Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
1. Consult the list of fundamental principles and identify those that are relevant to the
moral problem.
2. Search the list of clauses accompanying each of the relevant fundamental principles
to see which speak most directly to the issue.
3. Determine whether the contemplated action aligns with or contradicts the state-
ments in the clauses. If the action is in agreement with all the clauses, that provides
strong evidence the action is moral. If the action is in disagreement with all the
clauses, it is safe to say the action is immoral.
Usually, the contemplated action is supported by some clauses and opposed by
others. When this happens, we must use our judgment to determine which of the
clauses are most important before we can reach a conclusion about the morality of
the contemplated action.
In the remainder of this section, we apply this methodology to four case studies.
SCENARIO
Sam Shaw calls the Department of Computer Science at East Dakota State
University seeking advice on how to improve the security of his business's local
area network. A secretary in the department routes Mr. Shaw's call to Professor
Jane Smith, an internationally recognized expert in the field. Professor Smith
answers several questions posed by Mr. Shaw regarding network security. When
Mr. Shaw asks Professor Smith to recommend a software package to identify
security problems, Professor Smith tells him that NetCheks got the personal
computer magazine's top rating. She does not mention that the same magazine
gave a “best buy” rating to another product with fewer features but a much
lower price. She also fails to mention that NetCheks is a product of a spin-off
company started by one of her former students and that she owns 10 percent of
the company.
Analysis
From our list of nine fundamental principles, three are most relevant here:
.
Be impartial.
.
Disclose information that others ought to know.
.
Share your knowledge, expertise, and values.
Searching the list of clauses identified with these fundamental principles,
the following ones seem to fit the case study most closely:
.
1.06. Be fair and avoid deception in all statements, particularly public ones,
concerning software or related documents, methods and tools.
Professor Smith was deceptive when she mentioned the most highly rated
software package but not the one rated to be a “best buy.”
.
1.08. Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to good causes and
contribute to public education concerning the discipline.
