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CS 335: Ethics (Fall '02) |
Note that the links to the papers will not be activated until sometime after the turnin deadline for each paper. Remember that position papers are due an hour before class starts on the date due.
You must always turnin a directory, where your "starting point" document
must be called index.htm within that directory. Then turn this in using
the command such as:
turnin
-c cs335 -p paper1 myPaperDir1
where "paper1" is the project into which this is being turned in,
and "myPaperDir1" is the directory you are turning in. Note that "myPaperDir1"
would have a file in it called "index.htm", which would be the starting
point for your html document(s). It is not unusual to turnin only "index.htm"
within the directory, however you must turn it in as I have described so that
the grading script can accomodate those who turnin multiple files (e.g. graphics)
as part of their papers.
Consider the papers you've read by Joy, Kurzweil, Heilemann, and Vinge. Heilemann quotes futurist Peter Schwartz as saying "All of science is now information science." In response to being asked about the challenges posed by the radical changes science is about to thrust upon us, Schwartz's reply is "The biggest political challenge in this new century is the conflict between the secular and the sacred... cloning, life extension, genetic manipulation, super-intelligence, sentient robots - this stuff has a way of really freaking people out... In the next few decades, I do believe people will kill each other in large numbers as a direct result of the advancement of science."
Consider specifically where you agree/disagree with Joy, Heilemann, Kurzweil and Schwartz. What are some of the principle obstacles to the future as forseen in these papers?
Be sure to review the instructions in the syllabus regarding position papers and using turnin. Turnin this first position paper into the "paper1" project. For example, if the directory you wish to turnin is named "first" you would turn it in to the "paper1" project using the CS department machine's turnin command as follows:
turnin -c cs335 -p paper1 first
To verify that it was received, you can do a "ls" command to see it as follows:
ls ~i335/submit/paper1
For this first position paper only, if you do not yet have a CS account you may email me your position paper as an html file that is an attachment to the email message. Please title the email "CS 335 first position paper."
Read this story on "Slow Glass". What are the technological implications of this technology if it were pushed to its limit? (C'mon now, think...) Can computers be used to do something similar? (Consider current "augmented reality" glasses, uses in surveillance, wearable computers, etc.) What could be the effect on society of such technology? Discuss how this is related to other technologies and topics we have discussed in class. Related to this, see the Harvard Gazette link on how scientist Lene Hau slowed light to 38 mph. A Nasa paper describes then stopping it entirely.
Turnin your position paper into the "paper2" project.
See the papers.
Read about the Therac-25 case. (49 pages. Alternatively see the author's page, with the case as Postscript or as pdf). If one of your parents or a sibling was one of the ones who had died due to a radiation overdose, who would you sue? What caused the problem? How could this have been avoided?
Consider the following elements: hardware, software design practices, operator procedure, interface design, information sharing (FDA & the CAP), the role of safety statistical estimates, and human attitudes. Make an outline of the different cases involved and a timeline of the development of the case. You will need to know these details for in-class use, so bring a print-out with you. There is quite a bit of information here, but it is necessary to make informed judgements in a "real-world" problem.
Turnin your position paper into the "paper3" project.
See the papers.
Should spam be allowed? View the spam links on the course page on Freedom of Speech. Give the strongest reasons you can think of why it should be allowed, and the strongest reasons you can think of as to why it should not be allowed.
Turnin your position paper into the "paper4" project.
See the papers.
Does the "Fair Use" doctrine allow you as a student to copy software from a friend to try? Imagine a hypothetical person that is very similar to you. Has this hypothetical person ever copied software? Why or why not? Under what conditions? Is there a difference between the "letter of the law" and the "spirit of the law", or is that just an excuse for this hypothetical person to do whatever is most convenient, regardless of the cost to others? With the understanding that you are writing as a hypothetical person, go ahead and write in the first person, e.g. "I think that..."
Turnin your position paper into the "paper5" project.
The case involving Steve Jackson Games (SJG) and the Secret Service gave rise to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a staunch defender of electronic privacy and free speech. (If you're interested, you can read John Perry Barlow's account of this.) Read about this case, either at the SJG site, or by looking at a summary taken from Bruce Sterling's online book The Hacker Crackdown.
Submit a position paper on the underlying issues involved here from the standpoint of: 1. The government; and 2. Individuals. Give your reactions to this case. Have your views on possible government intrusion into citizen's lives changed since the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01? Turnin your position paper into the "paper6" project.
Use what you have read as well as what you know about history to answer the following questions:
Is technology value-neutral? Does technology encapsulates human knowledge? Does technology help maintain the status quo in a negative sense, or does it help foster positive revolutionary change in society? In other words, does it make the world a better place to live? Be as specific as possible in defending your views.
Turnin your position paper into the "paper7" project.