Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
are more concerned with their job status, personal obligations, and retirement than
with social responsibility.
Such a difficult work environment may affect the judgment of IT professionals,
and may cause irresponsible and apathetic attitudes, even in those who consciously
intend to abide by codes of professional conduct; it may also undermine the
professional spirit underlying these codes. Therefore, the construction of an appro-
priately professional environment, designed to encourage the development of
professional attitudes in IT professionals, is crucial for maintaining high quality
of information systems they develop. IT professionals employed in a positive
business environment would be more motivated to uphold their
social
responsibilities.
4.3.3 Working Environment of IT Professionals in Japan
4.3.3.1
Imamichi's Eco-Ethics and IT Professionals
Imamichi (
1989
,
1990
,
1998
) described the necessity of developing appropriate
ethics for the current technological society in his insightful studies of eco-ethics.
The practical syllogism described in Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics must be
reconsidered in the modern eco-environment or human habitat, which is composed
not only of nature, but of “technological conjunction”. The classical form of
practical syllogism is as follows.
Major premise: A is desirable.
Minor premise: p, q, r and so on realise A.
Conclusion: For some reason, I choose p as the means to achieve A.
Here, the ideal goal is obvious and the minor premise is the horizon of the
freedom of choice, the object of which is a means to achieve the goal. This form of
practical syllogism remains valid in our individual decisions even today. Due to the
rapid progress of technology and the advent of the technological society, however,
means are now more important than goals, and the logical structure of the practical
syllogism has been reversed.
Major premise: We have means or power P.
Minor premise: P can realise goals a, b, c and so on.
Conclusion: We choose a as the goal of P for some reason.
Obvious powerful means exist, including nuclear, electric and electronic tech-
nology. Goals attainable using these means are considered analytically, and hence
the means control the goals. The means are so powerful that a selection of a
particular goal may have considerable influence on society. However, these sorts
of means are usually controlled by groups or organisations, not by individuals; the
subject in the modern form of practical syllogism described above is “we”. This
