CSC
208-602 Ethics in Technology
Paul Sisul, C.M.
I will use email to communicate with the class. Subject of your email should be
formatted as follows:
CSC 208 – your section, your last name, your first name purpose of email
Computing
Technology and the rapid pace in which it has advanced have had a tremendous
impact on our lives. Changes have been swift and the human capacity to deal
them limited. It has been said that our technology has outpaced our humanity.
This course will research the new responsibilities technology presents and our
ability to deal with these changes in an ethical manner. Students will employ a
framework for ethical analysis, which integrates computer science and ethics,
to develop the skills required to examine different sets of assumptions and
question them, resulting in an informed evaluation of issues. Philosophies
covered: Kant, social contract, Rawls, moral rights, virtue ethics, Mill’s harm
principles, Feinberg’s offense principle (ride on the bus thought experiment),
and utilitarianism.
No previous knowledge of computers or philosophy is assumed, or necessary.
PI Learning Outcomes
1. Students will be able to address, critically think about, and analyze philosophical questions and problems.
Students will develop these skills through writing analytical papers, weekly writing submissions, class discussion, midterm essay, and a final project requiring the writing of a personal code of ethics.
2. Students will be able to evaluate philosophical questions, issues and/or problems using informed judgment.
Students will develop these skills through writing analytical papers, weekly writing submissions, class discussion, midterm essay, case studies, current events, and a final project requiring the writing of a code of ethics.
3. Students will be able to analyze and interpret the methods used by philosophers in addressing philosophical questions, issues, and/or problems.
Students
will develop these skills through readings, writing analytical papers, weekly
writing submissions, class discussion, midterm essay, and a final project
requiring the writing of a personal code of ethics.
4. Students will be able to engage with philosophical topics and figures in their historical context.
Students
will develop these skills through weekly reading responses and class
discussion.
5. Confront and interpret primary texts from the philosophical tradition.
Students
will read sections of original works and discuss them in class and in weekly
reading responses.
6. Students will be able to write an analytic essay treating a philosophical question, issue and/or problem that forwards an identifiable thesis, argument, and conclusion.
Students will write an analytical paper and a Final Project.
Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 10 pages of writing for this course. This writing may take the form of essays, response papers, reading journals, take-home essay exams, critical analyses, etc. At least one assignment should involve revision, which may count (but only once, not twice) towards the 10-page minimum.
Students will meet this requirement by weekly reading responses, a midterm essay, and a Final Project.
Self-Reflection — Students
will examine their own use of technology, explore their own feelings regarding
ethical computing issues, recognize that these issues are applicable to their
everyday lives and in a range of professional fields, and reflect on how the
process of using established ethical frameworks supports, or challenges, their
feelings about issues.
Develop
Skills Most Sought After by Employers — Most Valuable Career Skills of 2017
https://www.investopedia.com/personal-finance/most-valuable-career-skills/
Required
1. Print edition of: Birsch, Douglas.
(2014) Introduction to Ethical Theories,
A
Procedural
Approach. IL:Waveland
Press, Inc. ISBN: 1-4786-0670-3; ISBN: 978-1-
4786-0670-3 https://waveland.com/browse.php?t=628
2. (Free Online) Abelson & Ledeen & Lewis (2008) Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty,
and Happiness After the Digital Explosion.
NY:Addison-Wesley Professional,
ISBN
0137135599. Download for
free at: http://www.bitsbook.com/
3. Handouts/links for original texts.
4. Access to the news. Possible sources: New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Wall
Street Journal, CNN, MSN, Time, Newsweek, PC World, or online newsgroups. You
may find newspapers, journals, and magazines at the library or online.
Supplemental
1. Optional purchase: Quinn, M. J. (2017) Ethics for the Information Age, 7th edition.
NY:Pearson/Addison Wesley. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-429654-8; PowerPoint slides will be
provided on D2L.
http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/ethics-for-the-information-age-0134296540
Recommended
1. A jump drive, or other storage.
2. Lunsford, Andrea A. (2015) The St. Martin's Handbook. 8th, NY: Bedford Publishing.
ISBN-10: 1-4576-6724-X; ISBN-13: 978-1-4576-6724-4
This text is used in DePaul's required writing classes (WRD 103 and 104) and every
student should have a copy. It is also available at DePaul's library.
3. A dictionary and thesaurus, which can be found at the library, or online.
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend each class and to remain for the duration.
Coming 15 minutes late or leaving 15 minutes early constitutes an absence. The
overall grade for participation drops 3 percentage points (out of 10%) after
any absence. Three absences for any reason, whether excused or not, may constitute failure for the course.
