1. AIT, Comp. Sci. & Info. Mgmt AT02.98 Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in Computing September Term, 1999 1 Objectives of these slides: l to describe an ethical theory based on examining actions themselves 5. Actions

2. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 2 Overview 1. An Act-Oriented Approach 2. Judging an Action 3. Personal Freedom, Choice and Autonomy 4. Human Behaviour – Other Facits 5. Problems

3. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 3 1. An Act-Oriented Approach §The Universal Declaration also considers the moral character of an action by examining the action itself l don’t look at the results/consequences §Sometimes called the deontological approach l dentos = duty §We have a duty to respect people’s rights and needs when carrying out an action.

4. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 4 2. Judging an Action §This approach was developed by Immanuel Kant. §His initial motivation was that “everything has either a price or a dignity” l e.g. work skills have a market value, but keeping a promise cannot be quantified §The utilitarian aim of quantifying pleasure is doomed due to the presence of ‘dignities’ l e.g. how do you value your parents?

5. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 5 Measuring the Immeasurable §An act-oriented yardstick measures the humantity in an act, not the resulting pleasure, pain, happiness, or unhappiness. §Doing wrong is seen as violating a fundamental standard of humanity, people’s universal rights. continued

6. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 6 §Unfortunately, humanity is hard to define; it is intangible l it requires intuition, insight, judgement l some skeptics deny its existence §Response: many things are intangible l e.g. love, trust but they exist

7. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 7 Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804)

8. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 8 3. Personal Freedom, Choice & Autonomy §Kant’s basic moral law for judging an action is called the categorical imperative l a command (imperative) that holds with no exceptions or qualification (categorically) §Kant has several definitions of it. One of the most important relates to freedom: l “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means.” continued

9. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 9 §If I treat someone as a “means”, then I am using them for my own ends, not theirs. l I don’t care what they want l I see them as an object/tool that I use to get what I want l I impose my choices on them l Their personal freedom, choice and autonomy are restricted §Kant’s ethical yardstick measures the humanity of our acts in terms of the personal freedom, choice and autonomy of the people affected.

10. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 10 4. Human Behaviour – Other Facits §Many other qualities can be included in the definition of humanity. §For example, when we deal with with people, we should treat them with: l equality, dignity, fairness l sympathy, sensitivity

11. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 11 4.1. The Ability to Think §The ability to think is an essential component of humanity. §Intelligence connects with ethics in two ways. §1) Intelligence + Choice = Morality l we are responsible for our actions since we have the intelligence to choose how to behave. continued

12. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 12 §2) Intelligence gives us a means (logical reasoning) to evaluate the ethics of our actions l e.g. discrimination is logically inconsistent l e.g. lying is inconsistent with the truth of an event

13. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 13 4.2. Reason & the Categorical Imperative §The version of the categorical imperative that depends most closely on the laws of reason is: l “Act only according to the maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” l maxim == policy statement == principle behind an action

14. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 14 §I should not steal a book from the library since what would happen if everyone stole books? §I should not make a false promise to someone l it is self-contradictory (due to reason) l if everyone did the same then the very idea of “promise” would cease to exist Examples

15. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 15 5. Problems §Universality doesn’t allow for exceptional cases l e.g. in a police state it might be morally okay to lie to the police §Kant offers no guidance about how to choose between moral rules l e.g. “keep a promise” or “tell the truth”

16. Comp. Ethics: Actions/5 16 Are we Rational? §Kant argues that our acts should be free from contradictions and inconsistencies when we consider their universal application. §This approach relies on us being able to rationally judge our actions.