The role of metaethics and the future of computer ethics

In the following essay, I will discuss D.Johnson's argument in her ETHICOMP99 KeynoteSpeech (Johnson 1999) regarding the possiblefuture disappearance of computer ethics as anautonomous discipline, and I will analyze somelikely objections to Johnson's view.In the future, there are two ways in whichcomputer ethics might disappear: (1) therejection of computer ethics as an aspect ofapplied ethics, or (2) the rejection ofcomputer ethics as an autonomous discipline.The first path, it seems to me, would lead tothe death of the entire field of appliedethics, while the second path would lead onlyto the death of computer ethics as a separatesubject. Computer technology is becoming very pervasive,and each scientific field includes somediscipline-specific computing. For the likelyforeseeable future, disciplines such asbioethics and engineering ethics will have todeal with ethical issues involving the role ofcomputers. I will argue that computer ethics inthis sense is unlikely to disappear, even ifcomputer ethics ceases to be considered as aseparate discipline.In order to understand which path will befollowed by computer ethics, I will compareJohnson's argument with ideas of earlierthinkers like N. Wiener (1950) and B. Russell(1932). Although Russell did not specificallyconsider computer technology, he had somegood intuitions about the development ofsocieties by means of technology.My conclusion will be two-fold: (1) thatapplied ethics will not die, but it may make nosense in the future to talk about computerethics as a separate field; and (2) thatcomputer ethics will not simply become``ordinary ethics', contrary to Johnson's view.     

自动驾驶汽车的“道德算法”困境

当前自动驾驶汽车发展所面临伦理困境的一个核心问题是：是否应该将道德规范嵌入算法结构以及应当以何种方式嵌入。在面对未来可能的交通事故时，屏蔽信息而依靠“道德运气”进行随机选择和基于完全信息的人工智能系统自主抉择都存在严重困难，因此应当为自动驾驶汽车预设“道德算法”。而对于如何决定“道德算法”的问题，鉴于现有道德原则间的相互冲突、道德决策的复杂性以及人类道德判断的情境化特点，基于某种人类既定的道德原则或道德规范是不现实的。     

欧盟项目ACUMEN的研究人员评价方法及启示

[目的/意义]研究人员评价作为科研评价的一部分在科研管理过程中具有重要意义。[方法/过程]介绍了欧盟科研人员评价标准联合框架ACUMEN的基本情况,阐释了该项目中研究人员评价体系设计的思想与模型以及具体的评价指标和方法,重点分析了该评价方法的特点。[结果/结论]ACUMEN评价方法对我国研究人员评价实践的启示与思考。     

Addressing inequal risk exposure in the development of automated vehicles

Ethics and Information Technology - Automated vehicles (AVs) are expected to operate on public roads, together with non-automated vehicles and other road users such as pedestrians or bicycles....     

Control of connected vehicles with event-triggered transmission and prescribed energy budget

This paper is concerned with event-triggered cooperative control of a platoon of connected vehicles via vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). To reduce communications among vehicles, we introduce a hybrid event-triggered transmission mechanism based on both time elapsed and state error. The effect of time-varying transmission delay and communication energy constraint can be also taken into account in the system modeling and design procedures. The on-board sensors use different power levels to transmit information resulting in different packet loss rates. The vehicular platoon system is proved to be exponentially mean-square stable under the hybrid event-triggering scheme and a constant time headway spacing policy. A framework for co-design of the hybrid event triggering scheme and the output feedback controller is given to guarantee platoon stability and spacing-error convergence along the stream. Numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed method.     

The future of computer ethics: You ain't seen nothin' yet!

The computer revolution can beusefully divided into three stages, two ofwhich have already occurred: the introductionstage and the permeation stage. We have onlyrecently entered the third and most importantstage – the power stage – in which many ofthe most serious social, political, legal, andethical questions involving informationtechnology will present themselves on a largescale. The present article discusses severalreasons to believe that future developments ininformation technology will make computerethics more vibrant and more important thanever. Computer ethics is here to stay!     

The categorical imperative and the ethics of trust

Trust can be understood as a precondition for a well-functioning society or as a way to handle complexities of living in a risk society, but also as a fundamental aspect of human morality. Interactions on the Internet pose some new challenges to issues of trust, especially connected to disembodiedness. Mistrust may be an important obstacle to Internet use, which is problematic as the Internet becomes a significant arena for political, social and commercial activities necessary for full participation in a liberal democracy. The Categorical Imperative lifts up trust as a fundamental component of human ethical virtues – first of all, because deception and coercion, the antitheses of trust, cannot be universalized. Mistrust is, according to Kant, a natural component of human nature, as we are social beings dependent on recognition by others but also prone to deceiving others. Only in true friendships can this tendency be overcome and give room for unconditional trust. Still we can argue that Kant must hold that trustworthy behaviour as well as trust in others is obligatory, as expressions of respect for humanity. The Kantian approach integrates political and ethical aspects of trust, showing that protecting the external activities of citizens is required in order to act morally. This means that security measures, combined with specific regulations are important preconditions for building online trust, providing an environment enabling people to act morally and for trust-based relationships.     

