Ethics for the Information Age

Michael J. Quinn, Oregon State University

ISBN: 0-321-19434-9
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Copyright: 2005
Format: Paper; 456 pp
Published: 05/11/2004

Brief...

Description

Ethics for the Information Age offers students a timely, balanced, and impartial treatment of computer ethics. By including an introduction to ethical theories and material on the history of computing, the text addresses all the topics of the “Social and Professional Issues” in the 2001 Model Curricula for Computing developed by the ACM and IEEE Computer Society. By introducing ethical theories early and using them throughout the book to evaluate moral problems related to information technology, the book helps students develop the ability to reach conclusions and defend them in front of an audience. Every issue is studied from the point of view of multiple ethical theories in order to provide a balanced analysis of relevant issues.

Earlier chapters focus on issues concerned with the individual computer user including email, spam, intellectual property, open source movement, and free speech and Web censorship. Later chapters focus on issues with greater impact on society as a whole such as privacy, computer and network security, and computer error. The final chapter discusses professionalism and the Software Engineering Code of Ethics. It invites students to contemplate the ethical dimensions of decisions computer professionals must frequently make.

Snapshot

Features

• Provides the most modern coverage of moral issues related to information technology.
• Studies each problem through multiple ethical theories to provide a balanced view of relevant issues.
• Contains a chapter on “work and wealth” that discusses automation and unemployment, globalization, changes in the workplace brought on by information technology, and the digital divide.
• Covers many “hot” topics featured in the news that relate to information technology and the Web.
• Complies with the "Social and Professional Issues" course, satisfying the requirements outlined by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
  
  

Review

The design of IT products and use oft ICT solutions has brought up many questions. Ethics see many problems arising for society. The transparent worker. Loss of privacy. Access to censitive material prone to missuse.

Quinn as professor of IT at Oregon State university highlights many vital points and suggests how to resolve these open issues. Where does the right to knowledge management end and where are the bariers of good conduct broken?

This book is filled with valuable information and approachs. A complete guide for Managers and Professionals.