data Mining and Privacy
By Joseph S. Fulda
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Much of the current concern about privacy arises because of data mining and more generally, knowledge discovery.
It is said that if you did data mining, it means that you are violating the privacy issues. I agree with that since the two terms cannot be joined together.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn more about data mining and privacy. I think in this chapter I will not have a hard time to understand what is data mining because I already learned it from the class. Also, this chapter is short and is categorized.
Review:
This chapter first talks about what is data mining. To have a better way of understanding, data mining is retrieving information from the databases. It is used in businesses in order to see the previous transactions with their clients so that they can have a basis in their feasibility studies. Data warehouse are the storage where the data are stored and kept for a chance of data mining.
I will be focusing on the issues of the data mining rather than the process since ethics primarily focuses on the problems and issues they find in a certain thing. Nowadays, many businesses are using data mining as their best practice in the company. Some workers worry that their personal information will be given out by the companies. I believed that it would be unethical if that would happen. But I don’t think that companies would give out such important information of their workers since they would also be affected if they will try to do it. We all know that data is difficult to understand since it is still data. Once the data is interpreted already, it will become information that a person can now used it. But the question is how the data becomes information. This chapter says the knowledge that each person did in order to interpret that data. The more people are attached with technology; I think the more people knowledge are increasing because of some technical stuff.
This chapter also suggests the government to separate privacy and data mining since there is conflicts if that two terms will be put together.
What I’ve learned:
I learned that data mining is actually a violation of privacy. If certain people would data mine a person then we can say that they are knowing that person and his knoeledge. But I also learned that data mining is accepted in the rights of a person. It hink for it to be considered as good if the person has the reason why he needs to use data mining to a person. I think it depends on the situation, if workers would be data mined by the company, then I think it would be appropriate for the company to do it.
Integrative questions:
1) What is data mining?
2) What is data warehouse?
3) What is the first case study of this chapter?
4) What is the second case study of this chapter?
5) What is knowledge data?
Chapter 31: Workplace Surveillance, Privacy and Distributive Justice By Lucas D. Introna
April 14, 2009
Chapter 31: Workplace Surveillance, Privacy and Distributive Justice
By Lucas D. Introna
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
Privacy creates opportunities for hiding information that could render many social interaction.
This quote means that with privacy, many people are making it in order for them to make fraud. They are seeking personal information such as telephone number in order to call them and ask them for money.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what other issues that are conflict with the use of surveillance camera. Also, I want to know if it is really ethical or not. In addition to that I want to know the ideas of Lucas Introna regarding this issue.
Review:
Nowadays, there is installed surveillance camera at different sites. And I agree that it was very effective. With surveillance camera, the company have seen what their workers are doing which would help the company to give commands with their workers. Surveillance camera has its advantage and also disadvantage. One of the advantages is it decreases the crime rate. With the strict policy of having surveillance camera at different establishments, people are not tempted to make bad things which is I believed an ethical decision. But this surveillance camera still evaluated because it is said that it against privacy and there is biasment happening. I agree that it has conflict with privacy because first of all your supervisor would know what you are doing during that specified time. But I know that the company only do this is because they want to monitor the working hours of each workers, if they are doing it efficient and effective. I really like surveillance camera because I have seen that it is effective in order the society, establishments, schools and hospitals monitored the people that are going and leaving out in their firm. Surveillance camera is said to be against with distributive justice because first of all the camera was installed in the place where the workers stay during their hours. No one would put a camera in the office of the manager because they trusted that person that he will do his best and be fair with everyone. I think if I will be the one to judged this, I think this is good for the company.
What I’ve learned:
I never thought that surveillance camera would have a corresponding conflicted issues. I thought that because it is effective, there are no studies made in this issue. But I learned that still the surveillance camera are being evaluated because of the privacy and distributive justice.
I also learned that when we hear of surveillance camera installed in different workplace, we first think of the people who are bad and doing unproductive in their time. But with this chapter, I learned that we should think that it is against privacy and justice.
Integrative questions:
1) What is a workplace surveillance camera?
2) What is advantage of having surveillance camera?
3) What is the disadvantage of having surveillance camera?
4) Is surveillance camera ethical or unethical?
