Monday, January 16, 2006
ALISE-- Information Ethics SIG (Special Interest Group)
ALISE http://www.alise.org This week at the ALISE meeting we will have the first meeting of the official SIG on Information Ethics. This is an exciting happening and represents years of effort in promoting information ethics as an important domain of study within the field of library and information science. For more on the first formal meeting see: http://globalinfoethics.blogspot.com You will find the discussion statement on the mission and purpose of the SIG there. This has truly been a group effort, and it is a true joy for me to be associated with this group. I'll post updates as the week goes on.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Faculty Support in the Commercial University Environment
Is that a pedantic sounding subject line or what? Well, I'm trying to be tactful as well as serious and thoughtful. Let me start now where my heart is:
Back in the days of my childhood, I remember being puzzled by a saying I heard. Now I understand it and here want to apply this saying to the problem of faculty support in today's universities. "The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother." While this
saying applies to the more traditional family where the mother is home with the children while
the father goes off to work, it speaks volumes about human relationships and the importance
of support for those entrusted with the cultivation of happy, good humans. I think of another
saying of more recent origin that applies here too. When my daughter first found her
cat, she spoiled him obsessively. In fact she still does. We've always said, however, that
the cat will never have to go out to work. Of course a spoiled cat can be a pain in the ..., particularly if he has lapses in his toileting habits. But he won't have to make a living or
maintain a household. The point is that humans and cats are different in their requirements for survival and flourishing. Those of us involved in the care and education of humans know that people will have to manage on their own, unlke pet cats (companion animals) who depend upon responsible people to care for them-- people who won't spend the cat food money on a big screen TV. Where am I going here? What does all this have to do with faculty? The commercialized university in a business-oriented society?
Like mothers home with children day after day, faculty members must have a support network, if not love and appreciation, to do a good job as teachers and researchers. Like children, students won't be able to grow up intellectually and to master their intended fields of learning and practice if they are treated like a cat, like a pet. Structure and challenge rather than indulgance is needed. It's so much easier to let cats, children, or students set the rules and never restrain or criticize them. It takes energy to maintain standards. A bunch of children, even one, can wear down the at-home parent(s)--mothers, fathers, grandparents, or others. The grownup needs support and affirmation to hold the line with the children. Faculty need structures and support to do the work of educational transformation. Faculty wear down just like parents. So what has happened in higher education where the customer service mentality reigns and faculty are told to "please" students? What are the results when parents see their roles as to "please" their children? Think about that. I'll post more of my ideas soon.
Back in the days of my childhood, I remember being puzzled by a saying I heard. Now I understand it and here want to apply this saying to the problem of faculty support in today's universities. "The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother." While this
saying applies to the more traditional family where the mother is home with the children while
the father goes off to work, it speaks volumes about human relationships and the importance
of support for those entrusted with the cultivation of happy, good humans. I think of another
saying of more recent origin that applies here too. When my daughter first found her
cat, she spoiled him obsessively. In fact she still does. We've always said, however, that
the cat will never have to go out to work. Of course a spoiled cat can be a pain in the ..., particularly if he has lapses in his toileting habits. But he won't have to make a living or
maintain a household. The point is that humans and cats are different in their requirements for survival and flourishing. Those of us involved in the care and education of humans know that people will have to manage on their own, unlke pet cats (companion animals) who depend upon responsible people to care for them-- people who won't spend the cat food money on a big screen TV. Where am I going here? What does all this have to do with faculty? The commercialized university in a business-oriented society?
Like mothers home with children day after day, faculty members must have a support network, if not love and appreciation, to do a good job as teachers and researchers. Like children, students won't be able to grow up intellectually and to master their intended fields of learning and practice if they are treated like a cat, like a pet. Structure and challenge rather than indulgance is needed. It's so much easier to let cats, children, or students set the rules and never restrain or criticize them. It takes energy to maintain standards. A bunch of children, even one, can wear down the at-home parent(s)--mothers, fathers, grandparents, or others. The grownup needs support and affirmation to hold the line with the children. Faculty need structures and support to do the work of educational transformation. Faculty wear down just like parents. So what has happened in higher education where the customer service mentality reigns and faculty are told to "please" students? What are the results when parents see their roles as to "please" their children? Think about that. I'll post more of my ideas soon.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
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/
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
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
Thursday, January 05, 2006
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
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
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
Monday, January 02, 2006
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.
http://icie.zkm.de/publications/virtualLibraries
See Floridi, Ess, and others.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Info679: Assignments: Electronic Pathfinders
Assignments: Electronic Pathfinders For the major assignment in this class, you may choose to prepare an electronic pathfinder on a topic in information ethics and related issues.
