Ethical and Professional Issues

Is artificial intelligence something that should be embraced or feared? Do you believe in the hype? Artificial intelligence and machine learning are probably the two hottest button topics in modern computing and have been subject of much debate. We've been talking about these issues in pop culture for a long time though, specifically in film, television, and books. As technology advances, however, these sci-fi realities of "conscious computers" are becoming more probable. Whether or not you believe a computer could ever truly be a conscious being heavily depends on how you view consciousness and "the mind" as a whole. Functionalist theories of mind (that the mind and consciousness are simply a collection of their function, or "what they do") seem to support the idea that an advanced computer could in fact represent a mind. If a computer is advanced enough to perform all the same functions as a human mind, why wouldn't it be conscious?  This fun...

What are the limits of  freedom of speech  on the Internet? Is  online censorship  a desirable good, a necessary evil, or a bad idea be avoided? I believe that freedom of speech is a core human right that should be protected at high cost. Being able to have meaningful discussions with people of differing opinions is important, and can lead to great progress in making our world safer, richer, and more inclusive. The internet provides a platform unlike any other for ideas to be shared and discussed, and I believe it should be used to do so. With that being said, though, I still believe companies have LIMITED a right and responsibility to how their product/platform is being used. As has been shown before, HATE speech is not protected as free speech in real life, and nor should it be online. Thoughtful, reasoned discussion should always be encouraged. Angry, senseless hatred, however, is different. I understand that this idea is very precarious, and deciding what d...

If corporations are afforded the same rights as individual persons, should they also be expected to have the same ethical and moral obligations and responsibilities? Who (if anyone) or what (if anything) should enforce fair play and competition between corporations? I believe that there absolutely needs to be ethical and moral responsibilities and obligations placed on corporations. Yes, their primary function is to make their product, but how the product is used isn't totally out of their hands. Especially in today's rapidly evolving tech world, companies have the ability unlike ever before to put unprecedented power in the hands of everyday people. Just as careful consideration is put into the research and development of products, the same, if not more care should be put into how it is rolled out and distributed. I sort of see a corporation's relationship to its products as analogous to a parent's relationship with their child. The parent was responsible for bring...

Where do you draw the line between  individual privacy  and  national security ? In a democracy, which one is paramount? In the past, I haven't given much thought to individual privacy if I am being totally honest. I've sort of had the mindset of "I have nothing to hide so why should I care?" I'm not involved in anything shady, and really believe that if literally my entire digital footprint was leaked to the world, the worst that would happen would me some mild embarrassment. After this week of discussion, though, my opinion has shifted rather drastically. Snowden's adage of "not caring about privacy because you have nothing to hide is like not caring about free speech because you have nothing to say" really stuck with me. What happens if the day comes where you DO have something to hide? By then, since you've been complacent in the privacy war thus far, it's too late. Even if that day never comes, I still see great value in internet p...

According to  Roger Boisjoly , "[whistleblowing] destroyed [his] career, [his] life, everything else." What good, then, is  whistleblowing ? In today's ever growing world of technology where systems become more and more complicated and more integrated into our everyday lives, the room for error, disaster, and misuse of power grows too. Whether it is technical failure or unethical behavior, whistleblowers have played in integral part in alerting the public to the wrongdoings of engineers and the leadership bodies that govern them. I think the less ambiguous, more clear-cut "acceptable whistleblowing" is when it relates to "engineering disasters." If an organization cuts corners in ways that lead to some sort of serious malfunction resulting in significant damage, I believe those involved have a moral obligation to come forward with any knowledge they have. This is important for two reasons: to hold those responsible accountable and to best ensure a ...

How should the computing and technology community work towards creating a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive community? Is this a moral imperative or a laudable goal or unlikely wish? I believe that diversity is an important factor in basically all environments whether professional, personal, or other. In a world full of so many different kinds of people with different ideas, beliefs, and lifestyles, being inclusive, inviting, and open is of paramount importance for many reasons. Having representative populations allows for the best, most innovative, and morally sound work to get done. In tech, diversity is of extreme importance. In an industry that impacts literally every single person living on earth, I believe that the people designing, implementing, and selling tech products should represent the population being served. If a product is for a certain group of people, it simply makes sense for those creating that product to have some common ground with said group to...