Class Discussion: Student participation in class discussions will be measured
in two ways. First, students are highly encouraged to ask questions and offer
comments relevant to the day’s topic. Participation allows the instructor to
“hear” the student’s voice when grading papers. Secondly, students will be
called upon by the instructor to offer comments related to the reading
assignments. Students must keep up with the reading to participate in class
discussion.
Attitude: A
professional and academic attitude is expected throughout this course.
Measurable examples of non-academic or unprofessional attitude include but are
not limited to: talking to others when the instructor is speaking, mocking
another’s opinion, cell phones ringing, emailing, texting or using the internet
whether on a phone or computer. If any issues arise a student may be asked to
leave the classroom. The professor will work with the Dean of Students Office
to navigate such student issues.
Civil Discourse: DePaul University is a community that thrives on open
discourse that challenges students, both intellectually and personally, to be
Socially Responsible Leaders. It is the expectation that all dialogue in this
course is civil and respectful of the dignity of each student. Any instances of
disrespect or hostility can jeopardize a student’s ability to be successful in
the course. The professor will partner with the Dean of Students Office to
assist in managing such issues.
Laptops/Cell Phones/On Call: Out of respect for others in the class, please remember to turn off all electronic devices during class. You may not tape the classes. If you bring a cell phone to class, it must be off or set to a silent mode. Should you need to answer a call during class, students must leave the room in an undisruptive manner. Out of respect to fellow students and the professor, texting is never allowable in class. If you are required to be on call as part of your job, please advise me at the start of the course.
Late work policy
– Except for current events that may not be turned in late, work submitted
after the due date will be penalized 10%.
All late work is due the last day our class meets. At the end of the quarter, your lowest current event grade will
be dropped.
I will make accommodations to allow
students to fully express their faith. Please let me know in advance by email
if you will be absent, or need extensions on assignments, due to religious
observations.
I will make every effort to accommodate student participation in school activities, such as athletic competitions. Please let me know in advance by email if you will be absent, or need extensions on assignments, due to school activities.
Students who feel they may need an
accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor
privately, during office hours, to discuss their specific needs. All
discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most
appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early
as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and
make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities
(CSD) at: Student Center, LPC, Suite #370
Phone number: (773)325.1677; Fax: (773)325.3720; TTY: (773)325.7296.
All students are required to
manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for
enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal,
grading and incompletes can be found at:
https://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/Enrollment-Policies.aspx
Also see Important Dates
listed at the end of this syllabus.
In the case of
illness, or other excused absences, a student may contact the Dean of Students
to request a formally approved absence. Upon receipt of documentation, the
dean’s office will notify all instructors of the student that an approved
absence has occurred. The notification will maintain student privacy by not
including the reasons for the absence. Contact information may be found at: http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/dos/contactus.html
Detailed instructions for all assignments will be posted on D2L.
The class consists of Computer Science (CS) majors and Non-CS majors. Although the level of technical content will be kept low, there will, at time, be supplementary reading list for CS majors. Note, the most effective way to learn to think critically is in small groups.
10% – Four Labs designed to be completed during class (Meets PID Learning outcomes #1–6).
20% – Reading Responses/ 3-5 Quizzes/HW (Meets PID LOs #1–6). Reading Responses. Questions on the reading assignments will be posted on the course website and are due at the start of class. Four of these Reading Responses will be due at a later time of the day using D2L submission folder.
10% – Approximately 5−9 Current Events (Meets PID LOs #1 & 2). Students will be required to identify the computing ethical issue only; no additional writing required. Current Events may not be submitted late. Lowest grade will be dropped for Current Event submission after the completion of the last Current Event assignment.
20% – Midterm Paper with mandatory rewrite and presentation (Meets PID LOs #1−6 and the writing requirement). One 7–10 page (doubled spaced) ethical analysis paper on an approved, relevant issue explicitly applying the ethical theories in order to compare philosophies. You may work alone, or in groups of 2 or 3, on this paper. The first draft of your paper is worth 50 points; you will receive full credit for a complete draft submitted by the due date (complete means no parts are missing). The final draft/rewrite is worth 100 points. I will explicitly look for improvements in your rewrite. You will present your paper (10 to 15 minutes). The presentation is worth 50 points.
30% – Take home Final Exam (Meets PID LOs #1–6). Students will write their own personal code of ethics annotated with justification using the procedures studied (approximately 5 pages, single spaced).
10% – Attendance & Class Participation (PID LOs #1–6). See policies above.
