August 21 (Thu), 2014 HW1 assigned: exercises at the end of chs. 1 and 2 of textbook (referred to as [B]). See elsewhere for details of submission. Administrative information: objectives, textbook, syllabus, grading policy. The students take the Ross-Barger philosophic inventory (cf. ch.4 [B]).
August 28 (Thu), 2014 HW1 collected. Definitions of computer ethics. Notes based on: James H. Moor. "What is Computer Ethics?" _Metaphilosopthy_, 16, 4 (October 1985), 266-275, and James, H. Moor. "Reason, Relativity, and Responsibility in Computer Ethics." In: Terrell Ward Bynum and Simon Rogerson (eds.). _Computer Ethics and Professional Responsibility_. ISBN 1-85554-844-5. Blackwell Publishing, 2004. (In addition to Moor's article, the paper also contains historical and introductory material on the topic of Computer Ethics.)
September 4, 2014 (Thu), 2014 HW2 (professional activity-related) assigned, due Thursday, September 25, 2014. See elsewhere on the course website for details. Presentation by Ms. Jennifer Whetstone-Jackson of the CEC Satellite Office of the USC Career Center.
September 11, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Philosophical belief systems (ch.3 [B]): introduction, metaphysics (ontology), epistemology, axiology (ethics and aesthetics), idealism.
September 18, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Philosophical belief systems, part II: realism, pragmatism and existentialism.
September 25, 2014 (Thu), 2014 HW3 assigned (chs.3 and 4[B] exercises; see details elsewhere on the course website), due on Thursday, October 2. HW2 (career activity) collected. HW1 and philosophic questionnaire returned. Brief comments on Ch.4 (Inventory). Three short ethical dilemmas: absolutist (idealistic and realistic) and relativistic (pragmatic and existentialist) position. Ch.5 (Mohr's proposal for a unified ethical theory); Mohr's paper, "Just Consequentialism and Computing" linked to the course website.
October 2, 2014 (Thu), 2014 HW4 assigned (ch.6[B] exercise); see details elsewhere on the course website; due on Thursday, October 16. HW3 collected. The ethical decision-making process (Ch.6 [B]): review and example in detail.
October 9, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Presentation by Prof. Duncan Buell of the University of South Carolina on Voting Machines.
October 16, 2014 (Thu), 2014 HW4 collected. Presentation by Dr. Csilla Farkas of the University of South Carolina on Computer Security and Information Assurance.
October 30, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Remaining homework is listed under "Homework" in course website. Psychology and Computer Ethics (ch.7[B]). The Computing Field as a Profession (ch.8[B]).
November 6, 2014 (Thu), 2014 HW5 collected. Computer-related Codes of Ethics (ch.9[B]). Three case studies for the Joint Software Engineering Code: a paper by Gotterbarn and Miller; see details on course website.
November 13, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Presentation by Dr. Ioannis Rekleitis on Ethical Issues in Robotics. Students who missed the SET fair are required to attend Mr. Chase Grays' colloquium in Amoco Hall on Friday, November 14, from 1530-1630.
November 20, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Student presentations (8). Students who missed the SET fair and have not had a make-up activity are required to attend Dr. Tian He's colloquium in the Faculty Lounge (1A03) on Friday, November 21, from 1530-1630.
December 4, 2014 (Thu), 2014 Announcement: there will be no final exam for this course. Student presentations (4). Course evaluation. End of course.