5) What does this author mean of surveillance camera?
Chapter 32: Privacy and the Varities of Moral Wrongdoing
By Jeroen van den Hoven
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“The privacy issue lies at the heart of an ongoing debate”
I believed that this is true since in this book, mostly all the chapters that was discussed is regarding with the privacy issue.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know what are the varieties of moral wrongdoing. I think this is a good chapter and I will learn many things based on this title itself. Also, I want to know the sides of Jeroen van den Hoven regarding the subject matter.
Review:
This chapter talks about the moral reasons for data protection. There are three moral reasons for data protection. First is information based harm. This means that a person is protecting his information so that he would not be hurt by bad people. We have the right to privacy because we are afraid that people would used our personal information to access our relevant information. If we would think about this, actually there is no direct harm that caused by other people.
Second type is information inequality. We protect our data information in order to act as equal with other people. This chapter find out that there are more people who do not care of privacy because they are using information technology as their advantage. The example would be whenever we purchase a grocery item in the supermarket, we actually tend to use our credit card for convenience transaction. We don’t care if that system would store our credit card number and our personal information because we are dully using the information technology.
Third type is information justice. This means that one person would not care of their privacy if they are to be given justice with everyone else. It is said that one sick person would give out his personal information in exchange for the doctor to cure him. It is also said that we give our information as long as people would not criticized our personal information.
In addition to that, government are encouraging establishments to use panoptic technology such as surveillance camera, and data mining techniques because it is for the public good. I agree to what the government is doing. They always think of the group of people who will be benefited and not by individual.
What I’ve learned:
I learned basically the three moral reason for data protection. Now, I understand that there are different reasons why they are doing that. Also, I learned that there are many wrong doing that are happening, we don’t realized that it is already rampant in the society. In order for this wrong doings to be stopped, the government believed that the best solutions are panoptic technologies.
Integrative questions:
1) What is panoptic technology?
2) What is information based harm?
3) What is informational inequality?
4) What is informational injustice?
5) What does the government encourage the establishments to do?
Chapter 34: Terrorism or Civil Disobedience: Toward a Hacktivist Ethic By Mark Manion and Abby Goodrum
April 14, 2009
Chapter 34: Terrorism or Civil Disobedience:
Toward a Hacktivist Ethic
By Mark Manion and Abby Goodrum
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
Why is it, then, that a growing number of experts refuse to make this distinction, and insists in conflating hacktivism and cyberterrorism”
I think the reason why many experts do not condemn hacktivism is because being hacktivist, you are using your talent and skills and you are contributing to the society. It is the term that makes it unethical, but I don’t think that it is unethical.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn about the terrorism made by hacktivist ethical. I also want to know why they are doing that terrorism. Also, I want to know the sides of these two great authors, Mark Manion and Abby Goodrum regarding this issue.
Review:
This chapter discussed hacktivism. Hacktivism means that the person is doing bad things in the society. The other definition of hactivist is a type of person using his intellectual to use free software. But with this chapter, the hacktivist that this chapter is explaining are the bad people who have bad intention for the company.
There are three principles of hacktivist ethic. First is access to computers. People have the right to use the computers with no limitation. Every people can access the internet without having biasment, discrimination. Second is all information should be free. The essence of an internet is to give the information free. Companies should not stop the information from flowing. Third is mistrust authority which means to promote decentralization. All the information should be centralized to all the people and not only to the chosen people.
The point of hackers is why does companies have the right to sell their software at a higher cost which makes it hard for the market to buy. Thus, hackers find a way to make the software be free to everyone who would use it. I understand the point of hacking because they are doing this for the market and not to the companies. Hackers want to have a free software for everyone to use it.
With the advancement of technology, hacktivist people are growing. They are now fully aware of the information technology. But there are disadvantages; programmers should make sure that their system would not be hacked by people.
What I’ve learned:
I learned what ECD is. ECD means electronic civil disobedience. ECD is refusing to follow the laws or regulations in the internet. Philosophers are making studies if the hackers are considered as ECD. But even though hackers are considered as ECD, still for me there are no ground rules for that action. I don’t think that hacking should be given corresponding consequence because they are only using their intellectuality to make software that are for free.
