People use computers daily; from fuel injection in cars to fire detectors, and the more obvious results of computing such as cell phones and laptops. The implications of this, however, far exceed what might be expected. In exploring computer science a number of questions are raised; questions of what makes up knowledge in a computer, of what the essential characteristics of a computer are, and of what the ramifications of computing are. Moreover, in analyzing computer science it is evident that philosophy not only lends itself to questions raised, such as where computational knowledge comes from or what makes up a computer, but also to the ethical dilemmas computing creates. Epistemology can be found in computing within concepts of machine learning and artificial intelligence. How computers arrive at knowledge, and whether this knowledge is can be tackled by epistemology. Similarly, many parallels exist between computing and metaphysics. What the essence of a computer is, and how the user interacts with this are metaphysical questions. Computers and computer software often arrive at ethical issues. This is the focus of computer ethics.
Elements of epistemology can be found in computing in the presence of algorithms, machine learning, and theories of artificial intelligence. How computers arrive at knowledge, and whether this knowledge is true knowledge are questions for epistemology.
In computing, an algorithm refers to a sequence of either inductive or deductive operations
Currently, computers are used for everything in life. For example, from researching for a large essay project to playing video games with friends. “From the outset, computers were weighed for both military and commercial significance, and hence they straddled the very institutional boundaries that central to this study. It is also significant that computers became valuable research instruments in nearly all disciplines.” (Akera, 2). The first digital computer was constructed in 1946 by John Mauchly, a professor, and Presper Eckert, an inventor. “They met by chance in 1941 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Engineering. They soon developed a revolutionary vision: to use electricity as a means of computing--in other words, to make electricity "think."” (McCartney, 1). They were ignored by their colleagues, but in 1943 they were becoming more well known and was funded by the U.S Army. The U.S Army was seeking for a contraption that can quickly calculate ballistic missile trajectories in wartime Europe and Africa (McCartney, 1). John Mauchly and Presper Eckert led a team that constructed the computer that occupied 1,800 square feet and weighed thirty tons. They named the large computer, ENIAC, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. The process of building this machine was not an effortless task, Mauchly and Presper and their team had to overcome many problems
As seen by the moral dilemma restricting the growth and ubiquity of smart-cars, artificial intelligence has been relegated to being the lesser mind. Computers may be able to calculate at greater speeds, and outperform the human mind, but the dimension of values within the human mind can never be trumped by this amalgamation of hardware and software. In order to create and use technologies that are able to make decisions involving ethics, there needs to be a clearly defined partition. The reason being that said principles are not delineated in any omnipresent
James Moor wrote an essay on computer ethics, Mr. Moor noted three invisible factors associated with the application of the inputs and outputs of the programming. The factors are: (1) “invisible abuse” in this instant the code may have been maliciously inserted or the system does something else other than what was expected or intended by the user. (2) “Invisible programming values” this aspect involves the non-trivial decision made by the programmer which resulted in an important unintended mistake and finally (3) “invisible complex calculation” the process is too complex to reviewed and understood by humans to make review, correction or to validate the information difficult if not impossible. Another ethical issue with AI is there is no algorithmic accountability meaning that algorithms are neither bias free nor has any corrective measure built in for explicit
When it comes to AI, what most people, including me previously, think of is the technical part of it. However, what now impedes AI into the prevailing market is the ethical issues that can arise during the application of AI. So some students and me, forming a group of five, write a
I believe that when we establish a computer ethics program with education, training and awareness programs, it is important to consider the topics that have been addressed and researched. Moreover, despite sometimes tense relationship researchers can have with their institutional review boards (IRBs), these groups can often help researchers think about how to address potential dilemmas before projects
The next trait that bears importance to the computing professional is justice, also within the moral category. Justice, while slightly ambiguous, can be generally described as the desire to ensure fairness within society. While this can be interpreted in various ways, it is important to view it in the context of modern computing. With computing we see the rise of many easily accessible pieces of software, from social media to health care enrollment sites. We have a duty as professionals to ensure that our creations exist to benefit those around us, not to try and prey on those we have power over. For example,
Nowadays, computers are emerging rapidly than never before in human history. Everywhere you go, either stores, malls or even your homes is filled with all kinds of electronics. We have come to a stage whereby everything we do or placed our hands on must be computers. We don’t even need to ask our parents questions anymore, all our answers or solutions including problems are all in the internet. According to Theodore Roszak in “Shakespeare Never Lost a Manuscript to a Computer Crash,” argues that “the computer contributes nothing essential to the life of the mind.” I strongly agree! We are created to use our minds to solve problems and think critically. Although computer usage might be a benefit to the majority of the new generation, the fact is that computers can do harm to the society such as lack of memory and isolation.
