reading-notes

Read: Class 42 - Ethics in Tech

• Ethics of technology is a sub-field of ethics addressing the ethical questions specific to the Technology Age, the transitional shift in society where personal computers and subsequent devices have been introduced to provide users an easy and quick way to transfer information. Ethics in technology has become an evolving topic over the years as technology has developed.

• When we think of ethical issues, we do not usually think about technology. Even though it is not on the top of our minds when we think about ethical issues, technology poses an ethical dilemma on producers and consumers alike. The subject of technoethics, or the ethical implications of technology, have been studied by different philosophers such as Hans Jonas and Mario Bunge.

• This article will walk through what technoethics is, the different types of technoethics within application areas, the history of technoethics, general ethical challenges, current technoethical issues, recent and future developments, and future considerations of technoethics. This article discusses many different topics and types of technology that is currently in use within our society and discusses the ethical implication of each of these technologies.

• Technoethics involves the ethical aspects of technology within a society that is shaped by technology. This brings up a series of social and ethical questions regarding new technological advancements and new boundary crossing opportunities. Before moving forward and attempting to address any ethical questions and concerns, it is important to review the three major ethical theories to develop a perspective foundation :

  1. Utilitarianism (Bentham) is an ethical theory which attempts to maximize happiness and reduce suffering for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism focused on results and consequences rather than rules.
  2. Duty ethics (Kant) notes the obligations that one has to society and follows society’s universal rules. It focuses on the rightness of actions instead of the consequences, focusing on what an individual should do.
  3. Virtue ethics is another main perspective in normative ethics. It highlights the role and virtues that an individual’s character contains to be able to determine or evaluate ethical behaviour in society. By practicing honing honest and generous behavior, Aristotle, the philosopher of this theory believes that people will then make the right choice when faced with an ethical decision.
  4. Relationship ethics states that care and consideration are both derived from human communication. Therefore, ethical communication is the core substance to maintain healthy relationships.

Types of Technology Ethics

1. Access rights: access to empowering technology as a right
2. Accountability: decisions made for who is responsible when considering success or harm in technological advancements
3. Digital Rights: protecting intellectual property rights and privacy rights
4. Environment: how to produce technology that could harm the environment
5. Existential Risk: technologies that represent a threat to the global quality of life pertaining to extinction
6. Freedom: technology that is used to control a society raising questions related to freedom and independence
7. Health & Safety: health and safety risks that are increased and imposed by technologies
8. Human Enhancement: human genetic engineering and human-machine integration
9. Human Judgement: when can decisions be judged by automation and when do they acquire a reasonable human?
10. Over-Automation: when does automation decrease quality of life and start affecting society?
11. Precaution Principle: Who decides that developing this new technology is safe for the world?
12. Privacy: protection of privacy rights
13. Security: Is due diligence required to ensure information security?
14. Self Replicating Technology: should self replicating be the norm?
15. Technology Transparency: clearly explaining how a technology works and what its intentions are
16. Terms of Service: ethics related to legal agreements