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65 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Why is there good reason to say we are living in the Information Age?
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Computer and communication technologies have made it easy to collect, store, manipulate, and distribute vast amounts of information.
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What can the Amish teach us about our relationship with technology? |
The Amish demonstrate that people have the ability to evaluate every technology critically and determine whether its use will improve or degrade their quality of life.
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What are the three principal components of a data-processing system?
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The first component inputs data, the second performs calculations, and the third outputs data.
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Briefly describe three ways in which society changed by adopting the telephone.
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The telephone blurred the traditional boundaries between private life and public life, between family and business. The telephone eroded traditional social hierarchies. The telephone enabled the creation of the first “on-line" communities.
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Why does the Internet have a decentralized structure?
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ARPA did not want the ARPANET to collapse if a single computer were lost. It is widely reported that fear of a nuclear attack led ARPA to this design decision.
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Give four examples from the book of how a social condition influenced the development of a new technology.
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The need for large amounts of timely information by corporate managers in the late nineteenth century fueled the growth of the manual calculator market.
The need to store and manipulate large amounts of data prompted the invention of punched-card tabulation and data-processing systems. A demand for less expensive access to computers stimulated the development of time sharing. BASIC became popular because there was a demand for an easy-to-learn programming language. An interest in accessing and sharing information led to the rapid adoption of the World Wide Web created by Tim Berners-Lee. |
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Give four examples from the book of a social change brought about by the adoption of a new technology.
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· The adoption of the telephone erased traditional boundaries between work and home.
· The telephone also made possible the first on-line communities, through party lines. · Manual calculators led to the deskilling and feminization of bookkeeping. · Time-sharing systems gave many more people access to computers, which they used for both educational and entertainment purposes. · Television broadcasts may have influenced the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election of 2000. |
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What is the difference between morality and ethics?
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Morality is focused on solving particular problems. Ethics is broader than morality in that it includes the higher-level activities evaluating moral systems and the creation of new ways of evaluating moral problems.
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What is the difference between relativism and objectivism?
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Relativism is the view that “the good" exists inside the human mind. Our role as humans is to invent “the good." Since “the good" is invented, its definition is malleable.
Objectivism is the view that “the good" exists outside the human mind. Our role as humans is to find or discover “the good." Since “the good" exists independently of our intellectual activity, its definition never changes. |
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Come up with your own example of a moral rule that would violate the Categorical Imperative.
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Sometimes I leave home a little late, but I'd still like to get to work on time. I want to be able to drive through red lights on those days when I am running late. The proposed moral rule is: I may ignore traffic laws when I am pressed for time. If we universalized this rule, then traffic signals would cease to have any meaning. The streets would be chaotic. There would be gridlock or accidents at every busy intersection. That contradicts my desire to get to work on time. Hence my proposed moral rule is logically self-defeating. It is wrong for me to drive through red lights on those days when I am running late.
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Give three examples of a situation in which your action would be primarily motivated by a sense of duty or obligation. Give three examples of a situation in which your action would be primarily motivated by its expected consequences.
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Three situations in which my action would be primarily motivated by a sense of duty or obligation:
(a) I promised someone if he could get two tickets to a rock concert, I would purchase a ticket and go with him. He got the tickets and expects me to pay for mine. I keep my promise, even though I just lost my job and I really can't afford to go. (b) I pay my income taxes, even though I think the government has some wasteful programs. (c) Everybody in my fraternity is going to give blood. I donate blood, too, even though just thinking about it makes me queasy.
(a) I give money to a particular charity because it has the lowest administrative overhead of any international relief organization. I figure more of my money will actually reach those who need it. (b) I work extra hard in a particular class, even though I am not interested in the material, because I hope the professor will write me a good letter of recommendation. (c) I slightly exaggerate my experience in order to get a good job as a server in a nice restaurant. |
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What is the difference principle?
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The difference principle states that social and economic inequalities must be justified, and the only way to justify a social or economic inequality is to show that its overall effect is to provide the most benefit to the least advantaged. For example, under capitalism some people are allowed to have much more wealth than others. In order to justify capitalism, it must be shown that the poorest are better off than under alternative economic systems.