For some examples, look here:
From the Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48488
Also, the Librarians' Index to the Internet http://www.lii.org
Look here also:
http://home.wsd.wednet.edu/pathfinders/path.htm
For more ideas, look in some of the usual places--
Search the article databases such as LibraryLit, LISA, and ERIC--
http://www.library.drexel.edu
Check out some major academic library sites and invisible web sites such as the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov
Try some unusual search engines: Kartoo http://www.kartoo.com Clusty http://www.clusty.com For more see http://www.searchenginewatch.com
Possible Topics Include (See more on the Bb site):
For some examples, look here:
From the Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48488
Also, the Librarians' Index to the Internet http://www.lii.org
Look here also:
http://home.wsd.wednet.edu/pathfinders/path.htm
For more ideas, look in some of the usual places--
Search the article databases such as LibraryLit, LISA, and ERIC--
http://www.library.drexel.edu
Check out some major academic library sites and invisible web sites such as the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov
Try some unusual search engines: Kartoo http://www.kartoo.com Clusty http://www.clusty.com For more see http://www.searchenginewatch.com
Possible Topics Include (See more on the Bb site):
- The Global Digital Divide
- Healthcare Ethics and Information Technology
- Ethical Practices in Internet Research
- Philosophy of Information
- Philosophy of Technology
- Using Information in Homeland Security
- Datamining in Public Health
- Privacy and Health Records
- Social Responsibility and the Information Industry
- Intellectual Property Rights vs. the Public's Right to Information
- Children's Rights to Information
- The Ethics of Internet Regulation
- Librarians and the USA Patriot Act
- Copyright and CopyLeft
- The Ethics of the Open Source Movement
- Diversity in Librarianship
- Monitoring in the Workplace: Ethical Perspectives on Personnel Policies
- The Ethics of Service to Underserved Population
- Preserving World Cultures
- The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- UNESCO and Information Ethics
- Issues in Information Ethics in Fiction
- Issues in Information Ethics in Film
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Info679: The Syllabus
Information Ethics at Dragon U: Take a look at the syllabus outline. I'll be making some changes before class officially begins on January 9th.
*******************************************************
Martha M. Smith, Ph. D.
marti.smith@cis.drexel.edu
215-895-1532
msmith@infoethics.org
http://www.cis.drexel.edu/faculty/msmith
Course Description:
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.
*******************************************************
College of Information Science and Technology
Drexel University
Winter, 2005-2006
INFO679 Online
Information Ethics
Drexel University
Winter, 2005-2006
INFO679 Online
Information Ethics
Martha M. Smith, Ph. D.
marti.smith@cis.drexel.edu
215-895-1532
msmith@infoethics.org
http://www.cis.drexel.edu/faculty/msmith
Course Description:
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 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, (8.) the information industry; and containing assignments such as weekly journal entries, resource pathfinders, and an information ethics case study problem for analysis.
Blog Postings: Five blog postings (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7) will be due on Mondays by noon of each week. Weekly postings should be between 200-300 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 on a Current Issue (Progress report due in Week 5—15%; Final due in Week 10—35%)
(40%) 5 Blog Postings and Interaction with Other Students in a Blog Ring (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 )
(10%) Collaboration and Cooperative Learning (Class Participation, Initiative, Creativity, and more)
Grading Scale
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= Below 79
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 Harman T. Tavani (eds.) (2003), Readings in cyberethics. 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm
Fiction, Movies, and Media
Selected short stories, novels, movies, radio, and audio resources. 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.
Web Resources
Examples of Optional Readings and Resources: 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 Harman 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/
Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments:
Week 1: Information Ethics in the News
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: 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;
Weeks 3: Decision-Making 1
Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation;
Week 4: Decision-Making 2
Week 5: Professional Practice, Ethics, and Law
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;
Week 7: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Access and Ownership
Week 8: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Privacy and Security
Week 9: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Community
Week 10: The Future of Information Ethics
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.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Info679: Information Ethics from the ESTE
Big News-- The Hagerty Library just added the electronic version of the Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics to its collection. Check out the cool interface (Gale Reference Collection) and pay special attention to the article on Information Ethics by Ed Elrod and Martha Smith (your humble professor). For those of you outside of the Drexel network, take a look at the Gale site for more info on this terrific resources (out the summer of 2005). Other articles and authors of interest including Luciano Floridi.