Integrative questions:
1) What is hacktivism in this chapter mean?
2) What is cyberterrorism mean?
3) What are the three principles of hacktivist ethic?
4) What is ECD mean?
5) Is hacktivism ethical or unethical?i/.m,
Chapter 41: No, PAPA: Why Incomplete Codes of Ethics Are Worse than none at all By N. Ben Fairweather
April 14, 2009
Chapter 41: No, PAPA:
Why Incomplete Codes of Ethics Are Worse than none at all
By N. Ben Fairweather
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
“Privacy and Accuracy of computer data and information are issues essentially unrelated to the environmental impacts of computing”
This means that privacy and accuracy is very independent from each other. But still with the environmental impact of computing, they are becoming related.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to learn the reason why incomplete code of ethics are worse than none at all. Also, I want to know the side of N. Ben Fairweather regarding this issue.
Review:
I believed that incomplete code of ethics are worse than none at all because first of all if there is wrong or incomplete code of ethics, workers knowledge would be limited on that code of ethics. They will not think of some other issues that are really important because of that fixed code. Also, some of the code of ethics are not effective meaning the employers might followed that code of ethics wrongly and they will blame their actions sin that code.
This chapter talks about the problem of just focusing on the four areas. The four areas are privacy, accuracy, property and accessibility. With this limited four areas, we never realized that there is still more important than these four areas. Thus, I can also conclude that it is better to have no knowledge of the four areas than having it incomplete.
Sometimes, we never realized that weak points are important. We only focused on the strong points which lies on the top of the pyramid. The strong points that was mentioned in this chapter are the four areas. We are not aware of the weak points of issues that would also affect the professional ethics.
This chapter strongly argues that code of ethics is incomplete because first of all, he believed that author is not equivalent to what all the people are thinking. This means that having contributions of knowledge would make it more complete and be different from the rest of its code of ethics. Two brains are better than one.
What I’ve learned:
I realized that may be the code of ethics are not really effective since sometimes it is contributed by one person. The more people contributed in that code of ethics, the more I can say that it would be stable and accurate. There are still many weak points or other issues that were not discussed because we tend to focus on the four areas of issues which are given by the author himself.
Integrative questions:
1) Do you think that the moral code of ethics is incomplete?
2) What are the four areas of issues?
3) What is the strong and weak points?
4) What is PAPA?
5) Why it is that incomplete code of ethics are worse than none at all?
Chapter 35: Web security and privacy:
An American perspective
By J. Lean Camp
Book: Cyberethics
Library Reference: Not Applicable
Quote:
Security is privacy
This quote says that in order for you to become private, you need to have a security. Security and privacy are always attached with each other.
Learning Expectation:
I expect to know web security and privacy in American perspective. Also, I want to know the sides of J. Lean Camp.
Review:
This chapter talks about security. There are many problems regarding the security issue. Some would prefer not to put his personal information in the web, but some would say that the information is secured in the net. Before, I thought that giving information in the web won’t know my identity. But now, I realized that it is safe to put your identity in the web because it is stored in a database that has security.
The problem about the security issue is the assurance that it would be safe for the peope to store their information. The example would be a company who has a computer and a server. Instead the computer will store the information to its server, the attackers find a way for the computer to store directly to the attacker’s computer.
In everyday, monitoring of our social networks, there are security issue in that routine work. We don’t realized that to log in by giving username and password is a way in order for our accounts to be secured and safe from people who wants to used our account. That is why in every software, there are log in in order to have a secured account. It is also said that we can’t solved the problem of security since it is not in our hands to command people from not doing. They still will be the one to do that right or bad actions. We can only do is to minimize the problem of security by having that log in account.
What I’ve learned:
I learned basically the security issues in the web. I learned that there are cases which we cannot solved the problem of security. The bottomline is that we cannot really remove the problems of security, but we can minimize it.
Security is important for us to have privacy. Without security, we cannot find a way to maintain our privacy. These two terms are very dependent with each other.
Integrative questions:
1) What are the legal issues and societal implications?
2) What is the first amendment says?
3) What is the second amendment says?
4) What is the third amendment says?
5) What is the fourth amendment says?
