# Computer Ethics - lesson 4
#### Viola Schiaffonati
###### 05 October 2017
### Values 

#### Intrinsic and instrumental
- Intristic value: vale in and of itself
- Instrumental: value because useful for other uses.

Is *privacy* and intrinsic or instrumental value.
The state of the art is that privacy is an __instrumental value__ to
indipendence.
The loss of privacy wound be a threat to our fundamental values.

If a person is being watched by constant surveillance, this determines how the
person behaves and sees himself.

##### Suggested reading: the circle - Dave Eggers

### Norms
Norms prescribe what actions are required, permitted or forbidden.

Norms can be seed as tools to realize values

### Virtues
Virtues are needed to implement Values
They can be categorized in:
- moral virtues: justice, honesty, courage
- intellectual virtues: focus on knowledge and skills

Moral virtues are indispensable in a responsible organization.

### Theories in normative ethics
__normative relativism__: all moral point of view are equally valid.
It's a contraddiction in terms:
> There is no universal norm, but normative relativism is one of it.

__Realism__ states that a reality exists, and is opposed to __skepticism__
(G.Berkeley, I.Kant, Plato) that doubts the fact that we can experience a real
world.

> How can i be sure that other people are consciousness?

We have to put a stop to these kind of *skepticism* because otherwise we have to
negate every form of knowledge.

- Universalism: there is a system of norms that is universally applicable
- Absolutism: Is a rigid form of universalism in which no exceptions are
  possible.

We also experiencea gap between __universal values__ and __conflicting norms__

__Utilitarism__: consequences of actions are central to the moral judgement of
actions (form of *consequentialism*).

Actions are judged by the amount of __pleasure__ and __pain__ they bring about
(from a society, not an individual perspective)

### Historical roots
- Jeremy Bentham: focurs on __hedonism__, pleasure is the only thing that is
  good in itself, and others are instrumental.
  __moral balance sheet__ in which the costs and benefits are weighted against
  each others.

- John Stuart Mill: __freedom principle__ (no harm principle): everyone is free
  to strive for his pleasure as long as you don't deny others pleasure.

### Criticism to utilitarianism:
- How can you measure happiness objectively
- Utilitarianism can lead to *exploitation*
- Consequences may be unpredictable (in particular with technology)
- ignores the personal relationships

### Duty ethics
Also known as deontological ethics: action is considered morally right if it is
in agreement with a certain moral rule, which can be:
- given by God (bible,koran)
- Social contract
- Reasonable arguments