August 22 (Thu), 2019 HW1 assigned: exercises at the end of chs. 1 and 2 of textbook (referred to as [B]), due on September 5, 2019. 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 29 (Thu), 2018 Ch.1 [B] (Introduction): What is Ethics? The subject of ethics. Ethics and law. 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.) "Logical malleability," the Church-Turing thesis, the Turing Machines, and the claim of universality for the computer. An example of "technological permeation": the cashless society, with a discussion of its impact on police corruption in Kenia from the 2016-09-20 episode of the BBC World Service radio program "The Inquiry."`
September 5, (Thu), 2019 Another example of "informational enrichment:" copyright. The invisibility factor, 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. Good Q&A. Philosophical belief systems (ch.3 [B]): introduction, metaphysics (ontology), epistemology, axiology (ethics and aesthetics). Raphael's "School of Athens" (1511).
September 12, (Thu), 2019 Ch. 3 [B], completed. Idealist metaphysics: the parable of the cave. Idealist epistemology. Idealist ethics: Plato (dialogue from _Crito_). Immanual Kant. Joseph Pieper. Realism: Minsky, Aristotle. Idealism and Realism completed.
September 19, (Thu), 2019 HW3 (professional activity-related) assigned, due Thursday, October 11, 2018. See elsewhere on the course website for details. Presentation by Ms. Taryn Asbury and Ms. Annie Shealy of the CEC Satellite Office of the USC Career Center. Employer panel with: Capgemini (Ms. Kaitlyn Flake, Campus Recruiter), FDM (Mr. Steve Fielding, Southeast Regional Manager), and Naval Information Warfare Center (formerly SPAWAR; Mr. Vinn Doan).
September 26, (Thu), 2019 Reminder: HW2 due on October 17, 2019. Presentation by Prof. Duncan Buell of the Computer Science and Engineering Department of the University of South Carolina: "Is Technology the Answer? Software Quality Issues in Electronic Voting Systems."
October 3 (Thu), 2019 HW2 assignment reminder; HW3 assigned, due on October 17. Pragmatism and Existentialism, completed. The possiility of a unifying ethical theory (Ch.5 [B]).
October 17 (Thu), 2019 HW4 assigned: due the exercise at the end of Ch.6 [B]. This is due on October 31, 2019. Ch.6 [B]: The Ethical Decision-Making Process. Brief comments on IRAC, a methodology for legal analysis. A framework for ethical decision making in journalism, from: Stephanie Craft and Charles N. Davis. Principles of American Journalism: An Introduction. Routledge, 2013. A Framework for Ethical Decision Making from Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics: discussion based on handout. The culture clash on the net case, in detail.
October 24, 2019 (Thu) HW5 assigned: exercise at the end of Ch.7[B], due on November 7, 2019. Psychology and Computer Ethics: brief review of Ch.7[B], with mention of Papert (the Logo language; _Mindstorms_) and Piaget's role.
October 31, 2019 (Thu) HW6, HW7, and HW8 assigned: see main page of course website for details. The Computing Field as a Profession (Ch.8[B]).
November 7, 2019 (Thu) Ch.9 [B]: Computer-Related Codes of Ehics. Note: the ACM Code of Ethics was Rewritten in Summer 2018. Three case studies for the Joint Software Engineering Code: a paper by Gotterbarn and Miller; see link to paper on course website. One case from the ACM Website on the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. See https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics and https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics/case-studies: we discussed the "Malware"
November 14, 2019 (Thu) Discussion of cases from Ch. 13 and Ch. 15 [B].
November 21, 2019 (Thu) Several student presentations using the HW8 PowerPoint documents.
December 5, 2019 (Thu) More student presentations. End of course survey. End of course.