CS 192-Computer Ethics & Tech. Manual Preparation

Ambitions in Life as a Computer Science Student

Friday, November 25, 2011

Module 2 - If you are to become part of the VSU team who will formulate a handbook like that of Virginia University, give at least 2 policies that you want to be implemented in VSU or even just for CS students like you, regarding computing .

     If I were to become part of the VSU team who will formulate a handbook like that of Virginia University, I would give these policies for implementation not just for CS students, but for all students, regarding computing:

Policy I
     Downloading movies, audios and any other downloadable files during office hours that could surely affect VSU’s network bandwidth and would result to slow connectivity to the Internet, is prohibited.

Punishment
     Students’ right to connect to the Internet using any VSU’s network will be suspended for one whole semester.

Policy II
     For VSU students, using social networking sites during working hours is prohibited.

Punishment
    Suspension of student’s computing rights and access to VSU’s online resources for 1 month.

Policy III
     Anyone caught using somebody else’s ID and password in accessing online University classes, modules and exercises whether be it given to him/her by owner’s will or not, is punishable.

Punishment
     Whoever caught using somebody else’s account will be suspended for the whole semester.

Module 2 - According to the definition of ethics, it can be connected to the norms or custom of the society. What could be ethical to one could be unethical to another. If this is the case, in which ethics seem to be subjective in nature, why is there a need to study computer ethics at all? Support your opinion with facts.

  There are said to be 6 justifications for the study of computer ethics from http://www.cs.bgsu.edu/ maner/ethicomp95/keynote3-LEVELS.html. These are as follows:
  1. We should study computer ethics because doing so will make us behave like responsible professionals
  2.  We should study computer ethics because doing so will teach us how to avoid computer abuse and catastrophes;
  3. We should study computer ethics because the advance of computing technology will continue to create temporary policy vacuums;
  4. We should study computer ethics because the use of computing permanently transforms certain ethical issues to the degree that their alterations require independent study;
  5. We should study computer ethics because the use of computing technology creates, and will continue to create, novel ethical issues that require special study.; and 
  6. We should study computer ethics because the set of novel and transformed issues is large enough and coherent enough to define a new field.
      So, with regards to the above enumerated reasons and justifications, on my opinion, there is a need to study computer ethics to have clarification to all the computer users around the globe about the limitations of its use. Although computers may help us in many ways and makes our daily living simple and easy, if this technology is used for personal satisfaction without considering its effect to many other users , most especially if it could harm and affect badly other people personally or professionally, then ethical issue on using computers should really be attended seriously. So basically, for me, computer ethics should be studied to display fairness, cleanliness, professionalism and being responsible in using computers.

Module 2 - There are 4 types of non-jural law. Divine, natural, moral and physical. If you are to practice just one type of the non-jural law for the entire existence of your life, what would it be and why?

     If I were to practice just one type of non-jural law for the entire existence of my life, I would choose Divine law. It is because living divinely means living righteously. Obviously, all other types of the non-jural law 's main message, purpose and objective is the righteousness of a person. So when I leave according to the will of God, I will be observing and would be aware of what is righteous from not and eventually, I would be conscious of the things that I'll be doing all the days of my life. With this, I will avoid doing wrong