COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

1
COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
2
Overview

• Introduction to Ethics
• Ethical Guidelines for Computer Professionals

3
Introduction to Ethics
4
What is Ethics?

• Ethics refers to the rules and standards
  governing the behavior of an individual with
  others
• Ethics
• is about investigating and evaluating actions
• Is to answer which actions are right, which are
  wrong
• equals morality

5
Some Hard Ethical Questions

• What are human beings really like selfish and
  greedy or generous and kind?
• Are there certain kinds of acts that are always
  wrong?
• Does anyone have the right to tell anyone else
  what good and evil are?
• What do you think is the best answer to the
  question, Why should I be a good person?

6
Ethics and Emotions

• Ethics is about what you think, not feel
• Thinking statements are based on reasons
• Feelings can change suddenly for no reason
• Sincerity (or any strong emotion) has nothing to
  do with the correctness of an argument

7
Ethics and Authority

• Ethics is only concerned with rational argument
• Ethics ignores
• the authority of tradition
• the personal authority of the speaker

8
Ethical Guidelines for Computer Professionals
9
Ethics

• Professional Ethics
• Medical
• Legal
• Accounting
• Computer
• Computer professional ethics is concerned with
  standards of behavior of computer professionals

10
Ethics Facing Computer Professionals

• Maintaining relationships with and
  responsibilities toward customers, clients,
  coworkers, employees, and employers
• Making critical decisions that have significant
  consequences for many people
• Determining how to manage and use computers or
  produce and maintain software in a professional
  setting

11
Computer Professional Code

• Professional Codes
• ACM and IEEE CS
• Software Engineering Code of Ethics and
  Professional Practice
• ACM
• ACM Code of Ethics

12
Ethical Behaviors Expected of the Computer
Professional

• Honest and fair
• Keep promises
• Do job well
• Respect confidentiality
• Maintain professional competence
• Understand relevant laws
• Respect and protect personal privacy
• Avoid harming others
• Respect property rights

13
Guidelines for the Computer Professional Examples

• Understand what success means
• Developers must see beyond simply writing code to
  complete a task
• Ultimate objective is for real users
• Provide useful systems, real users must be
  included in the design stage
• Provide safe systems, real users must be included
  in the testing stage

14
Guidelines for the Computer Professional
Examples (continued)

• Know (1) customers rely on your knowledge and
  expertise, and (2) your products (and related
  risks) affect many people
• Follow good professional standards and practices
• Maintain an expected level of competence and
  up-to-date knowledge and technology
• Be open and honest about capabilities, safety,
  and limitations of software

15
Guidelines for the Computer Professional
Examples (continued)

• Thorough planning and scheduling
• Pay attention to details
• Evaluate reuse of software
• Dont assume existing software is safe and
  reusable

16
Case Studies

• http//www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/post_second
  ary_education/undergrad_and_grad/curriculum_develo
  pment/ethical_social_prof_issues/case_study_ramasw
  amy1.php
• http//www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/post_second
  ary_education/undergrad_and_grad/curriculum_develo
  pment/ethical_social_prof_issues/case_study_ramasw
  amy2.php
• http//www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/post_second
  ary_education/undergrad_and_grad/curriculum_develo
  pment/ethical_social_prof_issues/case_study_ramasw
  amy3.php
• http//www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/post_second
  ary_education/undergrad_and_grad/curriculum_develo
  pment/ethical_social_prof_issues/case_study_ramasw
  amy4.php
• http//www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/post_second
  ary_education/undergrad_and_grad/curriculum_develo
  pment/ethical_social_prof_issues/case_study_ramasw
  amy5.php

17
References

• http//fivedots.coe.psu.ac.th/Software.coe/Ethics/
  Slides/2.20IntroEthics.ppt
• http//www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2003/cs4001b_su
  mmer/slides/09wed-coe-slides.ppt
• http//www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/giftfire/Chapter
  10.ppt