CPE 1040 - Introduction to Computer Engineering

Workshop In Applied Ethics

Reading

1. Center for Applied Ethics: https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/, including the following sections and/or articles:

   • Introductory Articles
   • Approaches to Ethical Decision Making
   • A Framework for Ethical Decision Making
   • Ethics in Organizations

2. ACM Code of Ethics: https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics

3. Microsoft Open Source of Conduct: https://opensource.microsoft.com/codeofconduct/

4. Data Ethics: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2016.0360

5. Emerging Code of Ethics for Disaster Relief: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03534-z

6. Code of Conduct for the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML): https://icml.cc/public/CodeOfConduct

7. Codes of Ethics and Conduct at Top Tech Companies: https://drdianehamilton.com/top-10-companies-code-of-ethics-and-conduct-2011/

8. Principles of AI Development at Google: https://drdianehamilton.com/top-10-companies-code-of-ethics-and-conduct-2011/

Two main points

1. Ethics is not about your beliefs, habits, and predilections, but about a group's consensus on what is the right behavior of its members that will ensure optimal operation and longevity, whatever the domain or subject matter of interest of the group.

2. Ethics can be about everything and anything, but it requires whole-system analysis in every case.

Answer the Questions

1. If all people were ethical in all their interactions, which centerpiece of modern society would be obviated?

2. Ethics creates a dichotomy between the comfort of the individual and the longevity, or mere existance, of the group. Give an example of an extreme case from recent history that favored the group to the detriment of the individual. How would you embed the principle of balance of the interests of the individual and the group into the ethical code itself? Be specific.

3. (BONUS) Ethical codes are vulnerable to the tragedy of the commons. An ethical code relies on the cooperation of the individuals. Discuss how rogue behavior (aka defection) with respect to the ethical code of a group gives rise to the prinsoner's dilemma and the eventual demise of the ethical code. What incentives can you build in the ethical code that would counteract the attractiveness of defection and, as a result, would mitigate the danger to the code?

Class Activities

Note: Class activities are group but individual submissions are required for grading.

1. In a small group up to 5 people, imagine you are a small tech startup. Then:

   1. List the group members below.
   2. Pick a president and write their name below.
   3. Describe your technical innovation below.

2. Describe the ways your innovation, if realized, would affect society.

   1. Below, list at least 3 adverse effects (including but not limited to misuse) of the innovation and anticipatory actions and mechanisms you can embed that
   2. Below, give an explicit definition of the fine line between the benefit and detriment of your innovation at two moments of its lifetime: (i) immediately upon launch; (ii) after enough time for it to be absorbed into everyday life.

3. Your small "band of merry psychopaths" are the pivotal social kernel that can define the proper use of your technology. You have to start early, and hold the line. How are you going to ensure that you stay the course?

   1. Below, define a Code of Ethics (aka Code of Conduct) for your organization that will safeguard your original intentions and values while not stiflying innovation as your startup grows and matures. Your code should have at most 9 points.

4. (BONUS) Ethical codes are vulnerable to hostile takeover of the adopting organization. Pick one person from your group and let them remove 3 points from your Code, at their discretion, to be the most damaging overall.

   1. Below, discuss how and why the Code has been weakened.
   2. Below, discuss how, in retrospect, you should have stated the points of the Code, to make it robust to disruption. Note: Beware of the paradox of self-amendment, which, in short, "...arises when a rule is used as the authority for its own amendment. It is sharper when the rule of change is supreme, sharper still when it is changed into a form that is inconsistent with its original form, and sharpest of all when the change purports to be irrevocable."

//--------------------------------------Link to write up---------------------------------------

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJiq9K7PYMQyIQYL28W6trLgNeTAwH78uyvyPFv8-nE/edit?usp=sharing

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The Band

The derogatory expression band of merry psychopaths is used in writing to refer to a small group of irresponsible or deliberately hostile people with a lot of power to affect the world around them.