Lecture 1

• Weekly homeworks
• Choice of short paper or class presentation (sign up with me).
• Mandatory long paper
• Papers may be done as web pages. Click here for grading criteria.

• Reading:chs. 1, 10, GMU Honor Code, GMU Computer Use Agreement, ACM Code of Conduct
• Homework: Baase, ch 10, Appendix A. Pick 3 codes from the ACM Code of Ethics (or the IEEE if you prefer). Comment on how each might apply to situations in the workplace. Due: beginning of 1st class, week 2

• Plato (4th century BCE, "Parable of the Cave," "Forms")
  • There are absolute virtues: truth, beauty, etc. We only see reflections of them in this world. Do you believe absolutes exist?
• Aristotle (b. 384 BCE, studied under Plato, "Golden Mean")
  For each virtue there are extremes and a mean. Examples:
  • "Bravery" too little: weak, too much: brash, just right: bold
  • "Confidence" too little: wimp, too much :arrogant, just right: self assured
• Deontological Ethics: absolute values (Example: lying is always wrong)
• Utilitarian Ethics: the end justifies the means (Example: a lie may be justifiable under some circumstances)

• Why study ethics?
• How does society teach and enforce ethical behavior?

• Gather data and listen to all sides.
• Analyze Data, especially with respect to power relationships.
• Discuss possible solutions and decide on a solution.
• Judge the solution from deontological and utilitarian perspectives.

• ACM Association for Computing Machinery, IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation
• CSPR Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
• rogue programs: viruses, worms and Trojan horses
• hacker, cracker, phreak, cybergangs/cyberpunks
• firewall
• freeware, shareware, copyrighted software
• piracy, and bootlegging