This Is Technology Ethics - An Introduction

An approachable introduction to the philosophical study of ethical dilemmas in technologyIn the Technology Age, innovations in medical, communications, and weapons technologies have given rise to many new ethical questions: Are technologies always value-neutral tools? Are human values and human prejudices sometimes embedded in technologies? Should we merge with the technologies we use? Is it ethical to use autonomous weapons systems in warfare? What should a self-driving car do if it detects an unavoidable crash? Can robots have morally relevant properties?This is Technology Ethics: An Introduction provides an accessible overview of the sub-field of philosophy that focuses on the ethical implications of new technologies. Requiring no previous background in the subject, this reader-friendly volume explores ethical questions concerning artificial intelligence, robots, self-driving cars, brain implants, social media and communication technologies, and more. Throughout the book, clear and engaging chapters describe and discuss key discussions, issues, and themes while inviting readers to develop their own perspectives on a wide range of moral and ethical questions. Discusses how various technologies influence and shape individuals and society both positively and negatively Illustrates how emerging technologies affect traditional ideas about ethics and human self-understanding Addresses the ethical complications of creating technologies that may lead to morally problematic consequences Considers if the benefits of new technologies outweigh potential drawbacks, such as how people interact online through social media Explores how established moral and ethical theories relate to new questions concerning advanced technologies Part of the popular This is Philosophy series published by Wiley-Blackwell, This is Technology Ethics: An Introduction is a must-read for undergraduate students taking a Technology Ethics course, researchers in the field, engineers, technology professionals, and general readers looking to learn more about the topic....

List of contents

Preface xiii
 
Acknowledgments xvii
 
1 What is Technology (From an Ethical Point of View)? 1
 
1.1 A Hut in the Black Forest 1
 
1.2 The Question Concerning Technology: The Instrumental Theory of Technology from Martin Heidegger to Joanna Bryson 3
 
1.3 "Post- Phenomenology" and the Mediation Theory of Technology 7
 
1.4 Technologies Conceived of as Being More Than Mere Means or Instruments 11
 
1.5 Technologies Regarded as Moral Agents 13
 
1.6 Technologies Regarded as Moral Patients 16
 
1.7 Some of the Key Types of Technologies That Will Be Discussed at Greater Length in Later Chapters of the Book 19
 
Annotated Bibliography 24
 
2 What is Ethics? (and, in Particular, What is Technology Ethics)? 25
 
2.1 Two Campaigns 25
 
2.2 The Ethics of Virtue and Human Flourishing in Ancient Greece 28
 
2.3 Ancient Chinese Confucianism and Traditional Southern African Ubuntu Ethics 32
 
2.4 Kantian Ethics 36
 
2.5 Utilitarianism and Consequentialist Ethical Theories 39
 
2.6 If Ethics More Generally Can Be All the Things Discussed in the Previous Sections, then What Does this Mean for Technology Ethics in Particular? 44
 
2.7 How Technology Ethics Can Challenge and Create a Need for Extensions of More General Ethical Theory 46
 
Annotated Bibliography 49
 
3 Methods of Technology Ethics: The Ethics of Self- Driving Cars as a Case Study 51
 
3.1 Methodologies of Ethics? 51
 
3.2 The Ethics of Self- Driving Cars 53
 
3.3 Ethics by Committee 56
 
3.4 Ethics by Analogy: The Trolley Problem Comparison 58
 
3.5 Empirical Ethics 61
 
3.6 Applying Traditional Ethical Theories 65
 
3.7 Which Method(s) Should We Use in Technology Ethics? Only One or Many? 70
 
Annotated Bibliography 74
 
4 Artificial Intelligence, Value Alignment, and the Control Problem 76
 
4.1 Averting a Nuclear War 76
 
4.2 What Is Artificial Intelligence and What Is the Value Alignment Problem? 79
 
4.3 The Good and the Bad, and Instrumental and Non- Instrumental Values and Principles 83
 
4.4 Instrumentally Positive Value- Alignment of Technologies 86
 
4.5 Instrumentally Negative Misalignment of Technologies 87
 
4.6 Positive Non- Instrumental Value Alignment of Technologies 90
 
4.7 Negative Non- Instrumental Value Misalignment of Technologies 94
 
4.8 The Control Problem 96
 
4.9 Control as a Value: Instrumental or Non- Instrumental? And Are There Some Technologies It Might Be Wrong to Try to Control? 99
 
Annotated Bibliography 102
 
5 Behavior Change Technologies, Gamification, Personal Autonomy, and the Value of Control 104
 
5.1 A Better You? 104
 
5.2 Behavior Change Technologies and Gamification 107
 
5.3 Control: Three Basic Observations 110
 
5.4 Key Dimensions of Control Discussed in Different Areas of Philosophy 112
 
5.5 Behavior Change Technologies and the "Subjects" and "Objects" of Control 116
 
5.6 The Value and Ethical Importance of Control 120
 
5.7 Concluding This Chapter 123
 
Annotated Bibliography 125
 
6 Responsibility and Technology: Mind the Gap(s)? 127
 
6.1 Two Events 127
 
6.2 What Is Responsibility? Different Ways in Which People Can Be Held Responsible and Different Things for Which People Can Be Held Responsible 130
 
6.3 Responsibility Gaps: General Background 134
 
6.4 Responsibility Gaps Created by Technologies 138
 
6.5 Filling Responsibility Gaps by Having People Voluntarily Take Responsibility 142
 
6.6 Should We Perhaps Welcome Responsibil

Report

"Overall, This is Technology Ethics: An Introduction is well written, philosophically engaging, thought provoking, and timely--considering our society is in the midst of working out the ethical implications surrounding emerging technologies. This book will be of benefit to instructors teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in technology ethics or introductory ethics courses that want to incorporate technology ethics into the curriculum. Reading the entire book has academic merit and is a fascinating read, but you could also choose to only read certain chapters. This is a testament to the well-organized structure of the book. Finally, footnotes in philosophy books tend to be exclusively concerned with written material. Nyholm extends the content of his foot-notes by pointing readers to podcasts and videos that are sure to be useful for students, instructors, and those that want to take a deep dive into the fascinating world of technology ethics." (AI and Ethics, 2023).
 
"This Is Technology Ethics is an engaging and enjoyable introduction for anyone who is interested in the ethical implications of advancing technologies. It brings a helpful level of structure to a field of philosophy that is still in the process of being developed. Nyholm's clear language and use of real and fictional examples make the book accessible to a wide audience, as well as a valuable addition to Wiley's 'This Is Philosophy' series." (Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2023).

Product details

• Authors: Steven D. Hales, Nyholm, S Nyholm, Sven Nyholm, Nyholm Sven
• Assisted by: Steven D Hales (Editor), Steven D. Hales (Editor), Steven D. Hales (Editor of the series), Hales Steven D. (Editor of the series)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.05.2023
• EAN: 9781119755579
• ISBN: 978-1-119-75557-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 230 mm x 20 mm
• Series: This is Philosophy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; Ethik, Philosophie, Informatik, Ethics, Philosophy, computer science, Philosophy of Technology, Technikethik, Spezialthemen Informatik, Computer Science Special Topics, Philosophie i. d. Technik