Grading Scale:
|
A 93–100 |
B+ 87–89 |
C+ 77–79 |
D+ 67–69 |
|
A- 90–92 |
B 83–86 |
C 73–76 |
D 60–66 |
|
|
B- 80–82 |
C- 70–72 |
F 0–59 |
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter.
Check for changes, assignments, and due dates on D2L.
Introduction to course; review syllabus; a brief history of computing.
Reading assignments will be posted on D2L.
Birsch, Chapter 1. Woodford, Chris. (2016, January 9). A Brief History of Computers. Retrieved from: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/historyofcomputers.html
Reading and response questions will be posted on D2L, but will not be collected.
Read Quinn, Chapter 2. An introductory examination of ethical issues, philosophical theories, and ethical procedures used for ethical analysis.
Lab 1: We will meet on Monday, April 15, in the lab,
Lewis Center 1308.
Topic: Fake news and freedom of
speech; Rousseau; Mill; Feinberg. LAB 1 DUE: Apr 19
Complete the Lab Group Evaluations today and keep the file for the next 3
labs.
**Reading Response 3 due April 19 to D2L. Reading assignments will be posted on D2L.Readings include, but are not limited to, Birsch Chapter 7 Moral Rights Theory; sections of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract; Rawls’s Theory of Justice; John Stuart Mill's Harm Principle; Joel Feinberg's Offense Principle
Lab 2: We will meet on Monday, April 22, in the lab, Lewis
Center 1308.
Topic: Intellectual Property; Virtue Ethics; Rule Utilitarianism. LAB 2 DUE: Apr 26, Friday
**Reading Response 4 due April 26 to D2L. Reading assignments will be posted on D2L. Readings include, but are not limited to, Birsch, Chapter 8 Aristotle’s Ethical Theory; Birsch, pages 76-77 & Rule Utilitarian pages 83-84; John Stuart Mill (1863) Utilitarianism.
Lab 3: We will meet on Monday, April 29, in the lab, Lewis
Center 1308.
Topic: Computer Reliability and Network Security LAB 3 DUE: May 3, Friday
**Reading Response 5 due May 3 to D2L. Reading
assignments will be posted on D2L. Readings include, but are not limited to,
sections of Bentham’s Introduction to the
Principles of Morals and Legislation; Quinn’s PP Chapter 8; Skim Abelson & Ledeen & Lewis,
Chapter 4.
Lab 4: We will meet on Monday, May 6, in the lab, Lewis
Center 1308.
Topic: Information Privacy and Government Privacy; Kant LAB 4 DUE: May 10
**Reading Response 6 due May 9 to D2L. Reading assignments will be posted on D2L.
Readings include, but are not limited to, Birsch Chapter 6;
Abelson & Ledeen & Lewis pages 32–35; Sections from Kant’s Groundwork
for the Metaphysic of Morals; Quinn’s PPs for Chapters 5 & 6.
Movie The Traveling Salesman, shown in class on Monday, May 13
Reading assignments and response questions will be posted on D2L.
Decision Making; Professional Ethics; Work and Wealth;
Current Events
Reading assignments and response questions will be posted on D2L.
Readings include, but are not limited to, Birsch, Chapter 4 & 10; Ethics of Whistleblowing Link posted on D2L.
Possible Current Event;
Presentations
Presentations, group 1 on May 29
Presentations, group 2 on June 3
Final
Exam (Final Project) is due During Finals week; due date, see below.
EXAM DAY
Wednesday,
June 12. Submit your Final Project to
D2L before 11:30 pm on this day.
You do not need to be in class for this.
Important Dates – Spring
Quarter 2019
University Policies
An
incomplete grade is given only for an exceptional reason such as a death in the
family, a serious illness, etc. Any such reason must be documented. Any
incomplete request must be made at least two weeks before the final and
approved by the Dean of the College of Computing and Digital Media. Any
consequences resulting from a poor grade for the course will not be considered
as valid reasons for such a request.
This course will be subject to the faculty council rules on the Academic Integrity Policy web site.
The university and school policy on plagiarism can be summarized as
follows: Students in this course, as well as all other courses in which
independent research or writing play a vital part in the course requirements
should be aware of the strong sanctions that can be imposed against someone
guilty of plagiarism. If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an
automatic F in the course and possible expulsion. The strongest of sanctions
will be imposed on anyone who submits as his/her own work a report, examination
paper, computer file, lab report, or other assignment which has been prepared
by someone else. If you have any questions or doubts about what plagiarism
entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials be sure to consult the
instructor.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to providing you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in Campus Connect.