Book Review: Chapter 2: Milestones in the History of Information and Computer Ethics

 

Book: The-handbook-of-information-and-computer-ethic

 

Author: TERRELL WARD BYNUM

 

Library Reference: N/A

 

Amazon Reference:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233037513&sr=1-1

 

Quote:

 

“Cybernetics takes the view that the structure of the machine or of the organism is an index

of the performance that may be expected from it.”

 

Learning Expectations

• I expect to learn what are the milestones in information and computer ethics?
• The history of the people in creating modern technology.
• How did Weiner contribute his works to the world?

 

Review:

 

This chapter is the collection of the history of information and computer ethics. It is stated here all information regarding computer ethics. The Second World War is the starting point of the history. It is all where information and computer ethics starts. Also in Second World War, number one advancement created by humans is the internet which connects one network to another. It is good to say that because of world war, people are really passionate in doing new things that can really help in the world war. They use this as a tool to fight against the enemy. As they create these tools, people can now acquire knowledge for technology. The outputs are all information. One story at that time was a philosopher and scientist, Norbert Wiener who are involved in digital computers. Because he is involved here, lots of ideas come into his mind specifically the idea of defense using technology. All of these are called “enormous potential for good and evil.” Because of this idea, he thinks now that the new information technology could change the world in a literal way. He also based the industrial revolution because of this revolution, people cannot collect ideas to have an advancements particularly advancement in technology. It is hard to predict the “second industrial revolution” as an “automatic age”. In this particular age, all are high tech. At this age, we come to a point that all are technical. It is hard to foresee this but it is a good prediction for us provided that these technology will don’t give us harmful reasons. Thanks to the people who are involved in the industrial revolution and Second World War age.

 

 Wiener really has great contribution for the change of the world. He even wrote a book so called “cybernetics”. With this book, the ethical impacts sides are included so that people would know the right and wrong about this. He laid the foundation of information ethics and computer ethics as an eccentric study of that time. They would not know the future, even he don’t know it. As the time goes by, the social and cultural impacts of social computing are developed. As of today, we are considering Wiener study as a good milestone of the coming era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the book, it is basically the foundation of information ethics which involves human and technology. Weiner base his study on this way by evaluating the human perspective on health, happiness, security, freedom, knowledge, opportunities and ability of a particular person. He based his idea on this so that it is the side of human and to be based on ethical and moral values, naturally. The “cybernetic view of human nature and society” was really a big help giving foundational ideas on ethics for the “purpose of a human life”. In referring to life as a conclusion is that a purpose of a human life is to “flourish as the kind of information-processing organisms that human in a natural way”. This means that Weiner are really basing to a natural point of view.

 

 

 

What I’ve learned:

I learn the basic function of cybernetics for the foundational historical information and computer ethics. I learn that in natural way, the idea will just come out as the human thinks. All of us are aiming for a good life. Because we have a freedom to overcome a good life, we need to stick up ideas on how to be creative in our lives including the ethical values we must have. We are now dealing in technology these days. Because of Weiner’s idea, we can level up our lives through the technology we have today as well as the life we have today. We must be happy in all aspect because we can achieve for a good life. Through the foundational ideas stated here, we must do the best we can to live our lives to the fullest.

 

Integrative Questions:

 

1.       What is cybernetics?

2.       What is the basic function of cybernetics?

3.       Does it give function that we are really up to?

4.       How did Weiner come up to this idea?

5.       What was the reason why technological advancement are created today?

Citations: N/A