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Describe similarities and differences between subjective relativism and ethical egoism.
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Subjective relativism and ethical egoism are similar in the sense that both theories allow an individual to put himself or herself first in determining the right action to take in a particular situation. However, there is a crucial difference between the two theories. Subjective relativism, like all relativistic theories, holds that each person decides what is right for himself or herself. Two people in the same circumstances could choose completely different actions, and both could be right. Ethical egoism, on the other hand, is an objective theory. It holds that the right action for a person to take in a particular situation is the action that will be to the greatest long-term benefit of that person. A rational, objective process is used to determine the greatest long-term benefit, meaning anyone in the same situation should reach the same conclusion.
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Describe similarities and differences between divine command theory and Kantianism.
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Both divine command theory and Kantianism are objective, holding that right and wrong can be expressed in rules that are true for all people at all times in history. Divine command theory identifies the good with the will of God, and holds that the will of God is communicated through holy books. Kantianism, on the other hand, holds that we can use our reason to determine what is good.
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Describe similarities and differences between subjective relativism and act utilitarianism.
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Both subjective relativism and act utilitarianism would allow an individual to evaluate a situation to determine whether a particular action is right or wrong. However, subjective relativism allows a person to use any means to decide the right thing to do. According to act utilitarianism, the consequences of the possible actions must be evaluated. The correct action is the one that leads to the greatest increase in total happiness among the parties affected.
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Describe similarities and differences between Kantianism and rule utilitarianism.
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Both Kantianism and rule utilitarianism are objective. According to both theories, right actions are those that are in line with universal moral rules. However, the two theories derive the rules in different ways. Kantianism determines whether a proposed moral rule is acceptable by evaluating it according to the Categorical Imperative. Utilitarianism determines whether a proposed moral rule is acceptable by considering the long-term, overall total change in happiness that would result if everyone always followed the rule.
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Describe similarities and differences between act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism.
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Both act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism are consequentialist theories. However, act utilitarianism considers the consequences that would result from an action taken in one particular situation. Rule utilitarianism considers the consequences that would result if everyone always took a certain course of action in all similar situations.
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Describe similarities and differences between cultural relativism and social contract theory.
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Both theories focus on the notion of society, but they are quite different. For one thing, cultural relativism is an example of relativism, while social contract theory is an example of objectivism. Cultural relativism says each society must determine for itself what people ought to do in various situations. Different societies come up with different moral codes. These rules may be based heavily on tradition and not on reason.Social contract theory says morality consists in those rules that rational people ought to recognize are in everyone's best benefit if they are universally obeyed.
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Describe similarities and differences between Kantianism and social contract theory.
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Both Kantianism and social contract theory are objective, rule-based theories. InKantianism, proposed rules are derived by seeing if they can meet the requirements of the Categorical Imperative. In social contract theory, proposed rules are derived by seeing if their universal adoption would be to everyone's mutual benefit.
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Define censorship in your own words.
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Censorship is when one person or organization prevents another person or organization from expressing their opinion.
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According to the U.S. Supreme Court, why do broadcasters have the most limited First Amendment rights?
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Broadcasters have the most limited First Amendment rights because they have a pervasive presence. Broadcasters beam signals into the privacy of the home. Since people can turn radios and televisions on and off, they may turn a device on in the middle of a show. That means that warnings at the start of a show are less effective than a warning at the front of a newspaper or magazine article. Also, broadcasting is accessible to children, even those too young to read. Restricting the access of children to radio or television is more difficult than restricting access to adult magazines or books.
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What characteristics of the Internet make censorship difficult?
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Censorship is difficult on the Internet because:
(a) The Internet supports many-to-many communication. The Internet has far more information outlets than television or radio. (b) The Internet is dynamic. Millions of computers are being added to the Internet every year. (c) The Web is huge, containing billions of pages. Nobody can keep track of everything published on the Web. (d) The Internet is global. Laws passed in one nation may have no effect outside that nation's borders. (e) It is hard to distinguish between children and adults on the Internet. |
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What is intellectual property? Give ten examples of intellectual property.
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The term intellectual property is used to describe a unique creation of the human mind that has commercial value. Examples of intellectual property include poems, photographs, songs, plays, books, paintings, sculptures, movies, logos, slogans, designs, perfumes, recipes, and computer programs.