The first step in getting anywhere with this debate must begin with defining what artificial intelligence is exactly. Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, is the area of computer science focusing on creating machines that can engage in the human behaviors of intelligence.
“Can machines have morality?” This is the question proposed both by the research duo Nick Bostrom and Eliezer Yudkowsky in the paper The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Michael R. LaChat in the article Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: An Exercise in the Moral Imagination; however, of the two, Bostrom’s and Yudkowsky’s paper made the more effective argument. Bostrom and Yudkowsky support their argument using extensive use of both logical reasoning and indisputable facts. Contrastingly, LaChat’s article in A.I. Magazine uses mostly personal feelings and thoughts to concatenate his argument. Despite the different techniques the authors used to augment their interpretations of the possibilities and applications of ethics in pertinence
artificial intelligence research and the philosophy of mind is its emphasis on the formal system of deduction and premises and propositional knowledge. Hubert and Stuart Dreyfus argue that this formal system of deduction is one of the problems with traditional epistemology, since much of our sense of judgment and the process which we go through to form beliefs is not a matter of starting with premises and by plugging them into a formula in order to deduct conclusions. But rather it is a gradual process that involves being embodied in different ways and developing skills that would make it
Dr. Winner known for his writings on science, technology and society explores computer revolution, its social and ethical issues in this chapter (6), making it an interesting read. As the title implies it highlights the myths1 anticipated when the computer revolution2 started. Even though the extract was written in the 1980s, it is extremely relevant even today.
Computer ethics is a very important topic in computer software applications. As we all know that each society has its own rules that define the dos and the don'ts. These rules define a boundary or limit to our actions and term them as acceptable behavior. Thus defined are the conventions of the society on good or bad and justice and injustice. These rules form the ethics. But at times, these rules do not cover new situations. Computers have revolutionized everything right from the beginning. Be it health sector, education, development as well as war. It has touched and changed people's life irrespective of their occupation or region. Hence, it's important for all of us to participate in defining and following computer ethics.
Playing games on my father's computer as a child fascinated me in the way the computer works, how fast it develops, and now how the computer helps the world to communicate. It still amazes me in how fast computers change and how communication across the globe is enhanced with the computer. Computers have drastically changed how society lives and does business. Even small businesses can do global sales without leaving their location. With new strategies for business, comes cyber threats of identity theft and theft of intellectual property that brings information technology security and new laws into play. It is becoming a fast and ever challenging world. Computer science enables the ability to program software for protection against these kinds of threats and vulnerabilities. It also enables the ability to program artificial intelligence into the computer system software to enable society to meet their needs in more appropriate ways.
Computers, as a relatively new invention, are much more recent than our ethical codes. As a result, society has had to adjust quickly to new and evolving ethical questions created by the growth of computers. A few of these ethical issues will be presented, and the questions surrounding them will be discussed.
An ongoing debate is rife in the world of law as to whether computing has its own law. However this debate had risen to both national and international levels before it was quelled by individuals such as Judge Frank Easterbrook, who stated in a ground-breaking paper that there is no such thing as computer law (Easterbrook, 1996).