Computers and Ethics

Philosophy 75/Symbolic Systems 100

Spring 1988
Stanford University

Professor

Edward N. Zalta, Philosophy Department
Office: CSLI 226 (Campus Dr. and Panama)
Phone: 723-0345 (office)
Mailboxes in 91L (Philosophy) and CSLI
Office Hours: M 3:15-4:30, and by appointment
Electronic Mail Address: ZALTA@CSLI

Class Meetings

Tuesday, Thursday: 3:15-4:30 in 60-62P

Required Texts

Computer Ethics, Deborah G. Johnson (CE)

Ethical Issues in the Use of Computers, edited by Deborah G. Johnson and John W. Snapper (EI)

Descartes Dream: The World According to Mathematics, Philip J. Davis and Reuben Hersch

Collection of articles from the Copy Center (CC)

Course Requirements

1 term paper (10-15 pages) (35%of your grade)
1 take home exam (25%of your grade)
1 short paper (3-5 pages) (25%of your grade)
Class participation (15%of your grade)
NO FINAL EXAM
COMMENTS: The exam will consist of questions designed to test how well you have assimilated the material on basic ethical theory. The short essay will be on a topic announced in class. The final paper must be on a topic approved by the professor.

COURSE SCHEDULE

NOTE: Students are expected to have read the material by classtime of the day indicated.

March

29

Moral Judgments, Moral Dilemmas, and Ethical Relativism
read: Introduction and Chapter 1 in CE

31

Ethical Theory: I (Utilitarianism)
read: Chapter 1 in CE

April

5

Ethical Theory: II (Deontology)
read: Chapter 1 in CE

7

Computing Profession Codes of Ethics
read: Chapter 2 in CE; John Ladd, ``The Quest for a Code of Professional Ethics: An Intellectual and Moral Confusion,'' in EI (8-13)

12

Computers, Privacy and Security: I
read: J. Rachels, ``Why Privacy is Important,'' in EI (194-200); W. Parent, ``Privacy, Morality, and the Law,'' in EI (201-214)

14

Computers, Privacy, and Security: II
read: Chapter 4 in CE; D. Burnham, ``Data Bases,'' in EI (148-171); Privacy Protection Study Commission, ``Introduction to Personal Privacy in an Information Society,'' in EI (215-239)

19

TAKE HOME EXAM DUE
Ownership of Programs: I
read: Chapter 6 in CE; Morris Cohen, ``Property and Sovereignty,'' in EI (298-304); Michael Gemignani, ``Legal Protection for Computer Software,'' in EI (305-325)

21

Ownership of Programs: II
read: Deborah Johnson, ``Should Computer Programs be Owned'' in CC; Richard Stallman, ``The Gnu Manifesto'' in CC

26

Responsibility Theory
read: H.L.A. Hart, ``Punishment and Responsibility,'' in EI (95-101); Joel Feinberg, ``Sua Culpa,'' in EI (102-119)

28

Responsibility for Programs: I (Products vs. Services)
read: Chapter 3 in CE; Jim Prince, ``Negligence: Liability for Defective Software,'' in EI (89-94); Susan Nycum, ``Liability for Malfunction of a Computer Program,'' in EI (67-78)

May

3

SHORT PAPER DUE
Responsibility for Programs: II
read: Vincent Brannigan, ``Liability for Personal Injury Caused by Defective Medical Computer Programs,'' in EI (58-66); James Moor, ``Are There Some Decisions Computers Should Never Make,'' in EI (120-130)

5

Responsibility for Programs: III
read: J. W. Snapper, ``Responsibility for Computer Based Errors,'' in CC; William Bechtel, ``Attributing Responsibility to Computer Systems'' in CC

10

AI and Human Values
read: Dan LLoyd, ``Frankenstein's Children: Artificial Intelligence and Human Value'' in CC

12

Computing Professionals for Social Responsibility
guest speaker: Terry Winograd

17

Computer Based Decisionmaking: I (Nuclear Weapons)
guest speaker: Clifford Johnson

19

Computer Based Decisionmaking: II (Program Trading)
read: zeroxed articles from The New York Times on Program Trading

24

Computer Modeling: I
read: Brian Smith, ``Limits of Correctness in Computers'' in CC
guest speaker: Brian Smith, Xerox Parc and CSLI

26

Computer Modeling: II
read: P.J. Davis and R. Hersch, Descartes Dream

31

Computer Modeling: III
read: Descartes Dream

June

5

FINAL PAPER DUE

Grading Policies

1. The course schedule is tentative and the professor reserves the right to make changes in the schedule. All such changes will be announced in class.

2. NO LATE PAPERS, NO MAKEUP EXAMS and NO INCOMPLETES, unless special permission is granted by the professor in advance. Such permission will be granted only in the case of exceptional circumstances (such as genuine emergencies, etc.)

3. Participation in class and/or steady improvement will be considered in determining your final grade, especially in borderline cases.

4. Reevaluations: Students may request a reevaluation of any exam or paper if they feel that it has been incorrectly graded. The work must be resubmitted within two weeks of the date the exam or paper was graded and returned.