Syllabus for INFO679: The Basics

Here is the rest of the syllabus for INFO679.

College of Information Science and Technology
Drexel University Winter, 2005-2006
INFO679 Online
Information Ethics
Martha M. Smith, Ph. D.
marti.smith@ischool.drexel.edu
215-895-1532
msmith@infoethics.org
http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/faculty/
January 5, 2006

Course Description:
This course presents the philosophical foundations of applied ethics and technology with primary focus on (1.) the uses and abuses of information, (2.) human moral agency in relation to new information and communication technologies (ICTs), and (3.) the meaning of social responsibility in the global information society, including the concepts of global information justice and human rights.

Specifically this course will consider ethical dilemmas, decision-making strategies, and public policy issues around the broad themes of Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community including headline topics such as intellectual property rights vs. intellectual freedom; the USA Patriot Act vs. civil liberties; the uses of genetic information for health care vs. for discrimination in insurance. The course will build understanding of major and alternative ethical traditions to inform personal moral agency, professional conduct, and civic participation.
Overview of Topics:
Week 1: Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy;
Week 2: Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security;
Weeks 3 and 4: Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation;
Weeks 5 and 6: The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law;
Weeks 7 to 10: Current ethical dilemmas under the broad categories of:
Ø Access,
Ø Ownership,
Ø Privacy,
Ø Security, and
Ø Community such as intellectual property rights, copyright, and copyleft; the USA Patriot Act and civil rights; the digital divide and information democracy; and global information justice.

Assignments and Grading:
Electronic Portfolio: The major assignment for this course will be the building of an electronic portfolio including required blog postings, any other course work, and an electronic pathfinder focused on current topics such as (1.) the protection of personal information, (2.) information ethics in healthcare, (3.) the global digital divide, (4.) national security and civil liberties, (5.) intellectual property rights vs. the right to know, (6.) DNA information and cloning, (7.) nanotechnology, and (8.) the information industry. More topics will be suggested.

Blog Postings: Five blog postings (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7) will be due on Mondays by noon of each week. These postings should be between 500-700 words and should reflect the readings with engagement with the assignment question or topic. You may use charts, tables, and hotlinks in your text and may attach small audio and video files. You will post your reflections to your own blog forum on the course site and interact with others in your small, blog ring group.

Grades will be based upon the following:
(50%) Major Term Project: The Completed Electronic Portfolio containing an E-Pathfinder (Progress report—Draft of E-Pathfinder-- due before Wednesday in Week 5— 5%; Website operative before Wednesday in Week 8—5%; Final due at the Friday of Week 10—40%)

(40%) 5 Blog Postings and Interaction with Other Students in a Blog Ring and Other Discussion Forums or Group Areas (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7)

(10%) Additional Collaboration and Cooperative Learning (Class Participation, Initiative, Creativity, and Enthusiasm)

Grading Scale
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= Below 79

An A student will complete all required assignments with excellence and on time and also model above average communication and collaborative skills.

A B student will complete all required assignments adequately and on time and participate actively in interactive communication and collaboration.
A C student will be unable to meet minimum requirements and may be on probation.

To be eligible for an Incomplete, you must have completed more than half of the work.

Students can withdraw from the class until Week 9.

Special Needs and Accommodations: If you have a disability and need special help, you must identify yourself to the Drexel Disability Office in time for your needs to be reviewed and appropriate plans made for help.

Required Texts:
Herman Tavani. (2004) Ethics and technology: Ethical issues in an age of information and communication technology. John Wiley. See http://www.wiley.com/college/tavani
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2004). Readings in cyberethics. 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm


Fiction, Movies, and Media for Enrichment (Optional)
Using selected short stories, novels, movies, radio, and audio resources may be of interest to you in this class. For examples, please refer to the Master Syllabus for Global Information Ethics. We will be adding more selections throughout the term; your suggestions are welcome. For this term, we’ll focus on fiction and nanotechnology.

Print and Electronic Resources
Examples of Optional Readings and Resources: You will want to take advantage of the excellent resources available through the Drexel libraries. See http://www.library.drexel.edu. Look for good resources in your local area as well.

The reading books below may be valuable in your professional library. Other readings and resource lists will be given throughout the term.

Richard Holeton (ed.) (1997). Composing cyberspace: Identity, community, and knowledge in the electronic age. WCB/McGraw Hill. Also see companion website at http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/holeton
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2001). Readings in cyberethics. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm

Albert Teich (ed.), Technology and the future. Wadsworth. Most recent edition. Also see companion website, Albert Teich’s Technology and the Future Toolkit, at http://www.alteich.com/

The Blog and the Syllabus-- Co-ordinating the Two

Here is the Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments for the
Information Ethics class starting on January 9th.

Each week, there will be relevant InfoEthicist postings as well
as ongoing comments. I will make a list indicating which older
postings go with each week. Co-ordinating these two web environments
will be a challenge and part of our learning for the term. Your
suggestions are welcome.


Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments

Assignments 1: Introduce yourselves and get busy with the readings and assignments.
January 9, 2009
Week 1: Information Ethics: Defining Information Ethics for Today
Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy; Hot topics for today.
Readings for Blog 1 (Week 2):
The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com (See key to the blog.)
International Center for Information Ethics http://icie.zkm.de
Elrod and Smith, Information ethics, in ESTE—The Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (Hagerty Library E-Reference) http://www.library.drexel.edu
Froehlich, “A brief history of information ethics.” Look in ICIE
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapters 1 and 2
In Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 1-- Bynum, Johnson, Moor, Adam, Floridi & Sanders, and Gert


Assignments 2: Blog Posting 1: Defining Information Ethics for Today
January 16, 2006
Week 2: Information Ethics in History and Philosophy—The Past as Prologue; Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security
Readings for Blog 2 (Week 3):
L. Winner, “Do artifacts have politics?” See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
R. Capurro, “Information technologies and technologies of the self.”
J. Margolis, “The technological self.” This may not be available until later in the quarter.
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapter 3
Look for related articles in ESTE, http://www.library.drexel.edu
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapters 2 and 3 on Regulating the Net and Intellectual Property in Cyberspace


Assignments 3: Blog Posting 2: Artifacts and Politics; Technologies of the Self and Beginning of the Wikipedia Project
January 23, 2006
Week 3: Decision-Making 1
Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation
Readings for Blog 3 (Week 4):
In Cyberethics Reader J. Moor, “Just consequentialism and computing.”
Potter Box Resources (See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com )
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapter 4 on Privacy
Tavani, Chapter 5 on Privacy
Review Tavani, Chapters 1-3


Assignments 4: Blog Posting 3: Just Consequentialism and the Potter Box in Information Ethics and the Wikipedia Project
January 30, 2006
Week 4: Decision-Making 2
Readings for Blog 4 (Week 6)
Tavani, Chapter 4 and Appendices A, B, and C
Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6 on Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct, and Computer/Information Professionals
ALA http://www.ala.org ACM http://www.acm.org CPSR http://www.cpsr.org ASIST http://www.asis.org and many others See LII http://www.lii.org
See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com on professional issues


Assignments 5: Electronic Portfolio Progress Report (Draft of E-Pathfinder)
February 6, 2006
Week 5: Professional Practice, Ethics, and Law
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7):
Cyberethics Reader, Skim Chapter 5 on Security and Crime in Cyberspace
Tavani, Chapter 7: Cybercrime
Tavani, Chapters 10-11: Social Issues
Use the resources on The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com


Assignments 6: Blog Posting 4: Professional Codes: Traditions and the Future and Final Copy for the Wikipedia Project
February 13, 2006
Week 6: Public Policy, Professional Ethics, and Law
The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law.
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7)
Review Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6
Use The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com


Assignments 7: Blog Posting 5: Information Professionals and Public Policy
February 20, 2006
Week 7: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Access and Ownership
Readings:
Tavani, Chapter 8 and 9
Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org

Assignments 8: Website Operational
February 27, 2006
Week 8: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Privacy and Security
Readings:
Review Privacy Readings
The Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org

Assignments 9: Optional posting of electronic pathfinder
March 6, 2006
Week 9: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Community
Readings:
Review Tavani, Chapters 10 and 11
UNESCO http://www.unesco.org


Assignments 10: Electronic Portfolio Due
March 13, 2006
Week 10: The Future of Information Ethics

Global Information Ethics and Policy

I've been asked to help some people who are working on a book in LIS
in Chinese and English. Here is a tentative outline. Someone else will
be doing the Chinese translation. Good think for me, not to mention
the readers. MMS

Global Information Ethics and Policy:
Challenges for Cyberspace Citizens
Chapter Outline for LIS Book
Martha M. Smith
Drexel University

Introduction: Global Information Challenges in Ethics and Policy

I. Historical and Philosophical Background
A. Ethics and Information Technology at the End of the 20th Century: The Bomb, Big Science, Big Medicine, and Big Business
B. Major Philosophical Traditions for Decision-Making: Duties, Consequences, and Virtue
C. The Global Context: Digital Divides and Universal Values
1. The Digital Divides: Money, Education, Communication, and Mobility
2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948 and 1998
3. Regulation of the Internet
4. Ubiquitous Computing


II. From Ethics to Policy: Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community
This section will present an overview of major ethical issues under the five categories noted above. The specific issues will be described in terms of the ethical principles and the conflicting interests of the various stake holders involved. The analysis will set the stage for the next section on the public policy aspects of each issue.
A. Access vs. Ownership
1. Intellectual Property: Copyright and Copyleft
2. The Right to Know and the Right to Information
3. Barriers to Information Access: Misinformation, Information Hiding, and Language Obstacles
4. The Open Source Movement and the Roles of Library and Information Professionals
5. The Public’s Right to Information vs. Personal and Corporate Privacy

B. Privacy vs. Security
1. Personal Privacy in Business and Healthcare
2. Secure Systems and the Hacker Ethos
3. Safety in Cyberspace

C. Community: Learning, Working, and the Joys of Life
1. Learning: Lifelong Pursuit
2. Working: The Private and Public Sectors
3. Family Life, Leisure, and the Arts

III. From Policy to Ethics: Custom, Law, and Building Global Consensus
This section will describe current public policy debates and how local as well as national and international practices and problems shaping law and custom. Complex interaction xxx and the winners and losers and the prospects from the future.
A. Current Winners: Literacy, Wealth, and Property
B. Current Losers: War, Disease, and Poverty
C. More Winners than Losers and the Problem of Unintended Consequences

IV. Global Information Justice and the Future
This section will present an approach to global information justice that considers the competing claims of humanity and nature with the potential of technologies. The goal of global information justice will be peace and its gifts to humanity and nature.
A. Humanity: Personal Identity and Social Responsibility
B. Nature: Preserving the Planet
C. Technology: Building the Instruments of Peace

Notes and Bibliography

Tables

Info679: Publications on the ICIE

Take a look at this clever way of presenting scholarly publications to the Information Ethics community.


http://icie.zkm.de/publications/virtualLibraries


See Floridi, Ess, and others.