Go to the Hagerty Library site to find this resource: http://www.library.drexel.edu
Also, take a look at the indexing with hyperlinks. Very cool.
Go to the Hagerty Library site to find this resource: http://www.library.drexel.edu
Also, take a look at the indexing with hyperlinks. Very cool.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Info679: Essential Readings: The Biggies
Key Readings: If you read nothing else, read these:
Weeks 1-3 (This list is complete.)
Elrod and Smith. 2005. Information ethics. In The Encyclopeida of Science, Technology, and Ethics. See Hagerty Library's electronic reference.
Smith, M. 1992 Infoethics for leaders, in Library Trends, Winter, 1992. See if the text is online or look for it in your local library or order from ILL. (Your searching skills are very important in this class.)
Capurro, R. Information technologies and technologies of the self. http://icie.zkm.de This is the website for the International Center for Information Ethics
Moor, J. Just consequentialism and computing, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text for the course.
Floridi, L. and Sanders, J. W. The foundationalist debate in computer ethics, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text.
Weeks 4-6 (More for these weeks will be posted later.)
Winner, Do artifacts have politics? See text on Infoethicist blog. Note the date when this was written.
Smith, Global information justice. Library Trends. (See how many indexes lead you to the full text of the article. Also, see if which libraries in your local area have Library Trends or other periodicals in the field of library and information science.)
Weeks 6-10 (More will be added here.)
Lessig, L. The laws of cyberspace, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text.
Also see Lessig's presence on the web. Try Clusty http://www.clusty.com ; also Kartoo http://www.kartoo.com ; try Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com Look for Lessig in the literature of library and information science.
Anytime
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.unesco.org
ALA: Code of Ethics and Intellectual Freedom Statement http://www.ala.org
ACM: Code of Ethics http://www.acm.org Also in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.)
Weeks 1-3 (This list is complete.)
Elrod and Smith. 2005. Information ethics. In The Encyclopeida of Science, Technology, and Ethics. See Hagerty Library's electronic reference.
Smith, M. 1992 Infoethics for leaders, in Library Trends, Winter, 1992. See if the text is online or look for it in your local library or order from ILL. (Your searching skills are very important in this class.)
Capurro, R. Information technologies and technologies of the self. http://icie.zkm.de This is the website for the International Center for Information Ethics
Moor, J. Just consequentialism and computing, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text for the course.
Floridi, L. and Sanders, J. W. The foundationalist debate in computer ethics, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text.
Weeks 4-6 (More for these weeks will be posted later.)
Winner, Do artifacts have politics? See text on Infoethicist blog. Note the date when this was written.
Smith, Global information justice. Library Trends. (See how many indexes lead you to the full text of the article. Also, see if which libraries in your local area have Library Trends or other periodicals in the field of library and information science.)
Weeks 6-10 (More will be added here.)
Lessig, L. The laws of cyberspace, in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.) Text.
Also see Lessig's presence on the web. Try Clusty http://www.clusty.com ; also Kartoo http://www.kartoo.com ; try Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com Look for Lessig in the literature of library and information science.
Anytime
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.unesco.org
ALA: Code of Ethics and Intellectual Freedom Statement http://www.ala.org
ACM: Code of Ethics http://www.acm.org Also in Spinello and Tavani (2nd ed.)
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Info679: The Traditions of Librarianship
The Tradition of Librarianship
as They Inform Information Ethics
Access
Intellectual Freedom
Freedom to Read
Privacy and Confidentiality
Service
Balanced Collections
Professional Neutrality
Respect for All (including employees)
Access
Intellectual Freedom
Freedom to Read
Privacy and Confidentiality
Service
Balanced Collections
Professional Neutrality
Respect for All (including employees)
On the traditions of librarianship, see the website of the American Library Association (http://www.ala.org ) and other resources on the history of librarianship, particularly in the United States.
