Computing and Technology Ethics Engaging through Science Fiction

by Emanuelle Burton; Judy Goldsmith; Nicholas Mattei; Cory Siler; Sara-Jo Swiatek

A new approach to teaching computing and technology ethics using science fiction stories.

Should  autonomous weapons be legal? Will we be cared for by robots in our old  age? Does the efficiency of online banking outweigh the risk of theft?  From communication to travel to medical care, computing technologies  have transformed our daily lives, for better and for worse. But how do  we know when a new development comes at too high a cost? Using science  fiction stories as case studies of ethical ambiguity, this engaging  textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to ethical theory and its  application to contemporary developments in technology and computer  science.

Computing and Technology Ethics: Engaging through Science Fiction first introduces the major ethical frameworks: deontology,  utilitarianism, virtue ethics, communitarianism, and the modern  responses of responsibility ethics, feminist ethics, and capability  ethics. It then applies these frameworks to many of the modern issues  arising in technology ethics including privacy, computing, and  artificial intelligence. A corresponding anthology of science fiction  brings these quandaries to life and challenges students to ask ethical  questions of themselves and their work.

• Uses science fiction case studies to make ethics education engaging and fun
• Trains students to recognize, evaluate, and respond to ethical problems as they arise
• Features  anthology of short stories from internationally acclaimed writers  including Ken Liu, Elizabeth Bear, Paolo Bacigalupi, and T. C. Boyle to  animate ethical challenges in computing technology
• Written by interdisciplinary author team of computer scientists and ethical theorists
• Includes a robust suite of instructor resources, such as pedagogy guides, story frames, and reflection questions