Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
12.
If automation leads to chronic and widespread unemployment, should the government
provide long-term unemployed adult citizens with the opportunity to do meaningful
work at a wage that will keep them out of poverty? Why or why not?
13.
Is it wrong to create machines capable of making human labor obsolete?
14.
The Umpire Information System, produced by QuesTec, demonstrates that a computer
can call balls and strikes more accurately than a human umpire. In fact, the system
is being used by Major League Baseball to evaluate the accuracy of the umpires' calls.
Should Major League Baseball allow the Umpire Information System to have the final
say on calling balls and strikes?
15.
Will humans become demoralized by the presence of vastly more intelligent robots? If
so, is it wrong to work on the development of such robots?
16.
Is it morally acceptable to work on the development of an intelligent machine if it cannot
be guaranteed the machine's actions will be benevolent?
17.
How will our notions of intellectual property change if computers become capable of
creative work?
18.
How will our ideas about privacy have to change if legions of superfast computers are
analyzing the electronic records of our lives?
19.
Kant says that humans should always be treated as ends in themselves, never merely
as means to an end. Are there any circumstances under which an intelligent computer
should be given the same consideration?
20.
It is possible to program responses into computers that simulate human emotions. For
example, when a computer taking on the role of a nurse hears a parent say, “My child
has diarrhea,” it can respond, “I'm sorry to hear that.” Studies have shown that people
can develop an emotional bond with machines that appear to demonstrate human
feelings such as empathy. Is it wrong to encourage these attachments by programming
computers to mimic human emotions?
21.
A multinational corporation has an office in Palo Alto, California, and an office in Ban-
galore, India. A 21-year-old American computer science graduate works as a software
tester at the Palo Alto office. A 21-year-old Indian computer science graduate has an
identical position at the Bangalore office. The American earns $65,000 per year in salary
and benefits; the Indian earns $15,000 per year in salary and benefits. Is this arrangement
moral? Should the company give equal pay and benefits for equal work?
22.
Do you support the concept of tiered Internet service, providing higher bandwidth to
those who pay for premium service? To what extent does tiered Internet service already
exist?
23.
Would the music industry be healthier if winner-take-all effects were reduced? If so,
which of the proposed solutions in Section 10.6.2 would make the most sense for the
music industry?
24.
Should the federal government discourage companies from taking advantage of their
salaried employees by requiring firms to pay overtime to any employee who works more
than 40 hours in one week?
