Ethics And Values In The Information Age

In this timely volume, Joel Rudinow and Anthony Graybosch have gathered together a set of readings that bridge the perceived gap between industrial age information systems--journalism and the mass media--and those emerging in the digital age of computers and networks. You'll find incisive essays in applied ethics from such writers as Ben Bagdikian, Sissela Bok, Noam Chomsky, the Dalai Lama, Nat Hentoff, Bill Joy, Sherry Turkle, and Catharine MacKinnon. Explore such contemporary issues as: professional ethics in the news, entertainment, and advertising; the ethics of popular mass media; information subterfuge and security; electronic privacy; Napster and intellectual property; personal identity and community in the age of virtual reality.

An introduction to the social and policy issues which have arisen as a result of IT. Whilst it assumes a modest familiarity with computers, the book provides a guide to the issues suitable for undergraduates. In doing so, the author prompts students to consider questions such as: * How do morality and the law relate to each other? * What should be covered in a professional code of conduct for information technology professionals? * What are the ethical issues relating to copying software? * Is electronic monitoring o employees wrong? * What are the moral codes of cyberspace? Throughout, the book shows how in many ways the technological development is outpacing the ability of our legal systems, and how different paradigms applied to ethical questions often proffer conflicting conclusions. As a result, students will find this a thought-provoking and valuable survey of the new and difficult ethical questions posed by the Internet, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. The New Normal: Evaluating Social and Ethical Concerns in the Information Age New technologies have brought us many benefits, but they have also raised many social and ethical concerns. The authors view in Ethics for the Information Age is that we ought to approach every new technology in a thoughtful manner, considering not just its short-term benefits, but also how its long-term use will affect our lives. A thoughtful response to information technology requires a basic understanding of its history, an awareness of current information-technology- related issues, and a familiarity with ethics. In the Seventh Edition, Quinn provides an impartial look at the problems technology both solves and creates. As in previous editions, he presents information in a manner that leads you to arrive at your own conclusions on crucial ethics questions. Weaving in a vital dose of IT history, the new topics keep the book relevant and can function as either a sole reference or a supplemental guide for computer ethics courses.

This thoroughly revised and expanded fourth edition of the successful Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age provides an up-to-date examination of the ethical, social, and policy challenges stemming from the emergence of cyberspace, the convergence of telecommunication and computing technologies, and the miniaturization of computing, telecommunication, and information-enabling devices. This accessible textbook/reference broadly surveys thought-provoking questions about the impact of these new technologies, with particular emphasis on the rapid growth of a multitude of computer networks, including the Internet. It assumes only a very modest familiarity with basic computer literacy. Students at all levels who need to learn about computer ethics, the legal aspects of computing, network security, computer crime investigation, and biometrics will find this well-documented work an invaluable resource. The book is also highly useful for practitioners needing such insights for their work.

The frequency of new editions of this book is indicative of the rapid and trem- dous changes in the fields of computer and information sciences. First published in 1995, the book has rapidly gone through three editions already and now we are in the fourth. Over this period, we have become more dependent on computer and telecommunication technology than ever before and computer technology has become ubiquitous. Since I started writing on social computing, I have been ad- cating a time when we, as individuals and as nations, will become totally dependent on computing technology. That time is almost on us. Evidence of this is embodied in the rapid convergence of telecommunication, broadcasting, and computing devices; the miniaturization of these devices; and the ever increasing storage capacity , speed of computation, and ease of use. These qualities have been a big pulling force sucking in millions of new users every day, sometimes even those unwilling. Other appealing features of these devices are the increasing number of applications, apps, as they are increasingly becoming known, and being wireless and easily portable. Whether small or big, these new gizmos have become the c- terpiece of an individual’s social and economic activities and the main access point for all information. Individuals aside, computing technology has also become the engine that drives the nations’ strategic and security infrastructures that control power grids, gas and oil storage facilities, transportation, and all forms of national communication, including emergency services.

"Computers and high-speed communication networks are transforming our world. These technologies have brought us many benefits, but they have also raised many social and ethical concerns. My view is that we ought to approach every new technology in a thoughtful manner, considering not just its short-term benefits, but also how its long-term use will affect our lives. A thoughtful response to information technology requires a basic understanding of its history, an awareness of current information-technology-related issues, and a familiarity with ethics. I have written Ethics for the Information Age with these ends in mind. Ethics for the Information Age is suitable for college students at all levels. The only prerequisite is some experience using computers and the Internet. The book is appropriate for a stand-alone "computers and society" or "computer ethics" course offered by a computer science, business, or philosophy department. It can also be used as a supplemental textbook in a technical course that devotes some time to social and ethical issues related to computing. As students discuss controversial issues related to information technology, they have the opportunity to learn from one other and improve their critical thinking skills. The provocative questions raised at the end of every chapter, together with dozens of in-class exercises, provide many opportunities for students to express their views, learn from their classmates, and refine their positions on important issues. My hope is that through these discussions students will get better at evaluating complex issues and defending their conclusions with facts, sound values, and rational arguments"--

Widely praised for its balanced treatment of computer ethics, Ethics for the Information Age offers a modern presentation of the moral controversies surrounding information technology. Topics such as privacy and intellectual property are explored through multiple ethical theories, encouraging readers to think critically about these issues and to make their own ethical decisions.

Presents a new theory of media ethics that is explicitly international.