CSCE 390 (Spring 2010): Lecture Log

January 14 (Thu), 2010 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]).

January 21 (Thu), 2010 HW1 collected. Philosophical belief systems (ch.3 [B]): introduction, metaphysics (ontology), epistemology, axiology (ethics and aesthetics), idealism, and realism.

January 28 (Thu), 2010 HW2 assigned: exercises at the end of chs. 3-5 of textbook (referred to as [B]). See elsewhere for details of submission. Philosophical inventory returned. HW1 returned. Philosphical belief systems, part II: pragmatism and existentialism. The possibility of a unifying ethical theory: Moor's argument.

February 4 (Thu), 2010 HW2 collected. Presentation by Ms. Helen Fields, Director of the CEC Satellite Office of the Career Center: "The Value of Experiential Learning."

February 11 (Thu), 2010 HW2 returned. HW3 and HW4 assigned. See elsewhere for details of submission. Three ethical dilemmas by Robert Barger, with absolutist and relativist positions. The ethical decision-making process (Ch.6 [B]). Psychology and computer ethics (very briefly) (Ch.7 [B]).

February 18 (Thu), 2010 HW3 and HW4 collected. Presentation by Dr. Homayoun Valafar on Bioinformatics.

February 25 (Thu), 2010 HW5 assigned. See elsewhere for details of submission. The computing field as a profession (Ch.8 [B]). Computer-related codes of ethics (Ch.9 [B]).

March 4 (Thu), 2010 HW5 collected. No new homework assigned. Enjoy spring break! Use your time wisely and catch up with coursework in all your classes. Presentation by Dr. Csilla Farkas on Legal and Ethical Issues in Information Security.

March 18 (Thu), 2010 HW5 returned, with discussion of two computer-related code of ethics. Students are urged to attend the meeting with Provost Amiridis and Vice Provost Curtis. Many do.

March 25 (Thu), 2010 No new homework assigned. Colloquium talk by Professor Duncan Buell on Electronic Voting Machines.

April 1 (Thu), 2010 HW6 assigned. See elsewhere for details. Three cases studies for the Joint Software Engineering Code of Ethics.

April 8 (Thu), 2010 HW7 and HW8 assigned. See elsewhere for details. Privacy concerns (Chs.14-15 [B]). Discussion of HW8 requirements.

April 15 (Thu), 2010 HW7 collected. HW8 clarified---see elsewhere for details. Students are encouraged to check the blackboard site for this course to make sure that their grades are recorded. Discussion of Peter Aiken, Robert M. Stanley, Juanita Billings, and Luke Anderson. "Using Codes of Conduct to Resolve Legal Disputes." Computer, 43, 4 (April 2010), pp.29-34. (Local copy linked to course web site.)