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What are the ways in which an individual or firm may protect intellectual property in the United States?
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An individual or firm in the United States may protect intellectual property through trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, patents, and copyrights.
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When referring to copyrighted materials, what is meant by the term “fair use”?
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Fair use refers to those circumstances under which it is legal to reproduce a copyrighted work without permission.
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What does the term “digital rights management” mean? Describe three different technologies that have been used or proposed for digital rights management.
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Digital rights management refers to any of a variety of actions owners of intellectual property stored in digital form may take to protect their rights. Examples of digital rights management include encryption, digital watermarking, and making CDs copyproof.
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When describing a software license, what does the phrase “open source” mean?
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Open source refers to software in which the source code is distributed along with the executable program.
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Suppose your band has recorded a song and posted it as an MP3 file on your Web site.How can you allow people to download your music for noncommercial purposes while retaining your copyright on the song?
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My band can select a Creative Commons license that allows people to download music for noncommercial purposes, but still protects the band's copyright to the song.
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Is privacy a negative right or a positive right?
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Privacy is a negative right because all I have to do to give you privacy is leave you alone.
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What is a public record?
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A public record contains information reported to a government agency for the purpose of informing the public.
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What are the advantages of consolidating a patient’s medical records into a single database accessible by many? What are the risks associated with this consolidation?
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Consolidating a patient's medical records into a single database can make it easier for multiple health care professionals to provide quality service to that patient. For example, having all of a person's prescriptions in a single database makes it easier to identify potentially dangerous drug interactions. The risk of consolidation is that if someone should gain access to the database without authorization, that person would get access to all of that patient's medical information.
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What is data mining?
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Data mining means searching through multiple databases looking for patterns or relationships in the records.
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How are some political campaigns using data mining?
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Some campaigns are using data mining because it enables them to target their direct mailings and home visits to the people most likely to support their candidates.
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What are the four categories in Daniel Solove’s taxonomy of privacy? Come up with your own examples of activities conducted by government agencies falling into each of these categories.
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“Information collection refers to activities that gather personal information." An example of information collection by a government agency would be educational records held by a public university.
“Information processing refers to activities that store, manipulate, and use personal data that has been collected." An example of information processing would be making a prediction about the number of graduates who are going to fall behind in repaying their federal student loans. “Information dissemination refers to activities that spread personal information." An example of information dissemination is when a state government releases a list of felons who are ineligible to vote. “Invasion refers to activities that intrude upon a person's daily life." An example of a government activity in this category is requiring those who wish to purchase a gun to have a criminal background check and to register their gun. |
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Provide an example of overt surveillance by a government agency in the United States.
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An example of overt surveillance by a government agency in the United States is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to provide security in public places.
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Provide two examples of covert surveillance by the U.S. government.
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Two examples of covert surveillance by the U.S. government are wiretapping and the use of hidden microphones (bugs).
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Give two arguments in favor of a national identification card for the United States. Give two arguments against creating a national identification card. |
Proponents of a national identification card argue that a modern identification card with biometric data would be harder to forge than a Social Security card or a driver's license. A national identification card would reduce illegal immigration by making it impossible for an illegal alien to find work.Opponents of a national identification card say that corrupt offcials inside government agencies would make it possible for people to obtain fake national identification cards. A national identification card will simply make it easier for the government to perform data mining on the activities of its citizens.
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What are the rights provided by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act?
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The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act gives students 18 years old and older the right to review their educational records. It also gives them the right to request changes to records containing errors. Students may prevent others from accessing these records without permission, except under certain circumstances. If a student is less than 18 years old, these rights are held by the student's parents or guardians.
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How does the Video Privacy Protection Act enhance privacy?
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The Video Privacy Protection Act enhances privacy by making it illegal for videotape service providers to disclose rental records without the consent of the customer. The law also requires stores to destroy information about who rented what within a year of when the information is no longer needed for the purposes of the original transaction.
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What is the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act?
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The purpose of the Freedom of Information Act is to ensure that the public has access to the records of the U.S. government.
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According to the textbook, which is not an example of a profession?
