A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computers and the Internet by Sara Baase ( San Diego State University )

 

Unwrapping the Gift

The Ubiquity of Computers and the Rapid Pace of Change

Examining the Gift: An Introduction to Some Issues and Themes

Appreciating the Benefits

Have you used a computer today?

You have if you used…

•an ATM,

•a CD-player,

•a cell phone,

•a modern appliance, or

•an electronic device.

Issues

Some Negative Impacts of New Technology:

•Unemployment.

•Alienation.

•Poor Customer Service.

•Crime.

•Loss of Privacy.

•Errors.

  

Some Positive Impacts of New Technology:

•Convenience.

•New types of jobs.

•More options for transactions.

•Improvements in crime-fighting.

•Small error rate.

Sources for Solutions to Problems:

•Technology.

•Management.

•Law.

•Education.

•The market.

 

 

Themes

Old Problems in a New Context

•Look for solutions learned in older technologies.

Adapting to New Technology

•New activities may require a new set of rules to follow.

The Global Reach of the Net

•Social behavior and laws vary from country to country.

Trade-offs and Controversy

•Consider both sides of an argument.

Themes (cont’d)

Differences Between Personal Choices, Business Policies, and Law

•Arguments for personal choice or organizational policy are not sufficient for enforcing decisions [laws] against others.

Negative Rights

•Liberties; rights to act without interference.

Positive Rights

•Claim-rights; rights that impose obligation on others to provide certain things.

Benefits of Computer Applications

•Development of better peripheral devices.

•Time-saving.

•Cost-saving.

•Less effort than older technologies.

•Development of better sound quality.

•Creation of computer-generated art and special effects.

•Improved accuracy.

•Improved customer service/satisfaction.

•Entertainment/fun.

Benefits Computers Bring to Communication

•Non-invasive; read at recipient’s convenience.

•Time-saving.

•Access to vast amounts of information.

•Text, graphics, and sound can be combined.

•Much information on WWW is free.

•Public forums not limited to geographic boundaries.

•More independence.

•More options for communicating.

•Remote access available.

•Traditional boundaries are no obstacle.

Benefits Computers Bring to Transportation

•Navigation.

•Diagnostics.

•Safety.

•Hybrid engines.

•Efficiency of fuel-burning.

Traffic pattern studies

Benefits Computers Bring to Education and Training

•Language acquisition.

•Spelling.

•Literacy.

•Distance learning.

•Modeling.

•Simulations.

•Speech recognition.

•Speech synthesis.

Benefits of Computers in Fighting Crime

•Improved crime reporting.

•Faster search of arrest records and fingerprint files.

•Remote access to records and reports, e.g. from patrol cars.

•Enhancement of records (fingerprints and photos).

•Access to numerous databases.

•Improved sensoring, monitoring, and surveillance equipment.

Benefits Computers Bring to Medicine

•Sophisticated imaging.

•Reduced surgery time.

•Patient monitoring.

•Early ambulation.

•Improved treatments.

•Fewer errors.

Benefits Computers Bring to the Disabled

•Disability-specific computer applications (e.g., a braille printer).

•Control of household and workplace appliances.

•Mobility.

•Control of artificial limbs.

•Improved vision.

•Access to adaptive educational equipment.

•Improved communication.

•Opportunity to return to work.

Benefits Computers Bring to Automation

•Organize and access large inventories.

•Improved customer satisfaction.

•Cost-saving.

•Time-saving.

•Tedious, monotonous work done by machine.

•Improved workplace safety.

Benefits Computers Bring to Identification

•Time-saving.

•Accuracy.

•Ease-of-use.

•Cost-saving.

•More secure.

•Customizable.

•Reliable.

Computers Monitor Environment and Materials

•Temperature.

•Acceleration.

•Stress in materials.

•Emissions.

•Dangerous substances in the air.

•Moisture.

•Acidity.

Applications of Computers in Tracking

•Rare plants and animals.

•Migration habits.

•Stolen goods.

•Lost pets or people.

Benefits of Computers in Reducing Paper Use and Trash

•Send/receive digital documents instead of hardcopy.

•Read, write, and edit online.

•Cost-saving; smaller storage needed.

•Creation of toxic wastes at paper mills reduced.