Focuses on the multi-faceted 'computational turn' that is occurring through the interaction of the disciplines of philosophy and computing. This book explores the phenomenon of virtual worlds. It focuses on robots and artificial agents. It discusses the relation between human mentality and information processing in computers.
Philosophy and Computing explores each of the following areas of technology: the digital revolution; the computer; the Internet and the Web; CD-ROMs and Mulitmedia; databases, textbases, and hypertexts; Artificial Intelligence; the future of computing. Luciano Floridi shows us how the relationship between philosophy and computing provokes a wide range of philosophical questions: is there a philosophy of information? What can be achieved by a classic computer? How can we define complexity? What are the limits of quantam computers? Is the Internet an intellectual space or a polluted environment? What is the paradox in the Strong Artificial Intlligence program? Philosophy and Computing is essential reading for anyone wishing to fully understand both the development and history of information and communication technology as well as the philosophical issues it ultimately raises.
This textbook raises thought-provoking questions regarding our rapidly-evolving computing technologies, highlighting the need for a strong ethical framework in our computer science education. Ethics in Computing offers a concise introduction to this topic, distilled from the more expansive Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age. Features: introduces the philosophical framework for analyzing computer ethics; describes the impact of computer technology on issues of security, privacy and anonymity; examines intellectual property rights in the context of computing; discusses such issues as the digital divide, employee monitoring in the workplace, and health risks; reviews the history of computer crimes and the threat of cyberbullying; provides coverage of the ethics of AI, virtualization technologies, virtual reality, and the Internet; considers the social, moral and ethical challenges arising from social networks and mobile communication technologies; includes discussion questions and exercises.
This textbook provides an introduction to the social and policy issues which have arisen as a result of information technology. Whilst it assumes a modest familiarity with computers, its aim is to provide a guide to the issues suitable for undergraduates. In doing so, the author prompts the students to consider questions such as: "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 to keep up, and how different paradigms applied to ethical questions may often offer conflicting conclusions. As a result students will find this to be a thought-provoking and valuable survey.
This comprehensive textbook introduces students to the wide-ranging responsibilities of computing, science and engineering professionals by laying strong transdisciplinary foundations and by highlighting ethical issues that may arise during their careers. The work is well illustrated, and makes extensive use of both activities, and ethical dilemmas which are designed to stimulate reader engagement. A number of memorable case studies are also included and frequently draw on the demanding aerospace industry. The book adopts a strongly human centric approach, with matters such as privacy erosion and censorship being viewed not only in their current context but also in terms of their ongoing evolution. What are our individual ethical responsibilities for ensuring that we do not develop for future generations a technological leviathan with the potential to create a dystopian world? A broad range of technologies and techniques are introduced and are examined within an ethical framework. These include biometrics, surveillance systems (including facial recognition), radio frequency identification devices, drone technologies, the Internet of Things, and robotic systems. The application and potential societal ramifications of such systems are examined in some detail and this is intended to support the reader in gaining a clear insight into our current direction of travel. Importantly, the author asks whether we can afford to allow ongoing developments to be primarily driven by market forces, or whether a more cautious approach is needed. Further chapters examine the benefits that are associated with ethical leadership, environmental issues relating to the technology product lifecycle (from inception to e-waste), ethical considerations in research (including medical experimentation involving both humans and animals), and the need to develop educational programs which will better prepare students for the needs of a much more fluid employment landscape. The final chapter introduces a structured approach to ethical issue resolution, providing a valuable, long-term source of reference. In addition it emphasises the ethical responsibilities of the professional, and considers issues that can arise when we endeavour to effect ethically sound change within organisations. Examples are provided which highlight the possible ramifications of exercising ethical valour. The author has thus created an extensively referenced textbook that catalyses student interest, is internationally relevant, and which is multicultural in both its scope and outlook.
This volume collects key influential papers that have animated the debate about information computer ethics over the past three decades, covering issues such as privacy, online trust, anonymity, values sensitive design, machine ethics, professional conduct and moral responsibility of software developers. These previously published articles have set the tone of the discussion and bringing them together here in one volume provides lecturers and students with a one-stop resource with which to navigate the debate.
How does the use of military drones affect the legal, political, and moral responsibility of different actors involved in their deployment and design? This volume offers a fresh contribution to the ethics of drone warfare by providing, for the first time, a systematic interdisciplinary discussion of different responsibility issues raised by military drones. The book discusses four main sets of questions: First, from a legal point of view, we analyse the ways in which the use of drones makes the attribution of criminal responsibility to individuals for war crimes more complicated and what adjustments may be required in international criminal law and in military practices to avoid ’responsibility gaps’ in warfare. From a moral and political perspective, the volume looks at the conditions under which the use of military drones by states is impermissible, permissible, or even obligatory and what the responsibilities of a state in the use of drones towards both its citizens and potential targets are. From a socio-technical perspective, what kind of new human machine interaction might (and should) drones bring and which new kinds of shared agency and responsibility? Finally, we ask how the use of drones changes our conception of agency and responsibility. The book will be of interest to scholars and students in (military) ethics and to those in law, politics and the military involved in the design, deployment and evaluation of military drones.
In the modern era each new innovation poses its own special ethical dilemma. How can human society adapt to these new forms of expression, commerce, government, citizenship, and learning while holding onto its ethical and moral principles? The Changing Scope of Technoethics in Contemporary Society is a critical scholarly resource that examines the existing intellectual platform within the field of technoethics. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as ethical perspectives on internet safety, technoscience, and ethical hacking communication, this book is geared towards academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on domains of technoethics.
Challenging the focus on great powers in the international debate, this book explores how rising middle power states are engaging with emerging major military innovations and analyses how this will affect the stability and security of the Indo Pacific. Presenting a data-based analysis of how middle power actors in the Indo-Pacific are responding to the emergence of military Artificial Intelligence and Killer Robots, the book asserts that continuing to exclude non-great power actors from our thinking in this field enables the dangerous diffusion of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) to smaller states and terrorist groups, and demonstrates the disruptive effects of these military innovations on the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. Offering a detailed analysis of the resource capacities of China, United States, Singapore and Indonesia, it shows how major military innovation acts as a circuit breaker between competitor states disrupting the conventional superiority of the dominant hegemonic state and giving a successful adopter a distinct advantage over their opponent. This book will appeal to researchers, end-users in the military and law enforcement communities, and policymakers. It will also be a valuable resource for researchers interested in strategic stability for the broader Asia-Pacific and the role of middle power states in hegemonic power transition and conflict.
While social robots participation increases in everyday human life, their presence in diverse contexts and situations is expected. At the same point, users tend to become more demanding regarding their roles, abilities, behaviour and appearance. Thus, designers and developers are confronted with the need to design more sophisticated robots that can produce such a positive reaction from users so as to become well accepted in various cases of use. Like this, Human-Robot Interaction has become a developing area. Emotions are an important part in human life, since they mediate the interaction with other humans, entities and/or products. In recent years, there has been an increase in the importance of emotions applied to the design field, giving rise to the so-called Emotional Design area. In the case of Human-Robot Interaction, the emotional design can help to elicit (e.g., pleasurable) or prevent (e.g., unpleasant) emotional/affective reactions/responses. This book gives a practical introduction to emotional design in human-robot interaction and supports designers with knowledge and research tools to help them take design decisions based on a User-Centred Design approach. It should also be useful to people interested in design processes, even if not directly related to the design of social robots but, instead, to other technology-based artefacts. The text is meant as a reference source with practical guidelines and advice for design issues.