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Software engineer.
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Which is not one of the characteristics of a mature profession?
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Mandatory drug testing.
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The process giving someone the legal right to practice a profession is called...
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Licensing.
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Unlike most professionals, the typical software engineer...
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Does not work directly with individual clients.
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The Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice was developed by...
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The Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
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What kinds of mistakes may cause a computer to produce a faulty output?
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(a) There is a bug in the program.
(b) Incorrect data are input into the system. (c) A query for information is entered incorrectly. |
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What are some of the benefits brought by automation? What are the harms brought about by automation?
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Automation reduces the price of goods, increasing the real income of the people who buy those goods. With a higher real income, people can use the extra money to buy other things. Hence automation increases the standard of living. However, automation puts some people out of work. They must go through unemployment, and perhaps retraining, before getting another job. People who are too old may be unable to find another job after being displacedby a machine.
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What evidence has been given to show that automation eliminates jobs? What evidence has been given to show that automation creates more jobs than it destroys?
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There is evidence that automation eliminates jobs. More than 43 million manufacturing jobs disappeared in the United States between 1979 and 1994. Spreadsheets and other software packages are reducing the need for accountants and bookkeepers. A large number of white-collar, middle-management jobs were eliminated in 1991–1996. Most of these people had at least some college education. Only 35 percent of these people were able to find new jobs that paid as well. There is also evidence that automation creates more jobs than it destroys. The total number of manufacturing jobs in the world is increasing, not decreasing. Two studies commissioned by the International Labor Office concluded that automation does not result in job losses. Total information-technology-related employment in California increased between 1990 and 2002.
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How can telework improve the environment?
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Telework can improve the environment by reducing pollution caused by automobiles driven by commuters.
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More about the digital divide.
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The digital divide has two dimensions. The global divide refers to the disparityin Internet access between more industrialized nations and less industrialized nations. The social divide refers to the difference in access between the rich and poor within a particular country.
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What is a profession? How is a computer-related career, such as programming or system administration, similar to a fully developed profession, such as medicine? How is a computer-related career unlike a fully developed profession?
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Profession is a vocation that requires a high level education.
Computer related careers are similar because can affect peoples lives just the same as other professions can, they are different because with a computer related career you are not required to have a high level degree or certification to obtain the job most of the time |
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Why did the ACM pass a resolution opposed to the licensing of software engineers?
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It stated at the time it was premature and would not be effective in addressing the quality of software being produced.
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Whistleblowers
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Whistleblowers can be employees, suppliers, contractors, clients or any individual who somehow becomes aware of illegal activities taking place in a business either through witnessing the behavior or being told about it.
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Which of the following is NOT one of the general principles of professional ethics?
Protect company secrets. Disclose information that others ought to know (e.g., informed consent). Consider the public interest (including the environment). Be impartial.Share your knowledge, expertise, and values. |
Protect company secrets.
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This kind of backdoor Trojan gets into your computer and then responds to commands sent to it by another computer. Groups of computers infected by this sort of malware can be used to launch DDOS attacks.
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Bot
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Adware
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Software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (often unwanted) when a user is online.
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Backdoor Trojan
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A detection name used by Symantec to identify malicious software programs that share the primary functionality of enabling a remote attacker to have access to or send commands to a compromised computer.
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Botnet |
A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge, e.g., to send spam messages.
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Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
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Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of computer security vulnerability typically found in web applications. XSS enables attackers to inject client-side script into web pages viewed by other users. A cross-site scripting vulnerability may be used by attackers to bypass access controls such as the same-origin policy.
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Trojan Horse |
A program designed to breach the security of a computer system while ostensibly performing some innocuous function.
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Virus |
A piece of code that is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data.
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Rootkit |
A set of software tools that enable an unauthorized user to gain control of a computer system without being detected.
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Drive-by Download |
Drive-by download means two things, each concerning the unintended download of computer software from the Internet: Downloads which a person authorized but without understanding the consequences (e.g. downloads which install an unknown or counterfeit executable program, ActiveX component, or Java applet).
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Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice |
1. Public 2. Client and employer 3. Product 4. Judgment 5. Management 6. Profession 7. Colleagues 8. Self |