Access
Intellectual Freedom
Freedom to Read
Privacy and Confidentiality
Service
Balanced Collections
Professional Neutrality
Respect for All (including employees)
Keep these in mind as we move through the term together.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Info679: Shall We Wiki?
Blogs and now wiki's. Take a look at the Wiki world.
This is the key wiki we'll talk about this term. Shall we contribute an article about Information Ethics for Wikipedia? Set up an account and see how it works.
http://www.wikipedia.org
Also take a look at http://www.liswiki.com/wiki/Main_Page
We'll not only talk about using wiki tools and contributing to them, but also consider starting wiki groups ourselves and the big topic of social networking in cyberspace.
This is the key wiki we'll talk about this term. Shall we contribute an article about Information Ethics for Wikipedia? Set up an account and see how it works.
http://www.wikipedia.org
Also take a look at http://www.liswiki.com/wiki/Main_Page
We'll not only talk about using wiki tools and contributing to them, but also consider starting wiki groups ourselves and the big topic of social networking in cyberspace.
Info679: Free Access to Information from Libraries Unlimited
Free Access to Information from Libraries Unlimited
One of the most useful ways that publishers can promote themselves is to invite free access to their sources. In this case, Libraries Unlimited has given open access to the Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science. As publishers struggles to know what business models will work in the new information environment, initiatives like this are to be applauded. We'll look for other examples of this kind of service from other publishers. Think about this: If you were working for a publisher in library and information science or in another academic field, how would you envision the future both for business and for social responsibility. See below:
http://www.lu.com/odlis
One of the most useful ways that publishers can promote themselves is to invite free access to their sources. In this case, Libraries Unlimited has given open access to the Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science. As publishers struggles to know what business models will work in the new information environment, initiatives like this are to be applauded. We'll look for other examples of this kind of service from other publishers. Think about this: If you were working for a publisher in library and information science or in another academic field, how would you envision the future both for business and for social responsibility. See below:
http://www.lu.com/odlis
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Info679: "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" By Langdon Winner
See the full text of Langdon Winner's famous article, "Do Artifacts Have Politics?" 1986
http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~rfrost/courses/Women+Tech/readings/Winner.html
Think about how you would update this article's key question for the information and communications of today--- the Internet? Internet filtering? IM-ing? Pod casting? Mobile phones? Computer in the classroom? Blogging? Wiki's? Virtual reference? Napster et al.?
What else?
http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~rfrost/courses/Women+Tech/readings/Winner.html
Think about how you would update this article's key question for the information and communications of today--- the Internet? Internet filtering? IM-ing? Pod casting? Mobile phones? Computer in the classroom? Blogging? Wiki's? Virtual reference? Napster et al.?
What else?
Info679: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Look especially at Article 19.
Info679: Information Ethics at UNESCO
Information Ethics at UNESCO http://www.unesco.org
Check out the links below:
Portals - Real time updates
Archives Portal
Links:7836
Categories:1137
Updated:
2005-12-09
Libraries Portal
Links:14209
Categories:899
Updated:
2005-12-04
Information Society Observatory
Links:2054
Categories:303
Updated:
2005-12-05
Free & Open Source Software Portal
Links:697
Categories:78
Updated:
2005-10-
Info679: Information Ethics on the Invisible Web
Sources for Information Ethics on the Invisible or Deep Web? Where to Look!
Take a look at this useful pathfinder on the Invisible Web!
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/InvisibleWeb.html
Take a look at this useful pathfinder on the Invisible Web!
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/InvisibleWeb.html
Info679: WebJunction: Preparing the Current and the Next Generation
WebJunction: Preparing the Current and the Next Generation
http://www.webjunction.org
WebJunction is a substantial partnership to promote libraries and librarianship. Funded largely by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and co-ordinated by OCLC and others, WebJunction is an experiment in providing educational resources in a virtual community setting. See for yourself what WebJunction can do to help you enhance your work and service.
http://www.webjunction.org
WebJunction is a substantial partnership to promote libraries and librarianship. Funded largely by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and co-ordinated by OCLC and others, WebJunction is an experiment in providing educational resources in a virtual community setting. See for yourself what WebJunction can do to help you enhance your work and service.
Info679: Pathfinders from the Internet Public Library
Pathfinders from the Internet Public Library
These will give you an idea of the format and scope. Look for other examples and articles about pathfinders and bibliographic instruction.
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