Book details of 'Computers, Ethics and Social Values'

Title	Computers, Ethics and Social Values
Author(s)	Deborah G. Johnson, Helen Nissenbaum
ISBN	0131031104
Language	English
Published	February 1995
Publisher	Prentice Hall

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Computers, Ethics and Social Values':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Johnson's earlier book, "Computer Ethics" (see reviews), may be considered the preeminent work in the field. This collection of papers, co-edited with Nissenbaum, enhances, but does not extend, that prior work. Ethical problems may be divided into a number of groups in the computer world. Three stand out in particular. Some dilemmas arise from a conflict of agreed "good" values. These are the situations described in moral scenarios: should the poor man steal the medicine necessary to cure his wife from the inventor who will not reduce his price. A second class have to do with unknown or unpredictable situations. In the non-computer world, an example would be megaprojects of unknown environmental impact. The third grouping would include situations where a vast majority hold to a certain standard of behaviour, while a minority act otherwise. Cults and certain brands of terrorism would fall into this category. Most non-computer ethical discussion is directed at the first class of problems, and most works on morality in computing follow suit. The articles in this book go a bit further. Chapter five, and parts of six and seven, raise issues related to group two problems. The ethical analysis is, however, limited and tentative. The inclusion of articles by Stallman, and Dorothy Denning's interview with Frank Drake, would seem to be an attempt to discuss the third type of issues. The bulk of the work, though, speaks with a single voice from the position of conventional morality, yet fails to address realistically the problem of bringing outsiders into the fold. The papers seem to have a fair distribution between academic and popular works. Be forewarned: some of the latter have a Saturday-magazine level of accuracy to the information. Non-American readers should note a heavy reliance on American case and constitutional law, although most discussions are sufficiently detailed as to raise common law issues. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995
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Book description:

A comprehensive anthology of readings on computers and ethical issues surrounding their use. Can be used as a core book or supplemental readings in Computer Ethics or Computers and Society subjects.