欧洲大学智力资本报告理论研究综述

从大学智力资本报告的内涵、功能、理论探索、基本模式以及研究不足等方面,对当前欧洲大学智力资本报告的有关理论文献和实践活动进行了梳理,分析了欧洲大学智力资本报告理论研究与实践探索对我国的启示.     

Impersonal interaction and ethics on the World-Wide-Web

In this paper, I will examine a classof ethical problems that essentially involvescomputers. I will argue that this class of heretoforeunknown ethical problems arise in broadcastcommunication received with a device of some kind, andinvolve what I will call impersonal interaction. Ialso argue that the moral element in such problemslies in a conflict between property rights and freespeech rights. Finally, I will argue that the bestapproach to solving these problems requires thecreation of a new standard protocol for computercommunication rather than laws governing the use ofcomputers.     

增值税改革对上海交通运输行业税负的影响

增值税和营业税的征税范围没有交叉,营业税主要是以第三产业中的服务业的营业额为征税对象,每个环节都是以营业额为税基,不能抵扣已经缴纳的税收,存在重复征税的现象,增大企业的税收负担。"十二五"期间在上海交通运输行业试点进行营业税改征增值税的改革,利用投入产出表中相关数据,通过对行业税负的测算,分析改革前后交通运输行业的税收负担变化情况。     

The relationship between the uniqueness of computer ethics and its independence as a discipline in applied ethics

A number of different uniquenessclaims have been made about computer ethics inorder to justify characterizing it as adistinct subdiscipline of applied ethics. Iconsider several different interpretations ofthese claims and argue, first, that none areplausible and, second, that none provideadequate justification for characterizingcomputer ethics as a distinct subdiscipline ofapplied ethics. Even so, I argue that computerethics shares certain important characteristicswith medical ethics that justifies treatingboth as separate subdisciplines of appliedethics.     

工程师的责任与工程伦理教育

从前瞻性和后视性两个维度,分析了工程师在工程活动中所负有的道德责任,进而考察了工程伦理教育的现状,建议在国内大学中开展工程伦理教育.     

文艺复兴运动对欧洲教育的影响

西方教育的发展与演变和宗教有密切的关系,人本主义在文艺复兴时期成为了教育改革家们的思想利器。本研究通过剖析文艺复兴时期的教育改革阐述了社会运动对教育思想的深远影响。     

The effects of religiosity and gender on attitudes and trust toward autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) and self-driving technology have become increasingly important in transportation industry, as they are believed to offer several social and environmental benefits, such as lesser air pollution, traffic jams, and car accidents. However, as any other new technology, AVs raise some skepticism and mistrust. For example, prior research shows that women are less trustful toward AVs than men. In the quest to find boundary conditions to this gender effect, we conducted a survey (n = 227). It reveals that religiosity impacts how men (versus women) respond to AVs. Specifically, we found that highly religious men had more negative AV attitudes and were less trustful toward AVs than nonreligious men. Furthermore, highly religious men demonstrated significantly lower trust and less positive attitudes toward AVs than highly religious women. Our findings might help AV producers and governmental institutions in segmentation, targeting, and promoting self-driving technology.     

Machines and the face of ethics

In this article I try to show in what sense Emmanuel Levinas’ ‘ethics as first philosophy’ moves our ethical thinking away from what has been called ‘centrist ethics’. Proceeding via depictions of the structure of Levinasian ethics and including references to examples as well as to some empirical research, I try to argue that human beings always already find themselves within an ethical universe, a space of meaning. Critically engaging with the writings of David Gunkel and Lucas Introna, I try to argue that these thinkers, rather than clarifying, distort our ethical understanding of how we stand in relation to artefacts. Drawing a distinction between how pervasive our ethical relationship to other human beings, and living animals, is and how the nature of artefacts is tied to us, I conclude by indicating that the aspiration to give artefacts an ethical face suggests a fantasy to avoid ethical responsibility and generates what I call a ‘compensatory logic’.     

The structure and future of the information economy

The structure of the U.S. economy is analyzed to determine whether a shift has occurred from a service to an information economy. National Income Accounting concepts are reviewed to facilitate a critical comparison of the works of Machlup and Porat. Evidence about the future of an information economy is reviewed. It is concluded that the growth of the information economy will not continue at the same rate it has in the past and further that the growth will be in information products, not information services. It is also concluded that it is unwarranted to restructure the National Income Accounts to reflect a change to an information economy.     

基于知识图谱的国际管理伦理研究可视化分析

根据SSCI(社会科学引文索引)数据库提供的数据资料,依据科学计量学基本原理,运用国际上流行的CiteSpace信息可视化软件绘制出知识图谱,对国际管理伦理研究情况进行